Getting to School Safely

Safe Arrival and Dismissal Procedure

Parents, please follow these procedures to help all students get to and from school safely. Please be sure to share this important information with other caregivers. As a community we all have a shared responsibility to keep students safe.

Butler is a Walking School

Butler has always been a neighborhood school. The infrastructure for cars is very limited and increasing school traffic can put children’s health and safety at risk. Walking to and from school regularly benefits everyone. Along with being good exercise and good fun, walking connects us with our neighbors, reduces congestion and pollution, and helps children arrive at school ready to learn.

School Arrival

8:25–8:35 am students assemble on the blacktop. Teacher supervision begins at 8:25 am; students should not arrive unattended before then. 8:35 am students line up by class and proceed inside. In the case of rain, students enter the side door and line up in the lower level (known as “The Link”) with their classes.

Park and Walk

There are many legal, on-street parking spaces within a 5-minute walk to school (see map grayed zone).

• Please do not stop or park in front of the school on White Street; this area must be clear for the school bus and fire lane.

• Between 9:00am-2:00pm the spaces near the school on White Street are designated 1-hour parking for parents who have appointments at school.

• Please respect all parking regulations.

Rolling Drop-off

Designated rolling drop-off areas are on White Street and Maple Terrace starting at 8:25 am. (marked with solid bold line)

• Approach slowly and pull over near the Traffic Monitor.

• Have your child ready to exit the car curbside while you stay in the car.

• Please wait for the Traffic Monitor to assist your child.

• After being dropped off, children should walk directly to the blacktop.

• Pull away slowly as soon as it is safe to do so.

White Street and Sycamore Street

White street is a designated Drop-off / Pick-up area between 8-9 am and 2-3 pm. Sycamore Street is designated for van drop-off only. Please do not leave your car unattended. In the interest of safety, Belmont Police will enforce parking rules.

Maple Terrace and Dante Avenue

Maple Terrace and Dante Avenue are a one-way road from 8-9 am and 2-3 pm.

Staff Parking Lot

During school hours the parking lot is designated for school staff only. Parents/Guardians and other non-school employees should not park in the school lot during school hours, especially at pick-up and drop-off times.

School Dismissal

2:50 pm dismissal on Mondays, Tuesday, Thursdays, and Fridays: 1:40 pm dismissal on Wednesdays (except for scheduled early release days which end at 11:40 am). Kindergarten generally dismisses 5 minutes early.

Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd graders are dismissed at the side of the school by the playground; 3rd and 4th graders at the rear exit.

Afternoon Pick-up

There is no rolling pick-up procedure at Butler in the afternoons. Please park and walk to pick-up. Please do not park in the disabled spaces without a valid permit for any length of time. Staff members will not be available during pick-up, both in front and in the rear of the school.

Practice Safe Driving

Drive slowly near the school and pay attention at all times. 20 MPH is the school zone speeding limit. Avoid distractions while driving – texting while driving is against the law. Obey all No Parking signs, and take care not to obstruct crosswalks, sidewalks, or driveways. Do not idle your vehicle.

Practice Safe Walking and Biking

Children should walk with an adult, sibling, or friend and use crosswalks and crossing guards. Use extra caution around vehicles. Never run out between cars. Students biking should observe traffic laws and share sidewalks whenever necessary for safety. Please walk bikes once inside the schoolyard. There are bike racks on the perimeter of campus for safe storage.

No Dogs

In accordance with town by-laws, no dogs are allowed on public school property. This includes the playground, walkways and grassy areas.

Prepared by the Butler PTA Safe Routes to School Team in cooperation with the Daniel Butler Elementary School.