Safety is our primary concern when coordinating the arrival and dismissal of students whether they are walkers, car riders, or bus riders.
All children arrive and depart from school as either bus riders, car riders or walkers.
On the first day, many PPE parents choose to walk their children to the school’s front entrance. Parking is encouraged on Priest Road and Willshire Drive, and it gets crowded! During the first week of in-person school, all methods of transportation tend to be slower than normal – please plan accordingly.
Bus Riders
If you live more than 1¼ mile from school, you should receive information from the MNPS Transportation Department that details your child’s bus route number and pick-up and drop-off times and locations. This information can also be accessed at the MNPS website (www.mnps.org) under Our Schools/ Buses and Transportation. Other information regarding the opening of schools is also available on this website. Buses will arrive 15 minutes prior to school starting time. Specific bus questions can be found in this MNPS transportations document. If you are a bus rider, please review the MNPS policy on bus conduct, rules, and safety.
- For Route 1 Pink Bus please text @ppebus1
- For Route 2 Orange Bus please text @ppebus2
- For Route 3 Blue Bus please text @ppebus3
- For Route 4 Purple Bus please text @ppebus4
- For Route 5 Yellow Bus please text @ppebus5
Walkers – Updated Information for 23-24 School Year
Arrival – Students who walk to school will enter the school through the front doors and front entrance.
Dismissal – As we prepare for the beginning of construction of our new building, we will no longer have a separate walker dismissal from the rear exit. Walker dismissal will be from the front of the school. If you walk to pick up your student, you should have a car rider number and report your number to Ms. Cathy or school staff in the front loop. The preferred dismissal method for non-bus riders is the car rider line. If you are a walker family, but drive to pick up your student, please use the car rider line for dismissal.
Car Riders
Car Rider Numbers will be distributed to new families at the All School Sneak-a-Peek and Popsicle Party, as well as on the first day of school. Returning families will continue to use the same number. Please work with your child to learn his or her Car Rider Number before school starts, or even consider writing it on their tote bag/tag.
Teachers and staff as well as 4th Grade Ambassadors will be available to help kindergartners, and PTO volunteers are assigned to help parents navigate the traffic circle. Please be patient and follow the safety rules – NO cell phone use during arrival and dismissal per Tennessee State Law and the safety of our children.
Traffic Procedures
Car Rider Protocol – Drop Off
Drop off begins at 7:40am, and students must exit out of the passenger side of their cars. Students can use this extra time to enjoy breakfast in the Café or head directly to their classrooms. Breakfast is free to all students. The front doors close at 8:00am, so students are encouraged to arrive between 7:45 – 7:55am. After 8:00 am, parents will be required to walk children in, and sign them in at the front desk.
In order to prepare your child to exit your car, please have them ready with tote in hand, and goodbyes finished, once you cross the first Tiger Paw. Remember – parents, grandparents and other caretakers, please do NOT exit your car during drop off.
Car Rider Protocol – Pick-Up
Dismissal begins promptly at 3:00pm. Parents, grandparents, and other caretakers are encouraged to begin lining up before 3:00pm along Otter Creek and Priest Road.
** Have your car rider number ready to go and visible. This number is used to call your child out front.
Round One Dismissal – The first group of cars lined up in the semi-circle will resemble the graphic included in this document, including buses in the third row.
Rounds Two, Three, and Four Dismissal – The first round of cars and the buses leave the semi-circle, and Mrs. Cathy or another school representative will wave your car in when it’s your turn. Cars will be lined up in three rows between the Tiger Paws. Once you are in your spot, please put your car in park and wait for students to be dismissed to your car. You will be able to exit your car at this point to let your child know where you are in line. Teachers will dismiss children to cars by turning a STOP sign to GO or SLOW.
*Please note, during Round One of Dismissals, only two rows of cars are allowed in the semi-circle. This is to provide buses the room they require to line up in the third row. The second row of cars MAY NOT line up past the second speed bump near the mailbox. This only applies to Round One of Dismissals – after buses depart, cars may line up between the Tiger Paws, 3 rows deep.
