Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
The staff of Willow Springs is committed to keeping our students safe, and to do this we ask you to partner with us to ensure proper safety procedures are followed. We have staff members assigned to key locations to help with the arrival and dismissal of our students. Please help by observing the following procedures:
Students may arrive at school at 8:45 a.m. when our staff supervision begins. If the occasion arises that you need to pick up your child early, it is best to do so by 3:15 pm. It is helpful to our teachers to give them advanced notice by sending in a note with your child that morning. Your child will be called to the office when you arrive. Also, please inform after-school childcare/ and or activities of any change to your child's schedule.
For obvious reasons, please do not leave your vehicle running unattended on school property, no matter where you are parked.
Please be patient and understanding. Our safety procedures have been put into place in order to protect every member of the Willow Springs' community, which includes children and adults. Staff members on duty during arrival and dismissal have been trained, and are there to ensure everyone's safety. We can work together, as a community, to maintain a safe environment.
Attendance
Change in Student's Daily Routine
Quick Pick-up and Drop-off
Daily Parking
Kiss n' Ride at Arrival and Dismissal
Walkers/Bus Riders
School Bus Code
Braddock Road
Attendance
If your child will be absent or tardy, please notify the office by calling the 24 hour attendance line. Absences or tardiness should be reported by 9:15 AM.
24 Hour Attendance line: 703-679-6066
Willow Springs is required to account for all absences; therefore, school personnel will call to check absentees not accounted for in advance. Since this is a time-consuming process, your call is greatly appreciated.
Students who are not in their classrooms by 9:05 AM are considered tardy and must report to the office before going to their classroom.
Change in Student's Daily Routine
A friendly reminder concerning our Willow Springs change of dismissal procedures for your child. Sometimes during the year, your busy schedule may warrant a dismissal change for your child at the end of the day. If a change is needed and you want your child to go home with another student or parent, a written note is required by both sets of parents . This procedure has been implemented for the safety of your child. WS is committed to the safety and wellbeing of your child and this is just one example of our commitment to you and your family. We are asking that parents work with us and together we can create a safer environment. For those students who need a change in their daily routine, we ask that you please use Kiss N Ride or walk the path if you are in the walking area. We are sorry for the inconvenience but due to the overcrowding of our school buses at WS and the safety for your child, we are unable to accommodate bus changes.
Kindergarten Dismissal Policy
All kindergarten students riding regular afternoon school buses are to be met at their bus stop by a parent, a guardian, or a sibling in 7 th grade or higher, or the driver will ask that the school be notified by transportation of the student's return to school and provide an estimated return time. Parents will be responsible for immediately picking their child up from school. The procedure is to be effective February 14, 2011, at all FCPS elementary schools. Please note that the term "guardian" includes day care providers or other adults designated by parents on a student's Emergency Care Card.
For further information, please go to the link below to read the Transportation and Dismissal of Students FAQ's
Frequently Asked Questions
Changes in Dismissal Routine Form
Quick Pick-up and Drop-off (at the front doors of the building)
- Three (3) parking spaces are available near the front doors of the school for picking up a child or dropping something off in the main office/clinic. These are 15 minute ONLY spaces available before 8:45 a.m. and between 9:10 a.m. and 3:20 p.m. Please note that parking is NOT allowed between 8:45 a.m.-9:10 a.m. when buses are arriving, and between 3:20 p.m.-4:00 p.m. during dismissal or anytime buses are present.
- DO NOT LEAVE YOUR VEHICLE RUNNING and/or CHILDREN UNATTENDED in your vehicle while you come into the school.
Daily Parking
- Volunteer parents or parents attending meetings should park in our main parking lot. Parents may also park along the outbound side of Willow Springs School Road, or at the ball field.
Kiss n' Ride at Arrival and Dismissal
- Follow direction given by the staff member on duty.
- Follow the arrows through the parking lot to the Kiss n' Ride area.
- DO NOT PARK and LEAVE YOUR VEHICLE UNATTENDED in any portion of the Kiss n' Ride line.
- DO NOT DOUBLE PARK, PARK ALONG A YELLOW CURB, or OBSTRUCT Traffic. No private vehicles are allowed in the County Vehicle Zone at the side or the back of our building near the loading docs.
- Pull forward to allow 3 other vehicles to unload/load along the curb in the Kiss n' Ride zone.
- Students will only be unloaded/loaded from the passenger side of your vehicle with the help of our patrols so they will not have to cross in front or behind another vehicle.
- NO student will be allowed to cross traffic to reach the parking lot without an adult.
Walkers/Bus Riders
- Parents are responsible for selecting their child's walking routes to and from the bus stops, walking to school and back home. Walking routes should be direct using the fewest street crossings. Students should not cross in the middle of a street.
- Students who walk to school should be reminded to follow family safety rules. Parents are responsible for providing supervision that is appropriate for their child's age, maturity, and conditions on their walking route.
- Students are encouraged to walk with an adult or other students. All walkers should go directly home after school, and never take shortcuts.
- Students who choose to ride their bicycles/skate boards/scooters to school, MUST walk up the walking path to the bike rack.
- State law requires children under the age of 14 to wear a bicycle helmet.
- The responsibility of locking up bicycles, skate boards, scooters, and helmets remains with your child. The school will not be held responsible for their loss.
School Bus Code
In all 50 states it is illegal to pass a school bus that is loading or unloading students. (Code of Virginia - 46.2-844) This includes loading and unloading children on school grounds. Penalties if found guilty of passing a stopped school bus include:
- Reckless Driving - Confinement in jail (not more than 12 months) or Fine (not more than $2500) or both. Class 1 Misdemeanor and 4 demerit points that remain on record for 11 years
- Civil Penalty - Fine of $250 and 4 demerit points remain on record for 3 years
Braddock Road
In compliance with the Fairfax County sign posted on the outbound lane at Braddock Road, cars and buses must turn right (west) onto Braddock Road during posted hours. A short distance up on the left there is a left turn lane where you can make a U-turn to go east on Braddock Road.
