Morning Drop-Off
SCHOOL STARTING TIMES:
- Grades K, 1st, 2nd - 8:00 am
- Grades 3rd, 4th, 5th - 8:15am
BEFORE SCHOOL SUPERVISION:
- Yard supervision will be provided for all students beginning at 7:45 AM.
- Kindergartners should proceed to the fenced primary playground next to the kindergarten classrooms.
- Students in 1st - 5th Grade should go to lunch tables or the upper grade play structure area.
- The field is closed in the morning.
- The school bell will ring 5 minutes prior to the start of school to signal that it's time for students to go to their classroom.
WALK OR BIKE:
- We highly encourage families to walk or bike to school if they can!! Go Encinal, Go Green!
- Please cross the streets using the designated cross walks.
- Bike racks are provided near the garden, at the front of the school near the multiuse room and in front of the new fourth and fifth grade complex. Please provide your own lock.
- All younger children walking or riding must be accompanied by an adult.
- Children who bike to school are required by law to wear bicycle helmets.
- Please walk bikes through campus.
- Please read the link to Encinal Bike Safety.
CURBSIDE DROP-OFF (DRIVE THROUGH):
- Drivers, please do NOT get out of your vehicle when dropping off your students in the curbside drop-off. There will be staff along the curb that can open the door nex to the curb to assist our student in exiting. If possible, please have students sit on the right side of the car so that they can easily unload onto the curb.
- Form a single line of cars next to the sidewalk in front of the school for drop-off. Do not double park to drop off your child, as it is very dangerous to allow children to walk between cars. Please pull up as far as you can along the curb, so that more cars can unload.
- Starting at 7:50 a.m. you may drop off your child along the circular drive in front of Encinal School using the Encinal Avenue entrance. This is the only safe drop-off location for your children.
- It is unsafe and prohibited to drop off children in the TERC parking lot, at the 4th and 5th Grade parking lot or driveway, along Encinal Avenue, or along Middlefield Road.
- The drop-off area gets very busy at school start time approaches and on rainy days – if you can drop off early (not before 7:50am) it is less hectic and helps stagger student arrival.
- Do not park your car in the drop-off area, this backs up the drop-off line.
PARK AND WALK IN:
- During the first week of school we realize that many kindergarten parents may want to park and walk in with their child. Please arrive to school early to give yourself time to find parking either in the school lot in front of Encinal or on the side streets.
- School Parking Lots - Limited parking is available to parents in designated ‘Visitor’ parking spaces in the circular drive in front of Encinal school. Be aware that if you park in the 'Visitor' spaces that it will be difficult to exit during the morning drop-off times from 8am-8:15am. Parking here is not recommended if you will need to leave during that time. The parking lot behind the 4th and 5th Grade Complex is reserved for staff parking only. Please do not park in the staff parking spaces during school hours.
- Street Parking -
- There is some street parking available on surrounding streets. Please pay close attention to the parking signs as a courtesy to our neighbors and to avoid getting a parking ticket. Please be aware that parking is prohibited on some streets or for certain hours of the day. The Atherton Police will issue tickets.
- There is some street parking in Felton Gables but not in the first few blocks. Read the street signs carefully on when and where you can park.
- There is some street parking along the Southbound side of Middlefield Road but not alongside the school garden. Please be cautious of fast moving traffic on Middlefield.
- During morning Drop-off, do NOT park along the drop-off curb in front of the school.
- Lock unattended vehicles and keep valuables out of site.
DISTRICT BUS
The district bus will continue its route to pick up a limited number of students in Kindergarten through 3rd Grade in the mornings for a fee from certain stops and bring them to Encinal School. In the morning, primary students are walked from the district bus by a staff member. The district bus unloading zone is located in the bus bay on Encinal Avenue in front of the office. Please click HERE for more information and to sign up for the District Bus Program.
SAM TRANS (Public Transportation)
Public Transportation is used by many of our 3rd through 5th grade students to get to and from school. This is a student only bus and the bus does not allow adult passengers. Please click here for more information about the routes served, times, and cost.