Renbrook School Arrival, Dismissal & Transportation Procedures

TRAFFIC & SAFETY

Safety and efficiency are our top priorities for arrival and dismissal procedures at Renbrook. We also view these times as golden opportunities to build our school-family partnership. As such, we dedicate considerable thought and personnel to these procedures. To ensure safety, we ask that all drivers proceed carefully when entering and exiting Renbrook’s campus, obeying all signage and traffic patterns. Cell phones must not be used while driving on the Renbrook campus.

ARRIVAL

The Early Birds Program is available for students in Preschool-Grade 8, beginning at 7:00 a.m. and ending at 7:45 a.m. in the Mews Building. Pre-registration is required.

Early Birds students should be dropped off at the Upper Crossover.

Students may exit their vehicles and head to their classrooms at 7:45 a.m. A school employee must be present before drop-off may begin.

Beginning School

  • Drop off beginning school students (Preschool, Junior Kindergarten, and Kindergarten) at the Foley Family Parking Lot (Foley Lot) traffic circle. Renbrook faculty and staff will assist students getting out of their cars and walk them into school.
  • The school day begins at 8:00 a.m. for Preschool, Junior Kindergarten, and Kindergarten students.
  • On Fridays, Beginning School families have the option to park and walk their child into school. Renbrook faculty and staff will still be present on Fridays for those families who are dropping off from the car.
  • We encourage families to use the Lower Crossover to access the Foley Lot to avoid traffic at the Upper Crossover.

Lower School

  • Grade 1-4 students should be dropped off at the Upper Crossover (near the flagpole). Renbrook faculty and staff will greet and assist students as they get out of their cars.
  • Students will pass through the Bat Walk to enter the Nelson Building.
  • The school day begins at 8:00 a.m. for students in Grades 1-4. Any student arriving after 8:00 a.m. should report to the reception desk in Gray Hall before proceeding to their classroom and will be marked tardy beginning the second week of school.

Upper School

  • Grade 5-8 students can be dropped off at the Lower Stedman entrance or the Upper Crossover, whichever is more convenient. Renbrook faculty and staff will greet students at both locations.
  • The school day begins, and attendance is taken, at 8:00 a.m. for students in Grades 5-8. Any student arriving after 8:00 a.m. should report to the reception desk in Gray Hall before proceeding to their classroom and will be marked tardy beginning the second week of school. Morning meeting and advisory periods begin promptly at 8:00 a.m.

DISMISSAL

All drivers should remain in their vehicles while students walk to their cars to keep traffic flowing efficiently.

Beginning and Lower School students who remain after 3:15 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 2:15 p.m. on Friday must pre-register for Extended Day Programs.

Any student being dismissed early must sign out at the Front Desk before leaving campus.

Beginning School

  • Half-day Preschool and half-day Junior Kindergarten students are dismissed beginning at 12:30 p.m. from the Foley Lot adjacent to the Beginning School.
  • Full-day Preschool-Kindergarten students are dismissed beginning at 3:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday and beginning at 2:00 p.m. on Friday from the Foley Lot adjacent to the Beginning School.
  • Families should place the placard with their child’s last name and grade level on their driver’s side dashboard and drive around the traffic circle, where Renbrook faculty and staff will assist children into family cars.

Lower School

  • Students in Grades 1-4 are dismissed by their teachers from the Upper Crossover (near the flagpole) beginning at 3:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday and beginning at 2:00 p.m. on Friday.
  • Families should place their placard on their driver’s side dashboard and approach the Upper Crossover, where Renbrook faculty and staff will direct children to their cars.

Upper School

  • Students in Grades 5-8 will be dismissed beginning at 4:00 p.m. Monday - Thursday following sports activities and beginning at 2:00 p.m. on Friday.
  • Families should place the placard with their last name on the driver’s side dashboard and approach the pickup location where Renbrook faculty and staff will direct children to their cars.
  • Families with Upper School Students Only:
  • Grades 5 & 6 will be picked up at the Upper Crossover.
  • Grades 7 & 8 will be picked up at Lower Stedman unless they have a sibling in Grades 1-6, pick-up will occur at the Upper Crossover.
  • Families with Students in both the Upper and Lower School:
  • Pick-up will occur at the Upper Crossover (near flagpole).
  • Families with Upper and/or Lower School students AND Beginning School students will have two pick-up spots- Lower and Upper School students at the Upper Crossover (flagpole) and Beginning School students in the Foley Family Lot.

TRAFFIC GUIDELINES ADDITIONAL POLICIES

We kindly ask for your cooperation in adhering to these general guidelines.

  • Cell phone use is prohibited while driving on campus.
  • Please exhibit patience and be courteous to other drivers and Renbrook staff assisting with traffic flow.
  • Please do not park on the lawn areas unless you are specifically instructed to do so by school staff.
  • Please do not park in the Upper Crossover. That area is for drop-off and pick-up only.
  • Parking spaces alongside the Stedman Building are for employees only.
  • Please help "stretch out" our arrival and dismissal times. Coming to school a bit early or picking up two or three minutes after dismissal might put you in a better traffic situation when you get here.
  • Please refrain from parking in fire lanes, drop-off areas, or bus lanes. Even brief parking by parents is not permitted here as it impedes traffic flow.
  • On arrival, please do not park and walk your children to school. Most children in elementary and middle school manage quite well on their own and feel pride in developing their own sense of independence.
  • By order of the West Hartford Fire Department, there may be no blocking of the main road leading to the school, or of the fire lane alongside Stedman and Greene Buildings.
  • The Courtyard must be left clear for emergency vehicles. No parking is allowed in the Courtyard.

PLEASE NOTE THAT IT IS ILLEGAL TO TURN RIGHT FROM RENBROOK'S

EXIT ROAD ONTO ALBANY AVENUE WITHOUT A GREEN LIGHT.

SLOW AND CAUTIOUS DRIVING ON ALL SCHOOL ROADS IS A NECESSITY. WE ASK ALL DRIVERS TO

FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS OF SCHOOL PERSONNEL WHO ASSIST WITH PARKING AND TRAFFIC FLOW.

BUS SERVICE FROM WEST HARTFORD & GLASTONBURY

Bus service is provided by the Town of West Hartford for all West Hartford students who reach age five prior to September 1.

The school contracts with DATTCO to provide bus transportation service to/from a centralized pick up/drop off point in Glastonbury. Known as the "Glastonbury Express," this service is available to all of our families east of the river at a nominal charge. Additional information regarding sign-up is available by contacting the Business Office.

Buses will be scheduled to arrive at approximately 7:45 a.m. so that students in Grades K-8 may report directly to their classrooms.

BUS SERVICE FROM WEST HARTFORD & GLASTONBURY

BEGINNING SCHOOL

A parent or guardian must inform the student's homeroom teacher, Beginning School Director and the Front Desk for any changes to a student's dismissal arrangements such as going home with someone other than the parent or designated driver.

LOWER & UPPER SCHOOL

A parent or guardian must inform the student's homeroom teacher and the Front Desk for any changes to a student's dismissal arrangements such as going home with someone other than the parent or designated driver.

All special going-home arrangements or changes of plans should be understood by the student before he or she arrives at school.

SCHOOL TRIPS

Parents will be notified of school trip details in advance of the activity, including any related costs. The school assumes that parents will encourage participation in this off-campus phase of the school's curriculum. For a student to take part in a school-sponsored trip, parents must return all required documentation.

entrance road to Renbrook School in fall with yellow leaves and mums