St. Johns Classical Academy’s procedures for carpool drop-off and pick-up prioritize the safety and security of all scholars. Parents are expected to cooperate fully to ensure the process is safe and orderly. The school will release students only to parents, legal guardians, or adult designees.

Responsibility is one of our school’s nine core virtues. The adults driving through the carpool line are expected to serve as role models by always exhibiting responsible behavior. Please share these policies and procedures with anyone who will pick up your scholar(s) as everyone in the car line is expected to know and follow the procedures.

Drop-off and Pick-up

Morning drop-off begins at 7:00 a.m. Please do not drop off your scholar(s) before this time.

Upper School Drop-Off: 7:00 - 7:25 a.m.

Grammar School Drop-Off: 7:25 - 7:55 a.m.

Upper School Pickup: 2:20 - 2:48 p.m. Please do not arrive on campus before 2:20 p.m.

Grammar School Pickup: 2:50 - 3:20 p.m. Please do not arrive on campus before 2:50 p.m.

In the afternoon, all scholars not enrolled in extracurricular activities should be picked up by 3:25 p.m. Any remaining scholars will be directed to the reception building. Parents are responsible for charges incurred. 

Early Dismissal

Early dismissal of students ends at 2:15 p.m. to allow sufficient time to prepare for afternoon dismissal. No student will be allowed to leave the school between 2:15 – 2:45 p.m. for lower school students and 2:15 – 3:25 p.m. for upper school students. If your child needs to leave school before the regular dismissal time, please check them out in the Front Office before 2:15 p.m.

Carpool Procedures

Please follow these procedures during drop off and pickup:

• Cars will stay on Moore’s Mill until the driveway chain is pulled to allow carpool to start in order to not block the campus drive both in the morning and afternoon.  

• Enter the car line by heading eastbound on Moores Mill Road and making a right turn into campus.

• Cutting the carpool line is unacceptable at any time. Only those families with a V.I.C. tag may enter the line using the Northside Drive entrance.

• The teacher parking lot (southernmost) is not for parents and guests. No drop-off or pick-up is permitted in this lot.

• Do not make a left turn into campus from Moores Mill Road. Not only is making a left turn off Moores Mill Road a violation of a posted state traffic law, but also it is impolite to fellow ACA parents who are waiting their turn in the car line.

• Please do not enter the car line before your specified pick-up time. If you do so, you may be asked to circle back through the car line.

• Once a student is loaded into your vehicle, do not let him or her exit the vehicle. If your student needs to return to the school building, please park and escort your student back into the building.

• If your student is not in the loading zone, you will be asked to pull into one of the five 5-minute parking spots. Please stay in your vehicle. Your student will be escorted to your vehicle. 

• Once you have pulled away from the loading zone, please do not stop your car near the south playground. If you need to buckle a child in a car seat or stop for any reason, please pull into one of the five 5-minute spots

• Never exit your vehicle while the engine is running.

Important Safety Reminders

• Under no circumstances should a child be left in a vehicle unattended.

• Please refrain from using electronic devices while moving in the carpool line.

• Third-party pick-ups are not permitted (this includes taxis and ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft).

• Student drop-offs or pick-ups in the south parking lot (southernmost) or on the street are strictly prohibited.

• Do not park on the sidewalk or the shoulders of Northside Drive and Moores Mill Road.

• Always obey the directions of off-duty City of Atlanta police officers that assist with the traffic flow.

• If you are walking to pick up your student, please come to the Front Desk to have your student called to the pick-up area. 

Neighborhood Courtesies

Please help us be courteous to neighbors by adhering to the following good neighbor policies:

• Do not block driveways or entranceways, especially Mooregate Square.

• Do not use neighborhood streets and/or driveways to turn around.

• Do not attempt U-turns in the roadway.

Hangtags

ALL cars in the afternoon carpool line must have an Atlanta Classical Academy carpool hangtag visible on the rearview mirror. Cars without the hangtag MUST park, walk in the front office with identification, and retrieve your student. The safety of our students is always our first priority. If you need additional Atlanta Classical Academy carpool hangtags, please email transportation@atlantaclassical.org.

Arriving late, leaving early, & carpool changes

If your student is riding home with someone else, please email details to transportation@atlantaclassical.org.

If you need to report an absence, please email the school at attendance@atlantaclassical.org.

If you need to pick up your child early, please email the school at dismissal@atlantaclassical.org.

Student Walker Policy

In order to better assure our students’ safety during dismissal, we have updated our policy on students getting permission to walk to and from school. These new procedures for acquiring walker permission and for arrival/departure from campus will ensure greater accountability for students and ensure that all students arrive to/depart campus safely. Please see below for new requirements and procedures. 

• New application is required for all students, regardless of past permission. Applications can be picked up in the front office during the first week of school. 

• Address verification for all applications- students must live within 1 mile of ACA or less than a 15-minute walk. 

• Only students in 7th-12th grade will be eligible for walking permission. K-6 students may be walked to and from school by a parent or guardian after receiving permission.

• All students approved for walking permission will have a “walker badge” issued to them by the front office. 

• Students will be required to present their “walker badge” to homeroom or last-period teachers in order to be dismissed from class during dismissal (if not staying for normal carpool pickup).

• Students must present their “walker badge” to the front office each afternoon before leaving ACA’s campus for accountability purposes. 

• Front office will maintain an up-to-date list of all students with walking permission to ensure student safety and accountability.