Transportation

Bus Procedures

All students riding the bus are expected to understand and adhere to the code of conduct for bus behavior, which is available on the Prince William County Public Schools webpage.

“Riding the School Bus is a Privilege. Should a student be reported to the principal, the principal will
be responsible for disciplinary action, which may include the loss of the privilege of bus
transportation, until the parent, the bus driver, the principal, and in some instances, a Transportation
Department representative can arrive at an understanding that will correct the problem. The parent
will be responsible for the transportation of students who have lost school bus transportation privileges. If you have questions, please refer to Regulation 431-4.”

Please speak with your child about appropriate bus behavior. For the safety of all students and the driver, it is essential that students stay seated and keep volume at an appropriate level. There are safety patrols assigned to each bus to help monitor student behavior.

Kindergarten students must be greeted of the bus by a designated person listed on the Kindergarten Authorization Form which can be found on our website. An adult or high school student will need to show ID to the driver.

Walkers

Penn is a school with many walkers. Please stay on the sidewalks and use the crosswalks when going to and from school. Walkers are dismissed at the end of the day from the main door. Parents will be assigned a number at the beginning of the year and students will have a tag with the matching number on their backpacks. Parents should wait outside the front door with their numbers. At dismissal, a staff member will check numbers and send your child out when you have arrived. If you do not have your number, staff will ask for ID to verify that you are authorized to pick up the student. Students in first grade or above, with prior writte parent permission, are allowed to walk home without an adult.

Bike Riders

For students who ride their bike to school, we have a bike rack out front. Consider using a lock
as an extra precaution. For the safety of parents, students and staff, please DO NOT ride on the sidewalks.

Car Riders

SAFETY IS OUR TOP PRIORITY! The procedures for car riders are very important. Please read carefully.

We have many students who are dropped off/picked up each day. Regular car riders are assigned a car rider number with a car tag for the parent and a backpack tag for the student. We ask all drivers to stay alert, be off cell phones, and to follow the direction of the staff.

• AM
  • When you arrive, you will turn in to the first entrance which goes along the front of the school and stay in the far right-hand lane.
  • Students should be seated on the passenger side of the car and ready to exit the vehicle.
  • You will see bright cones on the sidewalk. This is the drop-off area. Only in this “zone” should students be exiting vehicles.
  • Students should not begin to exit vehicles until 9:00 when the staff comes out to greet students!
  • Always pull as far forward as possible. If the cars have started moving, do not stop and let your child out.
    Keep pulling forward.

• PM
  •  Numbers must be displayed in the window so our staff can radio them to the gym to get your student prepared.
  • If you forget your number, please park and come into the office. You will need to verify your identity with ID.
  • Students will come out from the gym door and walk to your car. They will
    need to enter the car on the passenger side.
  •  If your child needs extra time to get buckled, please pull into a parking space or pull over once you have exited to ensure that the line keeps moving.

Additional Notes

• You are not permitted to drop your child off in the morning and leave. Supervision begins when the doors open at 9:00. While there are many adults who walk with their children to school and may be standing outside the front doors, they are not responsible for your child(ren). The ONLY students who should be standing at the door in the morning are walkers or parents who park and are walking their children to the door/office.
• Do not drop your child off in the top parking lot for them to walk across the crosswalk to avoid waiting in line. This is a significant safety concern. If you wish to park and walk your child to the door, please use the left-hand lane to access the front visitor parking spaces.
• DO NOT get out of your car while in the car line. If your child needs extra assistance, please park.
• Staff will not be able nor are required to open car doors. We will try to get to as many cars as we can, but that is not always possible. Your child should be able to exit the car independently.