To help prepare for the first day of school, please review the following information regarding the transportation options at Charlotte Lab School. (Also, a quick reminder to send 1-2 healthy, non-messy snacks a nd a water bottle with your child's name clearly marked on it each day.)

STANDARD AFTERNOON TRANSPORTATION
If you have not already done so, please complete this STANDARD TRANSPORTATION FORM to let us know your child's standard afternoon transportation method no later than Sunday, August 28 at 5 pm.

Any changes to this method must be made via the DAILY TRANSPORTATION CHANGES FORM prior to 2:00 pm each day. All changes must be in writing; the form can also be found on our website.

SCHOOL HOURS
 You may drop your child off between 7:45 – 8:15 am. Your child should be in their classroom no later than 8:15 am. During the first week of school, you may walk your child to his/her classroom without signing in. More information on “Independence Day” (the day we ask parents to stop entering the school in the morning) will be shared in the coming weeks. Afternoon dismissal begins at 3:45 pm, and bus riders will depart first. If you need to pick up your child early, please note that you must pick up prior to 3:30 pm. No exceptions, please.

TRANSPORTATION PICKUP CARDS
 Orange Transportation Pickup Cards are required to pick up your child each afternoon for bus riders, car riders, and walkers. Many of you already picked up your cards at the Meet Your Teacher Open House on Thursday. All remaining cards will be sent home with your child on the first or second day of school. If you need duplicate copies, please email Office Manager Stefanny Wilches. Parents, guardians, or caregivers without orange pickup cards may be asked to show ID.
 
WALKERS/PARK & WALK
 The student entrance will be open from 7:45-8:15 am for drop off, and “walkers” will be dismissed from this entrance at 3:45 pm. No students will be released without an authorized adult present. The student entrance will be locked while school is in session (from 8:15 am-3:45 pm.) Visitors, volunteers, and parents picking up during regular school hours must enter through the main visitor entrance facing 9th street.

Arrangements have been made for free, short-term parking during drop-off and pickup at the Preferred Parking lot at 422 E. 9th Street (across the street from the school on the opposite side of Brevard—aka the gravel lot.) This free parking is limited to the hours of 7:45–8:15 am and 3:30–4:00 pm. You must pay if you park at any other time.

All students must be walked to the student entrance; do not drop off your child at the street corner OR attempt to “skip” the car rider line and drop your child in any other areas of the parking lot. Also, please do not use the parking lot located at 300 E. 9th Street (across from our visitor entrance) for any purposes. This lot is now only used by staff, and it is heavily monitored by Preferred Parking. You will likely get a ticket.

BUS RIDERS
 Please arrive at your cluster stop 10 minutes before your scheduled time in the morning and afternoon. Eagle Bus Company will be sending you a text invitation to join “Remind,” which will be used for last minute updates to the bus schedule. This year, payment will be made directly to Eagle Bus Company, and payment arrangements will be finalized during the first week of school. Do not worry if you have not made your initial payment at this time; all students who have reserved a spot on the bus will be able to ride the first week. More information, including bus routes and stop times, can be found at Eagle Bus Company.

CAR RIDERS
If you are picking up your child in our car-rider line, you must approach the line from the north on Brevard Street. You will enter the parking lot on the right side of the street before you cross 9th Street, and your child(ren) will enter/exit the school through the playground area. Please see the map for specific directions. If you plan to use our car-rider line for drop-off and pickup you must agree to the following:
  • No cell phone use once you are in the car-rider line;
  • If your child has difficulty with separation, or physically getting out of the seat or car, please PARK and walk your child in; we need to keep the line moving;
  • Parents/drivers should NEVER get out of their car;
  • Come to a complete stop and put your car in park before allowing children to enter/exit your vehicle;
  • Cars and buses will use the same line; please get in a single file line and DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE AROUND A BUS OR ANOTHER CAR;
  • Please exercise caution at all times while in the car rider line;
MORNING DROP-OFF
  • Drivers should NOT line up PRIOR to 7:40 am; CLS Staff will begin unloading cars at 7:45 am

PROCEDURES FOR AFTERNOON PICK-UP
  • Drivers should NOT line up on Brevard St. at the school lot entrance PRIOR to 3:40 pm; CLS is not responsible for any traffic tickets incurred while parents are in the line prior to 3:40 pm. Note: First Ward Elementary dismissal is at 3:15 pm so we cannot have drivers lining up early and creating issues for their traffic flow; please help us to be good neighbors!
  • Drivers will line up on Brevard and MUST allow buses to pass and enter the line; we will load buses PRIOR to loading cars.
  • Drivers should place their student’s TRANSPORTATION PICKUP CARD on the front windshield (or tuck under the passenger-side visor) so that it can be easily seen by CLS staff, who will be reporting numbers back to the staff inside the school.
  • Please turn on your hazard lights while in the car-rider line. 
PARKING THROUGHOUT THE DAY
 All lots in the area require a parking permit . The front office has a limited number of short-term parking passes available for the Preferred Parking lot at 319 E. 9th Street (adjacent to the student entrance). You will be asked to provide your driver’s license or another form of ID in order to borrow a pass. Once again, please do not use the parking lot located at 300 E. 9th Street for any purposes. This lot is now used by staff, and it is heavily monitored by Preferred Parking. You will likely get a ticket.

Other parking options in the area include:
  • 2 hour metered spots along Brevard Street and 9th Street;
  • 7th Street Station: 90 minutes free with a purchase at 7th Street Market;
  • Imaginon Parking Lot: free with validation (Note this lot is often full.);
  • Lot on the corner of 7th & Brevard (diagonally across the street from Imaginon) – rates vary; and
  • Lot on 7th between Brevard and Caldwell (behind the vacant red brick building) – rates vary.

As always, please let us know if you have any additional questions. Looking forward to a great week ahead!