Getting To and From School

Students at Brier Creek get to and from school via the school bus, carpool, walking, or before- and after-school care providers. In order to ensure a safe and efficient transition to and from school for all students, procedures are in place for arrival and dismissal. School staff facilitates arrival and dismissal daily and parents are important partners in the process as well. It is vital that parents honor the processes that the school has established for the safety of all children and to ensure efficient arrival and dismissal for all children.

Please inform your child's classroom teacher about what your child's typical afternoon transportation will be. If that mode changes, write a note to your child's teacher. If you need to make a change after your child has left for school, please call the office before 2:30 pm. (919-484-4747)

Bus

Bus transportation is handled by the WCPSS transportation department. BCES routes can be found using the link on the left and afternoon departures can be tracked along the Here Comes the Bus app. The school will not have any further information than what is provided by transportation services. Students eligible for bus transportation must register on the WCPSS Transportation webpage. Keep in mind, except for when students are tracked out, if students go more than 10 days without riding the bus, they will be removed from the roster and will have to re-register to become a rider again. 

Carpool

ARRIVAL - Morning Carpool runs from 8:45-9:10 AM. Staff are available along the front sidewalk of the school for supervision and assistance. Cars will use a single-lane formation through the parking lot. Drivers should be vigilant, pay attention to the directions of staff, and avoid distractions, such as cell phone use, while in the carpool line. Drivers will pull as far forward as possible up to the sidewalk so that as many cars as possible can unload at a time. Once vehicles reach the sidewalk, students may exit the car on the sidewalk side of the car. Students should be prepared to exit as soon as the vehicle comes to a stop. Students will open and close their own doors unless the driver indicates to staff or Safety Patrol that assistance is needed. Students will then stand on the sidewalk and walk to the front door of the school. Only one lane of cars will be permitted in the carpool drop-off zone. Visitors arriving during arrival may park in the lower or middle section of the parking lot. 

Some things to consider: Breakfast is available until 9:05 AM. Students dropped off after that time will not be permitted to buy breakfast at school. Students must be in their classrooms by 9:15 to be considered on time for school. Students dropped off after 9:10 AM may not have enough time to get to their classroom to be marked on time for school. 

If you arrive after 9:10, you will need to walk with your child to the front door and sign him/her in.

DISMISSAL - 

Afternoon carpool and walker dismissal will run from 3:45 - 4:10 p.m. If you have not picked up your child by 4:10 p.m. or they have behavior issues in carpool; they will be escorted to the office. You will need to park and go into the building to pick up your child.

• If you or a designated person (their names MUST be on the student’s Locator Card) comes to pick up a student without a BCES Carpool Tag, you will need to park and go to the office to provide identification to pick up the student.
• Please be ready to move ahead in the carpool line. We are very efficient in getting students to the cars.
• Be watchful of students as you pull up to the designated spots to pick up or drop off your child.
• During both the morning and afternoon arrival/dismissal of students, there will be several staff members monitoring the students opening and closing the car doors. Staff members will allow the students to open the doors unless they require help. Please help us ensure that students enter/exit the car from the right.
• We will be using our carpool spreadsheet on our phone to gather the tag numbers for the cars. Please make sure your tag is clearly visible, and do not drive by until the staff member has recorded your number. If you need a new tag, just inform the staff member and additional tags will be made for you.
• The students and all siblings should have the same carpool tag number for their duration at BCES. Please let the office know if you need additional tags.
• In an instance where your child is unable to fasten or unfasten their seat belt, please pull over after you drive through carpool to help your child. If a child is delayed in exiting the building, an adult will ask you to pull forward when the carpool begins.

Parents using carpool for dismissal should arrive on campus no later than 4:00 pm.

Lost Carpool Tags

If you lose your numbered tag, please come to the main office to receive a replacement tag.  If you forget your numbered tag, you will be directed to park and come to the main office. You will be asked to display identification in order for safety and security information to be confirmed.

Proper Tag Display

Due to our high volume of traffic in the carpool lane, please do your best to make your carpool tag highly visible. We respectfully request that you place the tag on your mirror upon entering carpool through exiting the parking lot.

Walkers

Brier Creek's walk zone includes the neighboring houses surrounding the school within the street borders of Brier Creek Parkway, Alm Street, and Globe Road. In other words, if a student has to cross one of these roads to get between BCES and home, he/she is not within our walking zone and is eligible for bus transportation. Anytime a parent is driving a student to school, carpool procedures should be followed - walker procedures are ONLY for when a student is walking between school and home. 

Families must complete a Walker Contract annually in order to obtain a Dismissal Number and Pick-Up Pass. The Walker Pick-Up Pass may also be used to pick the student up in carpool on inclement weather days. 

For safety, the City of Raleigh provides a Crossing Guard at the intersection of Bruckhaus, Vogel, and Glen Autumn Road. Students coming from the south and east of the school should cross at this intersection to ensure their safety. Walkers will use the vestibule door between the community center and school. It is accessed by the stairwell to the left of the community center from Bruckhaus. You will then follow the sidewalk and turn right at the end of the small community center parking lot.

ARRIVAL - Walkers should arrive on campus between 8:45 and 9:10. Those arriving after 9:10 will need to enter through the front doors. Students must be in their classrooms by 9:15 to be considered on time for school. Students arriving after 9:10 may not have enough time to get to their classroom to be marked on time for school. Breakfast is available until 9:05. Students arriving after that time will not be permitted to buy breakfast at school.

DISMISSAL - Dismissal begins at 3:45. Walker passes will only be issued for those students living in the walk-zone. Students in Kindergarten and 1st Grade must be picked up by a parent displaying a number-matching Walker Pick-Up Pass. Anyone arriving at dismissal without the Walker Pick-Up Pass should be prepared to show a picture ID and will be verified as someone who is authorized to pick up the student(s). Parents should arrive to pick up students by 4:00. After 4:00, walkers will be taken to the front office for check-out. Students in Grades 2-5 will be dismissed through the walker door at 3:45. Parents may designate a spot outside of school to meet these students if they do not wish for students to walk alone or if they are waiting for a younger sibling.