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–5th 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. Siblings will be picked up in the same location, even if a younger sibling is absent.
 
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
    • Students 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 the Clark Security entrances and be prepared to scan their SchoolPass QR code and wear their Parker-issued visitor lanyard.  
    • Students who arrive from 8–8:20 a.m. will be supervised on the playground before the school doors open (no field games or ball games played during this time)
    • Classroom doors will open at 8:20 a.m. for Lower School students
    • Breakfast is available to all Lower School families from 7–8:20 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 Clark Street security entrances may escort their students to the classrooms between 8:20 a.m. and 8:25 a.m., starting Monday, September 15
    • The 8:20–8:25 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 student’s name placard in their window closest to the sidewalk
    • 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 outside the school at the Webster security entrance. Beginning at 3:00, parents/guardians can begin to form a line and the students will come out with their teachers and cannot leave until they are paired up with the adult/s listed on their dismissal plan.
    • 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. With any unexpected delays after 2:00pm, please contact the Lower School Office at 773-797-5116.
    • Students attending after-school programs will receive additional information about later dismissals.
  • Early Morning Care

    • Early morning care in the Parker PM room is available for JK-3 students starting at 7:30 a.m.
    • Between 7:30-7:45, Parents/Guardians bring their students to the Parker PM room for morning care. They should use the Clark Street entrance and be prepared to sign in with SchoolPass and wear their Parker-issued visitor lanyard.
    • 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 be dismissed to their grade hallway and be supervised with the other students.
    • 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
    • If students have younger siblings being picked up on Webster, they should dismiss from there to join their carpool
    • Students in the IS 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
    • Students in the MS leave school at 3:30 p.m. unless they attend 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.