Arrival and Dismissal Procedures

Arrival and Dismissal Procedures have been designed to keep our entire community safe and healthy. Below, each division has outlined its specific procedures to ensure students successfully enter and leave campus as safely as possible. The following rules apply to all parents and guardians for arrival and dismissal:
  • Parents, guardians and invited guests are welcome to campus for breakfast before classes begin, for special events, to participate in grade/class-specific activities or programming and by appointment during the academic day.
  • Backpack tags (JK–3rd Grade only) must be placed on the child's bag and visible at all times.
  • Car decals/placards (JK–3rd Grade only) must be displayed at all times during dismissal.
  • Families with children in multiple divisions should make a single drop-off in the location designated for their youngest student.
  • Drivers should NEVER exit their vehicles when participating in arrival and dismissal processes.
  • Drivers should NEVER turn left when exiting Jo Anderson Drive.
Driving Instructions for Dismissal:
For our 3:10 p.m.  dismissal, all students JK–3 will get picked up on Webster Avenue. For JK and SK students and their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade siblings, pickup will be on the North side of Webster Avenue. For 1st–3rd Grade students who do not have JK and SK siblings, pickup will be on the South side of Webster Avenue. 
 
JK and SK (and 1st–3rd sibs): For pick-up, the vehicle must travel south down Lincoln Park West to make a right turn on to the north side Webster Avenue. 
 
1st–3rd Grade (no JK/SK sibs): For pick-up, the vehicle must travel north down Lincoln Park West to make a left turn on to the south side of Webster Avenue.

Lower School

List of 4 items.

  • Arrival

    • Arrival on Webster takes place from 8–8:25 a.m.
    • Students arriving by car should be dropped off on the north side of Webster Avenue
    • Children must exit their cars on the sidewalk side
    • Students arriving on foot should always cross at a crosswalk and should enter campus through the midfield gate on Webster Avenue.
    • Lower School students (JK-3rd) may not be dropped off at the Clark Street entrance between 8–8:25 a.m. If they are being dropped off, they must utilize the midfield gate entrance on Webster Avenue
    • K-Walkers and assisting adults will support any JK and SK students who would like to be accompanied from the midfield gate to either the field or their classrooms
    • Parents and guardians may not enter through the midfield gate at any point. Rather, they must utilize either the Webster or Clark Security entrances.  
    • Students who arrive from 8–8:15 a.m. will be supervised on the playground before the school doors open (no field games or ball games played during this time)
    • Building and classroom doors will open at 8:15 a.m. for Lower School students
    • Breakfast is available to all Lower School families from 7-8:15 a.m. Lower School students must be supervised by an adult at all times in the cafeteria. At 8 a.m. students will be encouraged to play on the playground. At 8:15 a.m. students must transition to their classrooms. 
    • Lower School families who enter the school through the Webster Avenue or Clark Street security entrances  may escort their students to the classrooms between 8:15 a.m. and 8:25 a.m., starting Monday, September 18
    • The 8:15–8:25 a.m. transition time for students and teachers is invaluable time for them to connect. If you are dropping your student off at their classroom door please keep your morning greeting to the teacher brief, as the teacher’s primary focus must be on the students. 
      Instruction begins at 8:30 a.m.; students who arrive after 8:30 a.m. will be considered tardy.
    • Special Note: For the first two weeks of school, arrival procedures will be different. Please look out for communication from the Lower School Office for further details.
  • Dismissal

    • Map available here
    • JK–3rd grade students should be picked up on Webster Avenue
    • Drivers picking up students can line up on Webster Avenue beginning at 3 p.m.
    • Drivers picking up on Webster Avenue may not block parked vehicles, driveways or alleys on Sedgwick Street, Grant Avenue, Clark Street, Lincoln Park West or Webster Avenue during pick-up; vehicles that double-park may be ticketed and towed by the City of Chicago
    • Each driver should place the child’s name placard in their passenger window
    • Drivers must not get out of their vehicles during pick-up or drop-off times
    • Students in JK–3rd grade will be accompanied by teachers and released to their parents/guardians
    • Parker assisting adults will only help students into their cars from the sidewalk side and will not walk students into the street 
    • Parker assisting adults cannot buckle students into car seats
    • Parents/Guardians picking up students on foot should plan to pickup their students inside the school and should enter the building at the Webster security entrance They can meet their students in the courtyard area outside the 1st and 2nd grade hallway entrance. Pedestrian pickups should plan to exit the building using the Webster security entrance/exit whenever possible. 
    • Parents/Guardians should indicate to their student’s classroom teacher pick up plans by 2:00 p.m. or the student will be brought to the car line. Students attending after-school programs will receive additional information about later dismissals
    • With any unexpected delays, please contact the Lower School Office at 773-797-5116.
  • Early Morning Care

    • Early morning care is available for JK-3 students starting at 7:30 a.m.
    • Parents/Guardians must bring students to the Clark Street entrance between 7:30–7:45 a.m. and sign them in at the security desk
    • Students will be escorted to the Parker PM room and sent outside to join A.M. recess at 8:00 a.m. On inclement weather days, they will remain in the PPM room until they are escorted to class at 8:15 a.m.
    • Students arriving between 7:45–8 a.m. must wait at the midfield gate with a supervising adult on Webster Avenue until the gates open at 8 a.m.
  • Late Drop-Offs/Early Pick-Ups

    • Late drop-offs: After 8:25 a.m. students should be brought to the Clark Street entrance where they will sign in their student and escort them to class. JK and SK students must be escorted to their classrooms. 1st–3rd Grade students may walk unaccompanied to their classrooms if they feel comfortable doing so. 
    • Early pick-ups: Parents/guardians should communicate early pick-up information to the child’s grade head and then enter and exit at the Clark Street Entrance to pick up their child in the classroom.  Student sign out should be completed at the Clark Street Security Desk upon departure between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
For any questions about JK-3 arrival and dismissal, please reach out to your classroom teachers or Lower School Dean of Student Life, Ashleigh St. Peters at astpeters@fwparker.org.

IS/MS

List of 2 items.

  • Arrival

    • Students arriving by car should be dropped off in Jo Anderson (aka Circle) Drive and enter through the Clark Street entrance
    • Students arriving by foot can enter the Clark Street entrance
  • Dismissal

    • All Intermediate and Middle School students will be dismissed at Jo Anderson (aka Circle) Drive on Clark Street; students in 4th–5th grade will be accompanied by teachers
    • If students have younger siblings being picked up on Webster, they should dismiss from there to join their carpool
    • Children are to leave school at 3:10 p.m. unless they attend Parker P.M., have an after school sport or club or have made special arrangements through their parents/guardians 

Upper School

List of 2 items.

  • Arrival

    • Students arriving by car should be dropped off in Jo Anderson (aka Circle) Drive and enter through the Clark Street entrance
    • Students arriving on foot should enter through the Clark Street entrance or Webster Avenue entrance
    • Students should not arrive on campus prior to 7 a.m., unless for a school-sanctioned event
    • Students may not park in the parking lot
  • Dismissal

    • When students are finished with their last class, they may leave through the Clark Street or Webster Avenue entrance
Francis W. Parker School educates students to think and act with empathy, courage and clarity as responsible citizens and leaders in a diverse democratic society and global community.