Dismissal Expectations

Walker & Bike Rider - Afternoon Dismissal

• VHE will use the “PikMyKid” app to support us with afternoon dismissal.  Please click on the link for more information. PikMyKid Afternoon Dismissal App 

• We want our walker/biker lines to be as efficient and orderly as possible.  We anticipate delays as we begin the first few weeks of school, so please be patient.  

• Students will remain in their homeroom teachers' classrooms until they are announced to come out by their parent/guardian via the PikMyKid app.  Students will meet parents/guardians at the Auditorium entrance located at the corner of Virginia Avenue &  Park.  We will be training students on how to do this, so anticipate delays.  Be patient.

• Bike racks are located at the front of the school and at the Clemont Avenue entrance. If you plan on leaving your child’s bike at school for the day, please be sure to secure the bike to the bike rack.

• Independent Walkers (3rd, 4th and 5th grades)  will be allowed to walk or bike home on their own.  Please let your child's teacher know that you would like this to happen. Independent walkers may choose to exit from the Main Entrance or the Bus entrance depending on where their home is located. Independent walkers will be dismissed once Buses have left the building and once the majoirty of cars in carpool line have left the school. 

• Independent walkers will be released to walk home between 2:30 -2:35pm.

• We recommend that all PreK, Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade students walk or bike home with an adult or with parent permission and older sibling. 

• For Transportation Safety Tips, please click the link. Transportation Safety Tips

Bus Rider - Afternoon Dismissal

• Virginia-Highland elementary will always encourage parents with school bus access to place their children on the bus.  Riding a bus will reduce traffic, reduce pollution, ensure that your child will always arrive on time and give students a sense of responsibility.

• Be reminded that traffic in the Virginia-Highland Elementary zone is heavy at times and we assure you that bus drivers will do their best to arrive on time in the morning and afternoon each day.  

• Once the buses arrive, we will begin loading all grade levels onto buses on Clemont Avenue.

• School buses will leave VHE by 2:30 - 2:35 each day. Pick-up and drop-off times will be available via the district transportation portal.  Bus pick-up and drop-off times are approximate.  Route times are affected by changes in traffic patterns and ridership.  All bus schedules are subject to change during the school year.  Bus routes are updated each Friday; updates will take effect the following Monday.  Please check your student’s bus route weekly for updates.  You can check bus routes by visiting the APS Transportation page or by clicking here. VHE Bus Routes

• Bus routes are designed to accommodate only students who ride that bus.  Adding students to the bus because of play dates may result in too many children riding the bus.  Our number 1 priority is to ensure that all students are safe and secure on the bus at all times.  Playdate transportation changes are not allowed on a bus. 

• Parents are not allowed to pull students from the bus, bus pick-up area, hallways or directly from the classroom. Students are only to be dismissed via bus, carpool, walker, or after-school activity dismissal areas if we have been notified accordingly.  This is to ensure the safety and security of all students.

• For Transportation Safety Tips, please click the link. Transportation Safety Tips

Carpool - Afternoon Dismissal

• We want our carpool to be as efficient and orderly as possible. We anticipate delays as we begin the first few weeks of school so please be patient.  VHE will use the “PikMyKid” app to support us with afternoon dismissal.  Please click on the link for more information. PikMyKid Parent Information

• Parents will join the carpool pick-up by turning "right" into the main entrance parking area off of Virginia Ave.  

• We ask that no one arrive prior to 1:45 p.m. as it could pose a safety hazard for students and staff in the event of an emergency. 

• We ask that parents stay on Virginia Avenue until 2:15pm.  Then pull up into the carpool lane. 

• Once parents notify the school that they have arrived through the PikMyKid app, students will be dismissed to the carpool area for pick up.  

• For Transportation Safety Tips, please click the link. Transportation Safety Tips

Late Pick-Up

• School begins dismissal at 2:20 each day.  All carpool/walkers/bike riders students must be picked up by 2:35 p.m. daily.  If there is a possibility that you will be late picking up your child, please call the school immediately to let us know.  School staff will not be able to supervise students in the afternoon past 2:45 p.m.  Please be sure to make arrangements for another parent/guardian or emergency contact listed on the student’s registration to be able to pick your child up in the event of late pick-up.  Parents will be responsible for designating individuals to pick children up in the PikMyKid app. 

• If parents are tardy picking up their students,  we will ask the Afterschool Daycare Provider to supervise the students until the parent arrives.  There is a $25 drop-in fee for Afterschool Daycare. 

Afterschool Daycare - On-Site & Off-Site

• Onsite Afterschool Daycare & Clubs

  • VHE will use the on-site afterschool daycare provider, "VHAS Virginia-Highland Afterschool. VHAS will be responsible for providing on-site afterschool daycare at Virginia-Highland Elementary daily from 2:45 - 6:00 p.m. VHAS will also organize all on-site afterschool clubs and extracurricular activities for the school. 

  • Parents/guardians who register their students for Afterschool Daycare or Clubs will pick students up at the VHE main entrance in the main office.

  • For more information about "VHAS", please click this link. VHAS Afterschool Childcare

• Off Site Daycare or Clubs - Afterschool Van Riders  

  • Many parents may opt to have their child in an off-site afterschool daycare program. Many of these programs will pick students up from Virginia-Highland Elementary and take them to their off-site facility.

  • Please let our teachers know if your child will be riding an afterschool van for off-site daycare.

  • Afterschool van riders are loaded once all VHE school buses have left.  Afterschool van riders will board off-site provider vans on Clemont Ave.