Kiss and Ride

Morning: 9:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.

Afternoon: 4:00 p.m. - 4:10 p.m.

Car riders must use the Kiss and Ride area. Parents are required to drop students off using the circular driveway in front of the school. If you choose to not use the Kiss and Ride and bring your child to the front of the building you must park your car in the parking lot and walk them across the driveway.

The Kiss and Ride is a designated area (identified by signs) for parents picking up or unloading their children by private vehicle. The area is separate from the bus loading/unloading location so there is no conflict with the two operations. For the Kiss and Ride to function properly, several procedures must be followed:

1. Children load and unload from the passenger side of the car only, so they will not have to cross the driveway in front of traffic.
2. Drivers remain in the car. Safety patrols and staff will assist with the car door.
3. Cars stay in a single file line as they move to and from the Kiss and Ride.
4. Parents wanting to enter the school must park in an available parking space. They are not to enter the Kiss and Ride line in this case.
5. Arrive early. The busiest time at the Kiss and Ride area is five minutes before the start of class. Plan to arrive 10 to 15 minutes before the tardy bell (9:15 a.m.), when the traffic is lighter.
6. For the safety of our students and staff, please refrain from using your cell phones/texting during arrival or dismissal.

Staff members will be stationed at the Kiss and Ride to help students get out of the cars safely and enter the building through the front doors. The Kiss and Ride area becomes very congested. The following is a suggested route to aid in the flow of traffic:

1. Come down Hidden Canyon Road towards school.
2. Make a left hand turn onto Martins Hundred Drive.
3. Then make the third right hand turn into the front of the school.
4. Exit the loop and make a right hand turn onto Martins Hundred Drive.

Please treat our staff members monitoring Kiss and Ride respectfully. Remember that Kiss and Ride is offered as a courtesy to our parents and these staff members make it possible to offer this service.

Kiss and Ride parents are expected to pick their students up on time. Car riders who have not been picked up by 4:10 p.m. will be escorted to the school office until a parent or guardian arrives.

Bus Riders

Bus service is provided for children living outside the walking boundaries. Bus riders are expected to:

• Avoid crossing over or playing on private property.
• Arrive at the bus stop 5 minutes prior to the scheduled pick up time.
• Remain seated and talk quietly after boarding the bus.
• Cooperate with the safety patrols and bus drivers.

Procedures for safe transportation are discussed with all students at the beginning of the school year. Parents/guardians are responsible for supervision for safety at bus stops. It is also important that parents review with their children the information included on the form provided to all students who use school transportation. Parents’ reinforcement of the rules for safe loading and unloading of buses and of standards for behavior on buses and at bus stops is essential and will promote safety. Student failure to exhibit acceptable standards of conduct while riding a school bus can result in a suspension of bus transportation.

Kindergarten Parents: For your child’s safety, the bus driver will return your child to their school if your child is not met at the door of the school bus by an adult or middle school or older student who calls for the child by name.

FECEP-Headstart Parents: Family and Early Childhood Program (FECEP) Headstart will be returned to school unless they are met at the bus door by a parent or another responsible adult who is 18 years of age or older and named in writing by the parent.

Bus Delay Notification System

This system provides parents with timely notification of late bus route information.  Parents may access the system at the link below or use the FCPS Mobile App to receive the delayed bus report. Morning route information will be available until noon. The afternoon route information will be available from 1-5 p.m.  

Need assistance or have questions?  Contact the Lisa Weiford at @email or at 703-249-7000 (in the FCPS transporation office for our school). For any concerns after hours, contact Safety and Security at 571-423-2000.

Walking/Bicycling

Walking

Parents are responsible for selecting their children’s walking routes to and from bus stops, schools, and home. Parents are also responsible for providing supervision that is appropriate to the student’s age, the student’s maturity, and conditions on the route.

FCPS staff does not assess all possible walking routes, supervise those routes, or guarantee the safety of any particular route. Staff provides general safety information to school communities, and responds to requests for specific information and advice when practicable.

Walkers will enter the school through the main entrance. Students should not arrive at school before 9:00 a.m. but no later than 9:15 a.m. Our morning staff is on duty from 9:00 - 9:15 a.m. There will be no supervision prior to 9:00 a.m. The first bell rings at 9:00 a.m. The tardy bell rings at 9:15 a.m. All students should be in their classroom by 9:15 a.m. when the tardy bell rings.

Bicycling

The decision of whether a student is capable of riding their bicycle to school should be left up to the parent. Parents should take the following into consideration:

• Their child’s age, maturity level, and physical condition.
• Has the child demonstrated proficiency riding a bike?

Prior to your child riding a bicycle to school, determine the riding route to school. Discuss alternate routes in the event the primary route is inaccessible.

Students riding bicycles to school must agree to assume the following responsibilities:

• Fairfax County requires the use of bicycle helmets. Fairfax County Code Section 82-6-38.1 defines the use of a protective helmet while operating a Bicycle: Any person under the age of fifteen years of age shall wear a protective helmet that meets the standards promulgated by the American National Standards Institute or the Snell Memorial Foundation while riding or being carried on a bicycle on any highway, sidewalk, or public bicycle path.
• Students must walk their bicycle to the bicycle rack when arriving on school property. No bike riding is permitted on the sidewalks of the school.
• Students should secure their bikes to the bike rack with a lock. Bikes may not be stored in the school building.
• Students should plan a timely arrival to school. Students should arrive no earlier than 9:00 a.m. and should be in their classrooms by 9:15 a.m.
• Students and parents must assume full responsibility for personal property brought to school. The school will not assume any responsibility for damage, theft or loss of bicycles brought onto school property.

Change in Transportation Arrangement

We are unable to process changes in transportation for play dates. Arrangement for play dates and visits to friends should be scheduled after students arrive safely home from school.

However, should an emergency require that a child walk or ride home with a friend, the parent should send a note to the main office on the morning of the day permission is requested. A note is required from the parent/guardian of each student involved. Please send your requests in writing, including the date, the children’s first and last names, the homeroom teacher, what the change is “Riding bus #____”, “Walking home with __________.” The note should be signed by the parent/guardian and include a phone number where you can be reached for questions or further information.

We are unable to process changes in transportation unless both students have a note. In the absence of both students having notes, each student will be instructed to go home as they normally would go home. The students will be allowed to make a phone call to a parent to inform them of the situation. Please note if a bus is filled to capacity, a student not regularly on the bus will not be allowed to ride the bus even just for one day. That is determined by the Office of Transportation Service, not the school. Each family is urged to find a nearby neighbor that your child can go to in the event of an emergency.

Students who ride the bus to school are assigned a bus and a bus stop by the Office of Transportation Services. If you need to make a permanent change to your bus you must fill out a Request for Exception to Ride a School Bus form. This form should be turned into the school office and will be forwarded to the Office of Transportation. If you are changing your bus stop but remaining on the same bus, you need to speak with the bus driver and inform the school of the change. Parents escorting their children to school or picking them up at the end of the day may not walk to the classroom.