Building Information

School Hours, Arrival, & Dismissal
School Hours: 9:20 - 3:45
9:05 - 9:20 AM | Arrival & Breakfast
9:20 AM | Tardy Bell
3:45 - 4:00 PM | Dismissal

Dismissal Changes

Any changes to a student’s dismissal (ex: bus rider to car rider) for the day must be submitted to the main office by 3:15 PM. Students will only be released to adults on the designated pick up list. If you would like to add someone to the list or make a change, please call the main office 317.226.4260.

Early Dismissal

If a student must leave school early, the parent/guardian or approved adult must sign the student out from the main office before 3:15 PM. Early release should only be used in emergencies to prevent loss of student instruction.

Attending school regularly is essential for a child’s academic and social development. Parents/guardians are required by Indiana Law to ensure that their child attends school daily. Non-emergency appointments are encouraged to be arranged outside of school hours and during school breaks. The following types of absences are considered excused or exempt. All other absences will be considered unexcused without administrative approval.

• Bereavement (Death or Funeral)
• Court Appearance
• Documented Medical Appointment or Illness
• Missed Bus
• Pre-Approved Absence by Administrator
• Pre-Approved Learning Opportunity by Administrator
• Religious Observation

Reporting an Absence

On the morning of the student's absence, the parent/guardian must contact the school office and provide the reason for the absence by 10am. A written excuse is required upon the child's return to school. An excused absence occurs when a student is absent from school with either the approval or consent of the principal or principal's designee. Indiana law states that consent may be obtained for reasons of illness or emergency, health care and social services appointments, religious instruction, 3 service as a page in the Indiana General Assembly, participation in election day activities, subpoenaed as a witness, death in the immediate family, personal tragedy (administratively approved), suspension from school, juvenile or criminal justice system detentions. An unexcused absence occurs when a student is absent from school without parent permission (truancy), without permission for appointments, vacation or trips during school days, and unapproved appointments. Family vacations and trips should only be scheduled during school vacation periods. Vacations and extended trips on school days are unexcused absences and highly discouraged. School absence and school tardiness negatively impact school performance.

If you need before or after school care for your child please contact At Your School (AYS) at www.ayskids.org.

Can I bring in treats or invitations for my child’s birthday?

We understand that birthdays are important milestones, however, please refrain from bringing or sending treats to school. Classroom teachers will recognize students in a meaningful way. Additionally, party invitations may only be shared if all students will be invited. If not, please communicate with families outside of school.

If you are in need of bus transportation, you must opt in through PowerSchool for returning students and during registration for new students. For assistance, please call our office at 317.226.4260. 

• Students must be at their authorized stop 10 minutes prior to their scheduled pick-up time.
• Call IPS transportation at 317.226.4000 with any questions and/or concerns.
• For emergencies, please call the main office or IPS Police at 317.226.4633 if after hours.
• Proof of a new address or daycare must be submitted to the office to make bus stop changes which will go into effect in 3-5 business days.

Car riders, please be patient and plan extra time for drop off and pick up.  Our first two weeks of school are always very busy in the parking lot until everyone gets into a routine. Please go slowly.  If you were a car rider last year, you will notice some changes with the afternoon pick up procedure.  An important rule in the morning and afternoon is that you may only take right hand turns into and out of the alley/parking lot.  

Arrival in the morning, please follow the flow of the map.  Beginning this school year, we ask that after the first day of school, students walk independently into the building. Our wonderful staff will be there to greet your child and help them get settled with breakfast and into their classroom, so you can feel confident they're cared for from the moment they arrive.

If your child arrives after 9:20 AM, please walk them in and sign them in at the front office — we'd love to see your face and make sure your child starts their day supported.  Please note, in the morning we only form a single file car line in the main lot.

Dismissal in the afternoon: To keep dismissal safe and orderly, here's what to know:

• Pick up procedure: remember, you must take a right hand turn into the alley meaning you need to be coming from the west.  Cars will form a single file line in the alley until they make the turn into the main parking lot.  Once in the main parking lot please form two lines, pull up as close as possible to the car in front of you, park, and turn off your engine.  Please review the car rider map to better understand the flow of traffic. 
  • Once pulled in as far as you can and your engine is off, place the car sign with your child’s name in your dashboard.
  • Students will remain in the building until your car has progressed to the front of the line.  At that point, teachers will call for them to come out to your car.  Parents/guardians remain in the car the whole time. 
  • All cars will wait until a row of children have been loaded in the cars before our staff will allow your car to move. Once a row of cars is loaded, a staff member will release that row to exit the parking lot taking a right hand turn only onto 34th Street toward Pennsylvania. Left hand turns out of the parking lot WILL NOT be permitted.
  • Watch for directions from staff as to when you can start and move your car. 
• Changes to dismissal plans (for example, switching from bus to car rider) must be submitted to the main office by 3:15 PM that day. Change requests made after 3:15 cannot be honored. 
• Students will only be released to adults on their designated pick-up list. If you'd like to add someone or make a change to your list, just give our main office a call at 317-226-4260 — we're happy to help.
• Car signs: Every family will receive two car signs for their child at Back-to-School night or the first day of school. Please display it in your front car window at pick-up so our team can quickly and safely identify who's picking up whom. This small step helps us make sure every child goes home with exactly the person they're supposed to.
• Dismissal Reminder: If your child needs to leave school early, the parent/guardian or an approved adult must sign them out at the main office before 3:15 PM. We ask that early release be reserved for true emergencies, since every moment of instructional time matters for your child's learning and growth.
• Please remember, if you drive your car to pick up your student or drop your student off, your child is a car rider and you must follow the car rider procedures (no exceptions).  Your student must walk or bike the full distance from your home to the school to be considered a walker or biker.  

Staff members consistently communicate with families via phone calls, texts, and emails through our messaging system. In addition, weekly classroom and school newsletters are emailed each week. We send a weekly update on Sunday. Please be sure that your contact information (phone & email) and address is correct in the office.

DURING THE DAY COMMUNICATION:

Office staff will deliver all emergency calls and messages to students and teachers. Students and teachers will not be called to the phone during class time and calls will not be put through to classrooms during instructional time. If you’re calling to make dismissal changes, please be sure to call by 3:15 PM. Students will be allowed to call home for emergency purposes under direct staff supervision.

Find the Indianapolis Public School Student Code of Conduct here.

If you are a walker/biker, please read the step by step procedures below to learn how to pick-up your child to walk/bike home. In the morning, all walkers/bikers will enter the building off the playground at door # 5. Note: to be considered a walker/biker, you must walk/bike the full distance from school to your home.  You may not park your car near or at school and then walk to get your child.

• Walkers/bikers will be released from the playground at 3:50 p.m.
• Parents/Guardians should wait on the blacktop. Please do not wait by the doors (as years past) or on the white lines. 

• Walkers/bikers will be dismissed before buses have left the school.  Families will need to promptly exit the area so that buses may begin loading and departing.

● Once an announcement has been made to dismiss walkers/bikers, staff members will escort the walkers/biker out to the blacktop and will line up on their designated line. (See map below on the 2nd page.) 

● Once the students have reached their line and settled, parents/guardians will go to their child’s teachers to pick up their child(ren). 

● Once you have made contact with your child’s grade level teacher, you are free to take your child home! 

• You MUST cross at the crosswalk.  Do not walk in between buses, it is not safe!

● Walkers/bikers that walk/bike on their own will leave from the blacktop with their teacher’s permission. 

Inclement Weather Procedures: 

● In the event of rain, students will line up in the gym rather than on the blacktop. ● Before buses have been dismissed, parents/guardians will be admitted to walk up the stairs and into the gym to retrieve their child(ren). 

● Once you have made contact with your child’s grade level teacher, you are free to take your child home!