Panther Valley Elementary School Arrival and Dismissal Procedures

The safety of our students is our highest priority. Each school day, more than 600 students arrive at and depart from Panther Valley Elementary School. To ensure a safe, orderly, and efficient process, we ask all families to carefully follow the procedures outlined below. Your cooperation helps us provide a safe environment for every student and allows arrival and dismissal to run as smoothly as possible.

Morning Arrival

School begins promptly at 8:45 a.m.

Students who are walkers or parent drop offs may arrive between 8:30 a.m. and 8:45 a.m.

Parent Drop Off

• Parents dropping off students must use the designated drop off line located in front of the school gym.

• Please remain in your vehicle and follow the directions of school staff.

• Students should be ready to exit the vehicle promptly with their backpacks and belongings to keep traffic moving safely.

Bus Riders

• Students riding the bus should arrive at their assigned bus stop 5 to 10 minutes before their scheduled pickup time.

• An adult must be present at the bus stop with all kindergarten and first grade students.

• The district strongly recommends that an adult be present for students of all grade levels whenever possible.

Tardy Students

Students arriving after 8:45 a.m. are considered tardy.

• A parent or guardian must accompany the student into the building.

• The student must be signed in through the main office before reporting to class.

Afternoon Dismissal

Dismissal begins promptly at 3:00 p.m.

To ensure the safety of all students, we ask that parents do not pick up students early after 2:30 p.m. unless it is an emergency or a previously scheduled appointment. This allows staff to prepare for the safe dismissal of more than 600 students.

Parent Pick Up and Walkers

• Students who are parent pick up or walkers will be dismissed through the gym entrance.

• Kindergarten students will be dismissed first.

• Every parent pick up student is assigned a unique dismissal number.

• The adult picking up the student must display the matching dismissal number.

• Adults who do not have their assigned dismissal number must report to the main office and present identification before a student can be released.

Walkers

Students who walk home must have written permission from a parent or guardian on file with the school.

Students approved to walk home will be issued a unique walker dismissal tag to assist staff during dismissal.

Bus Riders

• Parents and guardians should be present when the bus arrives at the designated stop.

• Kindergarten and first grade students will not be released from the bus unless an approved adult is present.

• For the safety of all students, Panther Valley Elementary School cannot permit students to ride a bus other than the one to which they are assigned. Bus assignments are determined by transportation routes and available seating.

Changes to Your Child's Dismissal Plan

If your child normally rides the bus but will be picked up by a parent or guardian, a written note must be sent to school with your child that morning.

Please do not contact your child's teacher to make transportation changes during the school day. Written notes allow the office to communicate changes accurately with teachers, transportation staff, and dismissal personnel, helping ensure every student arrives home safely.

Thank You for Your Cooperation

We appreciate your partnership in helping us maintain a safe and efficient arrival and dismissal process. Because more than 600 students arrive and depart at the same time each day, consistent procedures are essential. While we understand that individual circumstances may arise, we are unable to make exceptions to established procedures, as doing so may compromise the safety and efficiency of the dismissal process.

By working together and following these guidelines, we can ensure that every Panther arrives safely, learns successfully, and returns home each day with confidence.