Merriam Elementary School

School Hours:

School begins at 8:50 AM and dismisses at 3:20 PM. * School doors open 15 minutes before school starts, at 8:35am. Do not drop your child off earlier than 8:35 AM. Students dropped off early will have to wait outside regardless of the weather.

Every Wednesday is Early Release. ALL children are dismissed at 12:50 PM on Wednesday, including half-day kindergarten students (who are normally dismissed at 11:50 AM on other days). 

DISMISSAL CHANGES

We use PickUp Patrol to track student dismissal information. If you need to change how your child should be dismissed, you should submit that information via PickUp Patrol and our staff will be notified of the changes.

New parents will receive an email with instructions on how to register. Once registered, be sure to review the default dismissal plan in PickUp Patrol and confirm that it is accurate, so that your child can be dismissed correctly.

Plan Changes

Changes can be entered via PickUp Patrol from a phone or computer at any time up until 2PM on the day of the change (11:45 on Wednesdays).

After 2:00pm, changes will not be accepted except in the case of an emergency. The end of the school day is a busy time. To ensure all students' safety, please plan accordingly and limit these exceptions to emergencies only.

Attendance Reporting

If your child will be absent from school, report the absence using PickUp Patrol before 8:30 am on the day of the absence.

Late Arrivals and Early Dismissals should also be submitted via PickUp Patrol.

Call the Main Office for assistance 978-264-3371. The safety of your child is very important to us.

Car Line Pickup

Caretakers will enter through the Upper Parking Lot; pick-up is located along the curb between the “5 Minute Parking Spaces” and pedestrian crosswalk; Caretakers continue through to the lower parking lot to exit (please display on your dashboard the Family Car Sign provided).  

Kindergartners MUST be able to fasten their own car seat buckle to be picked up in the Car Line. 

In-person Outside Pick-up

If your child(ren) requires assistance getting into the car and/or buckling their seat belt and/or you want to pick up in-person, then caretakers must park their cars and meet their students at the cluster of trees next to the Car Line.

Students CAN NOT walk on their own to cars in the parking lot.

Walker/Bicycler

Students dismissed as Walkers or Bicyclers exit the building through the main door and leave the school grounds. 

Only students in grades 1st-6th are allowed to be dismissed as Walker/Bicycler.

Pick-up During School Hours

If caretakers need to pick up children during the school day the office needs to be informed at the beginning of the school day indicating the time of pick-up. Caretakers must park their car and walk to the Main Front Door and buzz the office; the office will then call for the student to come to the lobby to be dismissed to you – your child will not be waiting for you.  If the office is unfamiliar with the person picking up, they will ask for photo ID.

PLEASE DO NOT:

• Tell your child you might pick them up at the last minute because you might be nearby.
• Pick your child up early for appointments without a Dismissal Form.
• Call the office between 2:00-3:20pm to change your child’s dismissal plan unless it is an emergency.

We appreciate your cooperation to help us ensure the safe dismissal of all students attending Merriam.