Absences
For the safety of our children, it is very important to notify the school of your child's absence each day, even if they are absent on consecutive dates. To report a student's absence, please call the Child Safe Line

Press #3 and leave the following information: student name, teacher, grade level and reason for absence.

Tardies
Children should be in their classroom seats ready to work when the 7:45 bell sounds. If you child arrives after the 7:45 bell, you need to come in to the office with them where they will be given a tardy slip to enter their classrooms.

Attendance Policy

• Morning carpool will have two drop-off points.
• Afternoon carpool will only utilize the west carpool lane.
• All west carpool traffic should make right turns only into the carpool lane. Left turns into the carpool lane are illegal and subject to a very expensive fine.
• All west carpool traffic should make left turns only when exiting in the morning.
• East carpool traffic is encouraged to make a right turn when exiting, although it is not restricted at this time.
• Both carpool lines are single file only. Please pull up to the designated mark before picking up or dropping off children.
• Watch the Safety Patrol children who are there to assist in the morning.
• All teachers at Bethany are on carpool duty after school. We pride ourselves in making sure all children are safe.
• Students will be lined up by grade and by teacher in order from the K sidewalk to the front door walkway. Older children picking up younger siblings will be asked to wait with the younger siblings class.
• Students in the younger grades (K-2) must always tell their teacher before they leave with the person taking them home.
• The carpool form provided in your registration packet is for you to write the names of your carpoolers and to display in the FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW each afternoon. By displaying the names of the children, staffers will learn who belongs in which car. The afternoon pick-up will go much faster and smoother with the use of the carpool forms.

Thanks for your compliance and cooperation with these guidelines as our first priority is always the safety of our students!

If you need to drop off your child's forgotten lunch or homework, please bring it to the office. We would appreciate you not delivering it yourself to the child's class as this is disruptive to the students. Items may be placed in the Front Office. Please be sure the items are clearly marked with your child's name and their teacher's name.

If you need to pick up your child during school hours, be sure to stop in the office to sign your child out. You child will be called to the office.

Thank you for your ongoing support, cooperation and patience in making our morning drop off and afternoon dismissal safe and courteous.

• Please remember, children AND adults, to walk ALL bikes (and skate boards) on the campus. You may ride when you reach the city sidewalks. The areas near the school are full of small children, even toddlers, and walking bikes is an important safety element for any campus.
• Please wait your turn in the drop-off and pick-up lines. If you cut around cars that are waiting in line, you might not see students and parents who are crossing the traffic lanes, and you can imagine the frustration this causes drivers who ARE waiting their turn. In keeping with 2), please KISS and GO in the mornings, and do not try to conference with your child’s teacher in the afternoons. We know this is a temptation-the staff like visiting with you, too—but it causes delays for others who are waiting. PULL FORWARD even if it means that your child has to walk a little way to get to your car.
• Our students have learned our expectation that they must use the crosswalk when walking across the street from the front of the school to their neighborhood. Parents have the discretion to choose to walk their children to a parked car in the front parking lot. We ask that ALL students safely cross at crosswalks.
• With the weather getting warmer, we want to remind you again to please keep your dogs on the city sidewalks and not to bring them on campus. Most of the staff members at Bethany are dog lovers, but any dog trainer will tell you never trust a dog, even the sweetest and most mild-tempered around large groups of children and many of our children are afraid of dogs.
• By all means, keep walking to and from school whenever you can. This practice reduces traffic problems, frustration and encourages good health!

Bethany Elementary is a walking school and has very little bus traffic. This however increases car traffic. For the safety of all Bethany Elementary children and families, please respect all school zone and neighborhood speed limits. Be especially aware of the “walkers” and “bikers”.

We do realize there are limited parking spaces available. Please keep in mind east side parking is for STAFF USE ONLY. Parents should park in the Visitor spaces or along Micarta Drive where designated. The reserved spaces are for STAFF ONLY. Your cooperation is appreciated.

• Use the crosswalks to get to our school grounds. If you park on the street in front of the school, do not walk across the front driveway through the carpool traffic. We must be role models for our children.
• Going south on Quarry Chase, there are NO left turns into our front driveway. A sign is posted. Tickets are expensive.
• Never leave your car unattended in the fire lane directly in front of the building.
• Please note the “No Parking” signs posted on Micarta Drive and observe the times they are in effect. This will allow clear visibility as you exit the carpool lanes.
• Children should not ride their bicycles through the east parking lot. This is very dangerous. Children should use the sidewalk in front of the east lot, cross at the crosswalk and walk their bike to the bike rack by the gym.
• Parents who drive students to school should not drop them off in the street.

Before entering the school building, you will need to use the keypad to the left of the front office doors.

• Press the white button to obtain entrance to the building.
• Once admitted, go to the office and sign-in as a guest.
• Be sure to display a visitor tag so our staff and students will know you are authorized to be in our school.
• If you are picking up or meeting your child, our secretary will be glad to assist you.