‘Soft Landing’:

At Washington, we have a ‘soft landing’, which means that starting  at 8:00 am students can begin entering the building to go to their classroom. Official school hours are from 8:20am until 3:20pm, except on Wednesdays - dismissal is at 2:20pm.

Arrival/Dismissal:

Arrival:

Exterior doors are locked at ALL times.
There will be no outside supervision before 8:00am so it is a MUST that students do arrive early. If your child arrives before 8:00am, they will be unsupervised.
Students who have early band, orchestra or choir rehearsal should enter building through the cafeteria doors on 67th street.
Students having hot breakfast in the cafeteria should enter building through the cafeteria doors on 67th street starting at 7:45am.
Supervisors will be stationed at exterior doors in order to let students into the building for breakfast and early rehearsals.

Access to Building:

Exterior doors are locked at ALL times.
Visitors will have to enter through the main doors on 68th street side of the school.
Visitors will check in at the office with driver’s license or state ID and be issued a visitor’s badge, which is required in order to leave the office.
There is no visitor parking for the school. There are three 15 minute parking spots available on the west side of 68th street near the intersection of Garfield/68th street. Follow posted parking restrictions in neighborhood.
To maintain the most conducive learning environment, parents/guardians should not disrupt classes and/or teachers in the morning during soft landing nor at the end of the day during dismissal.
A family pet is often a valuable member of one’s family and sometimes for a school community.  However, for safety concerns, all pets are prohibited from the school playground or sidewalks during the school day and before and after school.

Handicapped Access:

There are handicap parking spots on 67th street towards the north end of the cutout. There is access to the elevator through the cafeteria doors on 67th street as well as at the top of the ramp on 67th street.

Dismissal:

Please be on time when picking your child up after school.
There is NO supervision after school - ALL students are expected to go directly home or to a designated after school provider at dismissal.
All students need a dismissal plan in place. If your child walks home, they will need to leave immediately after the bell rings. They may not stay and play on school grounds without supervision. Communicate any changes to dismissal plans with your child’s teacher and the school office.
In the case of an emergency, when a student is not picked up by 3:30pm (2:30pm on Wednesdays), he/she will be escorted to the office and a parent will be contacted.
The end of the school day is hectic for all, especially for school staff as our primary focus at that time is to make sure that students connect with their parents or siblings or get on the bus or van and make it home safely. Our blacktop on the south playground is our gathering spot at end of day and football, kickball, and wall ball games immediately after school are prohibited, even if supervised by parents. These pickup games can start at 3:45pm after dismissal.  

SafeRoutes to School/Traffic Concerns & Safety:

Morning Drop-off & Pick-up:

Washington Elementary School needs your support in addressing the safety problems and traffic congestion around the school. To increase the safety of our students, please follow these guidelines when dropping off or picking up students.

There is NO ACCESS TO THE GARFIELD AVENUE DEAD END (EAST OF 68TH STREET) as there is no parking. Daycare vans and/or crossing guard use this area to park and those are the only people who should be in this area.

NEW this year to reduce congestion near the school - 67th street is a ONE WAY Street: Southbound only during drop-off (7:00-8: 30 am) and pick-up (2:00-3: 30 pm).

• Do not drive northbound on 67th street during these posted time.
• Do not turn around on 67th street - drive clockwise around the school during drop-off and pick-up times.

We’re thankful for the many parents who walk (or park on neighborhood streets and walk) their children to and from school each day. Clearly, the small area for student drop-off/pick-up on 67th Street is insufficient for all parents of the nearly 330 Washington School students who enter and exit the building each day. The most ideal solution for safe drop-off and pick-up is for each parent to find a spot to park in the neighborhood and walk their child(ren) to the building. This reduces traffic immediately around the school.

Understandably, some parents will not have the schedule flexibility for this. If that is the case, please use the cut-out area along 67th street, which is a “Hug & Go’ zone on 67th street. They are for ACTIVE loading and unloading ONLY.

• Drivers must remain in their vehicles at all times
• Please, no cell phone use or texting in school zones!!
• Do not park or stand (sit in your parked car turned off or running) in cutouts. Cutouts are for active dropping off and picking up only, not for long-term parking. Students will be called to your vehicle only if you are in the drop off  cut out and following safety rules.
• NO parking on WEST side of 67th street. Cones are placed there as reminders.
• Do not park in bus and child care vehicle drop off spaces clearly marked outside and indicated on map.
• Please give the students the right of way and be courteous to other drivers.
• Do not block our neighbors’ driveways, even for a few seconds.
• Drivers, pull into the most forward space available.

Help Us Keep Your Children Safe!