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School Hours

Early Childhood School:  8:00 AM – 2:30 PM
Grades K-8:  8:00 AM – 2:40 PM
First Bell*:  8:00 AM
Morning Prayer & attendance:  8:10 AM

*Upper School students may enter the school building through the front and rear doors at 90 Pickering St. starting at 7:50 AM. This allows students time to visit their lockers and prepare for the day. Homeroom begins at 8:00 AM, with attendance being taken following the 8:10 AM morning announcements and prayer.

  • Before Care begins at 7:15am
  • Aftercare is available until 4:00pm or 5:30pm

Arrival & Dismissal

Morning Drop Off

To maintain an effective system and to ensure ultimate safety for all children, we ask for 100% parental cooperation. It is imperative that EVERYONE follows the arrival/dismissal regulations to maintain (1) safety for the children, (2) respect for the neighbors, (3) orderly traffic patterns for the town.

All car line students in Grades K-8 MUST be dropped off/picked up in the SCHOOLYARD car line. 

Drop-Off – Grades K-8

  • All cars must enter the schoolyard by way of Highland Ave. and exit after student drop-off onto Pickering St., making a right turn ONLY at the end of the driveway.
  • Morning drop-off must be orderly and safe by forming a single line and dropping children off at the play structure walkway/ramp.
  • If you need to come into the building for any reason, kindly park along the fence on the right. 
  • All cars must proceed through the schoolyard as quickly as possible to avoid a back-up on Highland Ave.
  • Students dropped off as “Walkers” may enter the building via the front door at 90 Pickering St. or the Mary’s Garden Door at the corner of Pickering and May streets.

 

Drop-Off – Early Childhood School Students

  • Little Shark (2.9) students must be escorted into the building.  Enter through Door#1, walk down the stairs and help your student unpack.  
  • Pre-School students must be dropped off at the Early Childhood School playground.
  • Pre-K students must be dropped off at Door#2 of the Early Childhood School building. 
  • Parents may park in designated areas only. Parents may NOT park in the Administration parking lot on Oakland Ave. Please abide by all posted parking/traffic signs.
  • Older students may be crossed with the crossing guard at Pickering and May/Oakland while you escort your Little Shark (2.9), Pre-School, or Pre-K student into the Early Childhood School Building.
     
 
Afternoon Pick Up

Pick-Up – Early Childhood School Students

  • Little Shark (2.9) students must be picked up inside the building.  Enter through Door#1, walk down the stairs and pick up your child.
  • Pre-School students will be released and picked up at Door#2 of the Early Childhood School building.
  • Pre-K students will be released and picked up at the rear black gate of the Early Childhood School building.

 

Pick-Up – Grades K-8 (Carline)

  • There will be five (5) car lines formed in the schoolyard for pick up. 
  • All cars must enter the school yard by way of Highland Avenue and exit onto Pickering Street, making a right turn only at the end of the driveway. 
  • Please follow the direction of the staff member on duty.
  • Once all students are safely in the parked cars, a staff member will direct each line of cars to begin exiting the schoolyard by way of Pickering Street.  Lane #5 (furthest from the school) will be the first to exit.
  • Please do not block a lane. If your child has not come out of school, please circle around the building. 
  • Staff members will periodically stop the traffic flow so that your children may go to your car. Please do not call them to come to your car while the traffic is moving. Please do not leave your car. We will assist your child if necessary to get to your car.  
  • Please drive slowly and carefully while in the school parking lot. 
  • Please do not leave your car idling in the car line. 
  • Please do not use a cell phone while you are operating a vehicle in the car line. 
  • If you have a relative or friend picking up your child, please share the school pick-up protocol.

 

Pick-Up – Grades K-8 (Walkers)

  • Families planning to pick up their students on foot must meet their students on the front lawn by the 90 Pickering St address.
  • There will be no dismissal from the “Mary’s Garden Entrance”
  • Upper School Students will also be released from the student exits on May St.
  • Students in 4th – 8th grade may walk home if the family residence is in proximity to Saint Joseph School. Homeroom teachers should be notified of this designation at the start of the year. 

Arrival/Dismissal Norms

  • Students in Grades Kindergarten-4 can not be dropped off and left unattended, either by a school entrance door or on the play structure, before 8:00am.  Before Care is available on a drop-in basis should you need to drop your student off before 8:00am.
  • Please attend to all posted signs and obey the Town of Needham parking rules.  
  • Please do not park in the Needham Public Schools Administration Building parking lot.  
  • Do not park in, drive through, or use as an active drop-off/pick-up area the (2) parking lots of the Stephen Palmer Apartment Building (corner of Pickering and May). 
  • If you have a pet with you at Arrival/Dismissal, they must always remain on leash, and please be mindful that some children have allergies and/or fears.  
  • Please only cross the street at cross walks and obey the crossing guards’ instructions.  
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