Getting to School

Arrival and Dismissal

Arrival

Our school doors open at 7:00 a.m., and staff will begin supervising students at that time. For safety, we ask that students remain in their vehicles until staff are on duty. If you need to come inside the building, please use the parking lot rather than the drive. A copy of our arrival and dismissal procedures will be sent home, and extra copies are always available upon request.

Students are expected to be in the building by 7:30 a.m. Any arrival after 7:30 a.m. will be recorded as tardy. Students arriving after 8:37 a.m. will be recorded as having a half-day absence.

Dismissal

School ends at 2:35 p.m.; please pick your student(s) up promptly or make prior arrangements for a daycare provider of your choice. All staff members are off duty at 3:05. Any child left unattended and without notice after 30 minutes is subject to being surrendered to the Tulsa Public Schools Campus Police Department or the Tulsa Police Department and will be recorded as a Child in Need of Supervision with a referral to the Department of Human Services.”  You can either be given or request a copy of our arrival and dismissal procedures.  

To help ensure a safe and smooth dismissal for all students, please review the following expectations for early pick-up and afternoon dismissal:

• Early Pick-Up:
  If you need to pick up your student early, please call the office before 1:30 p.m. This allows us time to make adjustments to your student’s usual way home.
  We will only make exceptions in the event of an emergency.
   
• No Pick-Ups After 2:00 p.m.
  Families will not be allowed through the front doors after 2:00 p.m. to pick up students. After this time, dismissal procedures are already in progress.
   
• Car Riders:
  Families must remain in their cars during dismissal. Your student’s name will be called, and they will be brought out to your vehicle.
  Please do not walk up to the gym doors - students will not be released that way.
   
• Walkers:
  Students who walk home will be released on the east side of the building after all buses have left the campus.

Bus Rider Expectations

The same type of conduct expected in the classroom will also be expected of students in the gym while waiting to board the bus. 

• Give 10 min leeway for the bus (morning and afternoon)
• Students are to conduct themselves appropriately on school buses and bus stops.
• Form a single line at least five giant steps away from the bus and wait for the bus to stop, open doors, and the driver to say it is all right to board the bus.
• Quickly find your assigned seat (if you have assigned seats) or any seat available and sit quietly. 
• While on the bus: 1. Be courteous 2. Follow the bus driver's instructions 3. Stay in your seat, facing forward.
• Standing or moving around while the bus is in motion is prohibited. 
• Keep head, hands, and feet inside the bus at all times
• Do not throw objects inside the bus or out the window
• Do not eat or drink on the bus
• No Smoking, Vaping, dipping, or chewing tobacco on the bus
• No fighting
• No Yelling, Loud Noises, or abusive language
• DO NOT OPEN THE EMERGENCY DOOR WITHOUT PERMISSION
• No Weapons or toys that look like weapons are allowed on the bus
• Do not intentionally damage or destroy school property or personal property of another student or district employee. 
• When exiting the bus, wait until the bus stops, the door opens, and the driver says it is okay to exit the bus. 
• NEVER WALK BEHIND THE BUS
• Should a student be banned from riding the bus, the parent/guardian is responsible for the student’s transportation. 

Behavior that disrupts bus order can distract the driver and endanger all passengers. Misconduct on a bus may result in a conduct report to the school. Depending on the seriousness of the misconduct, bus privileges may be suspended after a single offense. Video cameras are routinely used on all school buses, and all students on buses are subject to video recording. A school bus suspension is not a suspension from school attendance and does not provide a legal excuse for non-attendance. Parents would be expected to arrange alternative transportation if a student is suspended from the bus. You and your student must sign the Bus Riders Contract for your student(s) to ride the bus.  

Bus Referral & Consequence System

• 1st Referral – Warning
  Family is notified that the student received a bus referral (warning).
  Families are encouraged to review bus expectations with their student (stay seated, quiet voice, hands and feet to self).
   
• 2nd Referral – 2-Day Bus Suspension
  Student receives a 2-day bus suspension.
  Family must arrange alternative transportation.
  Families should review bus expectations to support safe bus behavior.
   
• 3rd Referral – 5-Day Bus Suspension
  Student receives a 5-day bus suspension.
  Families are encouraged to discuss the importance of following all bus expectations to ensure safety.
   
• 4th Referral – Conference Required
  Student may not ride the bus until an in-person conference is held with a parent/guardian and school administration.
  Families must call 918-746-8670 to schedule the meeting.

Attendance

When your child is absent from school, please call the office at (918) 746-8670 to notify us of the absence and provide the reason. All absences must be explained in writing or verbally by the parent/guardian within 48 hours of the student’s return to school. These absences will be marked with an explanation. An absence for which no acceptable explanation is received shall be deemed unexcused. For the absence to be excused, a doctor’s note is required.

“A student missing over 90% of the instructional time in any semester may be subject to retention in the grade in which the student is enrolled.” Read the Official Notice for more information:

Missing even a few days each month can have a lasting impact on your child’s learning and path to graduation. Students who miss more than 10% of their learning time are considered chronically absent. This means missing more than 16 days of the entire school year, and both excused and unexcused absences are counted. Every missed day matters! 

This year, Tulsa Public Schools is taking a proactive approach to supporting attendance by offering regular updates on your child’s progress and connecting families with personalized support—including weekly updates on grades and attendance, regular check-ins with students, and help navigating barriers. 

Chronically absent students (missing more than 10% of their enrolled school days for any reason) may face the following consequences: 

• Being held back a grade 
• Losing a transfer
• Becoming ineligible for sports or extracurricular activities 

We are also launching a District Attendance Review Committee this fall. Students who have been dropped for non-attendance or have excessive absences may be referred to the committee for review and support. 

Your partnership matters more than ever. Together, we can build strong routines and ensure our students are present, prepared, and proud every day. We encourage you to review the 2025-2026 calendar and plan appointments, vacations, and other activities during the breaks.