Student Arrival & Dismissal Procedures

APS planned and designed Discovery Elementary School to be environmentally sustainable. In addition to building features that make Discovery the first net-zero school in Virginia, Discovery has safe walking and bicycling routes for students. In order to minimize traffic congestion, improve safety, promote active lifestyles, and teach students to be good stewards of the environment, Discovery encourages students and families to walk or bike to school, ride the school bus, or carpool with other families.

If you are interested in participating in a Walking School Bus, Bike Train or Carpool, and would like to connect with other families to do so, please go to Discovery’s SchoolPool webpage.

If you have any questions related to our school drop-off and pick-up procedures, please contact our community liaison, John Duffy, at 703-228-2685.

• School begins at 9AM and ends at 3:41PM
• Doors open at 8:45AM. Students enter the building via the door 1 (main entrance) or door 6 (side entrance).
• Students sit quietly outside their classrooms at 8:50AM. Students read books and keep all devices in their backpacks. Teachers welcome students and invite students into their classrooms at 8:55AM. Instruction begins promptly at 9AM.
• Dismissal begins at 3:41PM. First, safety patrols and Extended Day students dismiss. Next, walkers and bikers dismiss. Then, car riders dismiss, followed by students who attend enrichment classes or other after school activities. Bus riders dismiss as their buses arrive on the bus loop.

Extended Day Program

Students who are registered in the Extended Day program attend before school care from 7-9AM and/or after school care from 3:41-6PM.

• Morning Extended Day: Students enter the school through door 1. Extended Day staff assist families/caregivers with check-in procedures.
• Afternoon/Evening Extended Day: Students leave the school through door 6. Extended Day staff assist families/caregivers with check-out procedures. Families/caregivers park in available parking spaces in the bus loop. Then, they press the call button outside door 6 to request building entry. On Early Release days, families/caregivers follow the procedures outlined below.

Walking and Bicycling to School

Discovery encourages families who live in the walk zone to walk or bike to school. Please see Discovery’s Walking and Bicycling Route Map to help plan your trip to school.

Crossing guards are located at the Williamsburg Boulevard/Harrison Street intersection from 8:30-9:05AM and 3:40-4:10PM (1:26-1:55PM on Early Release days).

Students who ride bikes and/or scooters wear helmets.

Discovery has three bike racks with an additional rack adjacent to Williamsburg Middle School (see map). Students secure their bikes with bike locks and store helmets and collapsible scooters in their classroom cubbies.

At arrival, students who walk and/or bike to school enter through door 1 or door 6.

At dismissal, students in PreK-Grade 2 who walk and/or bike meet families/caregivers outside of their classrooms using the exterior classroom doors. Students in Grades 3-5 who walk and/or bike exit through any door. We encourage families/caregivers to plan in advance meeting locations.

School Bus

APS transportation mails letters to families about bus stop locations and times. If you have questions about stops and/or times, please contact Discovery’s main office.

Discovery’s bus loop is located at the northeast corner of the school. Bus riders unload and load at the bus loop sidewalk, and they enter and exit the building through door 6.

Private Car Drop-off and Pick-up

APS designed the following procedures for student drop-off and pick-up by car to minimize vehicle conflicts with students who walk, bike, or ride in a private car, as well to minimize traffic congestion during arrival and dismissal. Please do your part to keep students safe. Please review the procedures outlined below (circulation map enclosed).

With the exception of pick-up from Extended Day, car drop-off and pick-up occur only in the designated unloading/loading zone located in the parking lot. For the safety of students and others, please do not use 36th Street, Harrison Street, Kensington Street or the bus loop to drop-off or pick-up.

Enter the school parking lot and follow the directional arrows to the designated student unloading/loading zone, located at the front of the school.

Morning Drop-off Procedures

The morning drop-off process is a DOUBLE line.

Three staff members assist with morning drop-off from 8:45-9:00AM.

Cars enter the parking lot single-file, and then split into two lanes as they approach the unloading zone.

A total of three staff members stand at the the front and back of the unloading zone to guide cars into the unloading area in two rows. Staff members ensure cars stop before signaling for students to unload.

Families/caregivers put cars in park before students exit cars when in the unloading zone.

Lane 1 (closest to the school): Students unload from the car doors closest to the school and walk directly into school through door 1.

Lane 2 (farthest from the school): Students unload from the car doors on both sides, walk to the staff member at the front of the unloading area, and cross at the crosswalk.

Students prepare to unload (e.g., backpack, lunch) as cars enter the unloading zone.

Families/caregivers remain inside cars.

Families/caregivers do not unload items from car trucks in the unloading zone; rather families/caregivers park cars in visitor parking spots to unload items.

Staff members signal for cars to exit the unloading zone after students have cleared the unloading zone.

Families/caregivers return to single-file and exit the parking lot                                                                                                                  

Afternoon Dismissal Procedures

The afternoon pick-up process is a DOUBLE line.

Three staff members assist with afternoon pick-up from 3:41-4PM (1:26-1:40PM on Early Release days).

Families/caregivers display car tags with students’ last names so that staff members can see the tags upon entering the loading area.

Staff members escort students to the loading area.

Cars enter the parking lot single-file, and then split into two lanes as they approach the loading zone.

Families/caregivers only pick up students in the loading zone.

Staff members stand at the the front and back of the loading zone to guide cars into the loading area in two rows and ensure that cars stop before signaling for students to load.

Families/caregivers put cars in park before students enter cars in the loading zone.

Lane 1 (closest to the school): Students load into the back seats on the driver side.

Lane 2 (farthest from school): Students cross at the sidewalk at the front of the pick-up zone and enter into the back seats on the passenger side.

Families/caregivers remain inside cars.

Families/caregivers do not load items into car trucks in the loading zone; rather families/caregivers park cars in visitor parking spots to load items.

Staff members signal for cars to exit the loading zone after students are safely loaded into cars.

Families/caregivers return to single-file and exit the parking lot.                                  

Important Reminders

Refrain from cell phone use while driving.

Be mindful of students who walk and/or bike to school.

Keep speeds low and pay close attention at crosswalks.

Be courteous and follow all safety guidelines at all times.

Refrain from parking on 36th Street to either drop-off or pick-up students; this action requires students to cross the street mid-block and between moving cars entering and exiting the parking lot.

Use marked crosswalks to cross streets and access the loading/unloading zone.

Follow all staff members’ directions.

Turn off cars to protect air quality when parked in the unloading/loading zone upon prior arriving prior to the unloading/loading times.

Devote more time, be extra cautious, and drive with headlights on during inclement weather (e.g., snowy, rainy, foggy days)