Policies
Arrivals and Dismissals
ICS expects all students to attend school regularly and to follow our arrival and dismissal policies. Questions about these policies should be addressed to the Dean of Students.
Arrivals
Students can enter the school between 7:45 a.m. and 8:25 a.m. Students must enter through our school yard gate where teachers and staff can assist them. Due to safety reasons, parents may not enter the school yard during arrival unless given permission.
Parents who wish to make an appointment, purchase a discount SEPTA pass, etc., must go to the 16th & Lombard Street entrance and go to the main office.
Bus Service
ICS offers school bus service for grades 1−6, but not for kindergarten. For safety reasons, even if you have an older child riding the bus, your kindergartner is not permitted to ride with the older sibling.
To be eligible for bus service, you must live more than 1.5 miles from ICS. Contact the Dean of Students for more information about this service.
Late Arrivals
If your child arrives late to school, you must accompany them to the front office, where a staff person will sign them in as a late arrival. You may leave once you have escorted them to the front office.
If your child is late three or more times without submitting a written explanation, the school will contact you to discuss the situation.
If your child is late more than five times without submitting a written explanation, our Dean of Students will then contact you.
In all situations, the Dean of Students will receive a written report from the teacher.
If lateness continues, your family may be referred for a hearing before the Board of Trustees. Further lateness may also result in the school contacting the Department of Human Services’ truancy office.
Dismissals
Our school day ends at 3:15 p.m. Students who use school bus transportation walk to their bus lines, students who attend after school programs go to the cafeteria, teachers bring walkers to the school yard and drivers to the front of the school on Lombard Street. Dismissal is completed by 3:30p.m. This process begins an hour earlier on Wednesdays (our early dismissal day).
School Bus Dismissals
Children who use school bus transportation are dismissed first. If for some reason you need to pick up your child, you should arrive by 3:10 p.m. and stand by the corner of 16th & Lombard Street. You will need to identify yourself to a staff member before taking your child out of the bus line.
If you need to change your child’s bus stop, you must contact the transportation coordinator. Do not make arrangements with the bus driver. That driver may not pass on the news to a substitute driver and to the school.
Car Pickup Dismissals
Because car pickup takes place on a busy city street, it’s important that we be efficient and careful. To ensure street access for the yellow school buses, students designated as “drivers” are only dismissed on Lombard Street. Do not leave your car double-parked; you will be ticketed by the police.
If your child is a “driver” you can pull up to the school side of Lombard Street doors and a staff person will bring your child to your car. Please do not get out of your car to assist; we need you to ensure that your child is safely secured and to quickly depart so we can help the next guardian.
Walker Dismissals
Pickup of walkers takes place in the school yard. All students must say good-bye and shake the teacher’s hand before being dismissed to their parent or guardian. Please reinforce this safety rule with your child.
SEPTA
Students in grades 7 and 8 are not eligible for yellow school bus service; most use SEPTA. Seventh and Eighth graders who live more than 1.5 miles from ICS are eligible for free transpasses. Parents who wish to have younger students (grades 5 and 6) use SEPTA must write a letter indicating permission to do so. Students in grades K−4 are considered too young to ride SEPTA by themselves.
Permanent Changes in Pickup
Dismissing children onto yellow buses, to after-school programs, and to parents and guardians requires accuracy and care. Daily or frequent changes to a student’s pickup schedule jeopardize safety and make it difficult for our staff to do their jobs well. Any changes to your pickup schedule should be due to major changes in your work schedule, supervision problems at home, or changes in after-school care and should be permanent. We will not accept any day changes unless they are of an emergency nature.
To make permanent changes to your pickup approach, please call the transportation coordinator at 215-238-8000 extension 2226. You should also write a note to your classroom teacher. Do not only inform your child’s teacher. This is very risky in the event of a teacher absence.
Early Dismissals
ICS recognizes that certain appointments must take place during the school day. While we encourage you to schedule these appointments at other times, early dismissals are permitted for doctor’s appointments and special activities, such as regular rehearsals and CCD classes.
You can arrange an early pickup by sending a note with your child that states the reason for the early pickup and when you will pick up your child. Report to the front desk for pickup, and please be prepared to show proof of appointment, if asked.
Early Dismissals Before a Holiday Weekend
We do understand that families may wish to travel earlier before a long weekend. Please be sure to submit a letter to the student’s teacher, with a copy for the front office. Parents should report to the front office for pickup.
