Plain City Elementary School

Students need to be dropped off between 8:40-8:55 AM.  Please do NOT drop your child off prior to 8:40 as there is no one assigned to morning duty to supervise before then.  All bus riders will enter the building through the event entrance doors (D2).  All non-bus riders will enter the building through the main entrance doors (D1).

*Do NOT enter the north drive bus loop.  Use only the south entrance (with the marked turn lane) to enter the parking lot.

If you are simply dropping your child off along the sidewalk (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED):

Make an immediate right and stay to the right in the line of traffic.  Please pull around along the sidewalk as far as possible (even as far up as the front main entrance) before letting your child out of your vehicle on the passenger side.  We use the entire length of the sidewalks (north-south and east-west) for child drop-off.  After your child has exited your vehicle, please pull out into the left lane, watch for pedestrian traffic in crosswalks, and keep moving in the left lane to exit the lot.  As cars exit the right lane, please pull forward in the right lane.  Please DO NOT pass vehicles on the left and then try to cut back over to the right!  Stay to the right until your child has been dropped off.  Parents must also stay inside their vehicles and keep their vehicles running in the drop-off lane.  The children will enter the front main entrance (D1) and go directly to the cafeteria if they wish to get breakfast &/or to their classrooms to begin morning activities.  2nd, 3rd & 4th grade students will use the center set of stairs in the lobby.

If your child needs assistance exiting the vehicle:

Do not wait in the drop-off lane.  Instead of making an immediate right, proceed to the second parking area (closer to the building), make a right turn and park in the empty spaces.  Use the two designated crosswalks to safely escort your child across the drive.  Please say “Goodbye” on the sidewalk at the crosswalk and go right back to your vehicle. The children will enter the front main entrance (D1) and go directly to the cafeteria if they wish to get breakfast &/or to the classrooms to begin morning activities.  2nd, 3rd & 4th grade students will use the center set of stairs in the lobby.

If you are the parent of a preschool student: 

You must park in a space in the parking lot (or park along the sidewalk from the front crosswalk to the bike path) and walk your child to the southeast entrance at the end of the 1st grade hallway (D12) to sign him/her in.

If your student is walking from Chillicothe St.:

They will enter the front main entrance (D1) and go directly to the cafeteria if they wish to get breakfast &/or to their classrooms to begin morning activities.  2nd, 3rd & 4th grade students will use the center set of stairs in the lobby.

If your student is using the bike path south of the building:

Students will enter the main entrance (D1) to get breakfast (as needed) & then go to their classrooms to begin morning activities.  2nd, 3rd & 4th grade students will use the center lobby stairs.

Bus students will be dropped off in ONE location:

The bus will unload at the event entrance doors (D2), students will go directly to the cafeteria if they wish to get breakfast &/or to their classrooms to begin morning activities.  2nd, 3rd & 4th gr. students will use the center lobby stairs.

*If there is no staff member at any entrance (after 8:55 AM), you need to park in the lot and walk your child to the front door (D1).  Ring the doorbell and Mrs. Thompson will open the door for your child to enter and you MUST sign your child in.

2025-26 Pick Up

*Please do NOT enter the north drive bus loop.  Use only the south entrance (with the marked turn lane) to enter the parking lot.

If you are the parent of a preschool student: 

You must park in a space in the parking lot (or park along the sidewalk from the front crosswalk to the bike path) and meet your child at the southeast entrance at the end of the 1st grade hallway (D12) to sign him/her out.

If your child is walking home with an adult/older sibling, please meet them (see map below):

• via Chillicothe St. - on the sidewalk at the northwest curve (BLUE X)

• via bike path - on the sidewalk at the southwest curve (BLUE X)

* * * * * IMPORTANT!!! * * * * *

All parents must stay inside vehicles & pick up your child(ren) along the curb.  No parents or siblings will be allowed in the building, so please time your arrival accordingly.  When you arrive, make an immediate right and stay to the right in the line of traffic.  ONLY 10-12 vehicles will be able to park along the sidewalk between the front crosswalk and the gate at the northeast corner. 

All other vehicles MUST be in a parking space...preferably backed in.  Almost all staff members will be parked in the bus loop to leave approximately 75 front parking spaces for parents.  At 3:25, vehicles along the front north-south sidewalk will begin loading students as in the past.  No PCES child will be permitted to walk out to the parking lot, so please do NOT encourage them to cross through the pick-up traffic to come to your vehicle.  Your child will only be permitted to get in your vehicle from the edge of the north-south sidewalk once you have come around the northwest curve.  After your child is in your vehicle along the north-south sidewalk, please pull out into the left lane, watch for any staff members in the crosswalk, and keep moving in the left lane to exit the property at the south end of the lot.  Please wait behind other cars in the right pick-up lane.  As cars exit the right lane, please stay to the right & just pull forward.  In order to speed up the process along the sidewalk, and staff members will walkie-talkie names as you pull up so that they can be ready to board as quickly as possible.  Staff members will also help direct parked cars to pull out and merge into the pick-up lane.  Again, it will help if you are backed in, but it is not essential.  Think of the front parking lot like getting out of a parking garage after an event.  Traffic in the moving lane lets alternating left & right parked cars merge into the moving lane along the sidewalk.

Buses will load at 3:25.

If your child’s afternoon (pick-up, walk, bus, Latchkey, etc.) plans change, you MUST notify the office by 2:00 PM.  It is difficult to get messages to children at the very end of the day.

If you come to the building to pick your child up early for an appointment, you must park in the lot, ring the doorbell to speak with Mrs. Thompson, and enter the front door (D1) to sign them out on the chromebook in the office.  Do NOT park along sidewalks in front areas.  This is a FIRE LANE!

**Thank you so much for your cooperation in order to make these transitions as smooth as possible.  

Blue X = walker meeting points

Green X= car pick-ups

Red X=pick-up parking