Keheley Frequently Asked Questions

Knowing all the ins and outs of what to expect in our school can be daunting even for families that have been here for years. We've compiled answers to frequently asked questions along with links to resources that can help.

If you have a question that is not answered here, please feel free to reach out to us at the PTA Welcome Commitee.

• Check In and Check Out / Signing in to visit the school
• Can I have lunch with my child? If so, how do I do that?
• How does drop-off work? Is it as scary as I think it is?
• How does pickup work?
• I didn’t use the school box kits to order my child’s school supplies. Is there a list online somewhere?
• My child is having a birthday. Can I send in a birthday treat? Can the teacher pass out invites to a birthday party?
• Allergies (checking with the nurse)
• First day of school
• Half days what to expect
• What is a Digital Learning Day and what should I expect to do on these days?

Check in and Check out/Signing in to visit the school

At various times throughout the school year, you may need to visit the school during school hours, i.e. to pick up your child for a doctor appointment or to sign them in because they are late. Our school has security measures at all entry points to ensure the safety of our kids.

At the front door, you’ll want to have your ID handy and show it when you buzz in. You’ll go through a check-in process and be given a badge sticker to wear while you’re in the school. The front desk staff will help you if needed. When you leave, you’ll check-out with that same badge sticker.

Can I have lunch with my child? If so, how do I do that?

Absolutely! During the Parent Orientation portion of Meet & Greet, you will learn your child’s daily schedule including the time in which they have lunch. If you don’t take note of this or forget, you can always ask your child’s teacher or the front desk staff.

Arrive 5-10 minutes early to allow time to check-in. Wait in the atrium until you see your child’s class start to walk down from either hall - K-2 classrooms will come down from the left hall and 3-5 classrooms will come down from the right. Join your student and then you can have lunch on the stage at tables and chairs set up for you.

Please refrain from bringing outside fast food. You are welcome to bring a bagged lunch or go through the lunch line with your child. Information on food costs or how to pay for a lunch can be found on the district Food and Nutrition Services page.

Note: In order to give your child time to acclimate to their schedule and sit with their classmates at lunch, the school asks that caregivers wait until the third week from the start of school before having lunch with your child. For this school year, that means August 19.

How does drop-off work? Is it as scary as I think it is?

School doors open at 7:20 A.M. Only students who have permission for tutoring or special events may be dropped off earlier than 7:15 A.M. The tardy bell rings at 7:50 A.M.

Carpool drop-off absolutely does not have to be scary and moves pretty efficiently when familiarizing yourself with a few simple guidelines. When driving to school make sure to slow down and stay off devices. There are numerous crosswalks where children may be walking to school and the school crossing guard is directing/stopping traffic. Be alert and present!

When entering the school parking lot, drive slowly in a single-file line. Never pass stopped vehicles and don’t run over the school cones. When entering the circle area, pull your vehicle all the way around until you either reach a stopped vehicle or you’ve reached the end of the circle where Keheley staff will be. At that point, your child can exit the vehicle. There is a crosswalk in the center of the circle so be mindful of crossing students and refrain from stopping in the crosswalk.

The circle area is the only area where your student should be dropped off. Students should exit your vehicle on the passenger side only and check your mirror to make sure your child has safely made it to the sidewalk before driving away. Caregivers should not get out of your cars. If your child needs extra assistance, wait for a Keheley staff member for help or you may continue through carpool, park the car, and escort your child up. Sometimes our kids can have meltdowns, especially early in the year - no judgement!

If you get to school late, you will need to walk your student in and sign them in at the front desk.

Pro-Tip: At times, there may not seem to be a lot of cars and you’ll want to drop your student off right at the center of the circle instead of pulling forward. Refrain from doing this. You will likely be politely nudged by staff members to continue forward to the end of the circle. Always follow the directions of staff during the drop-off process.

Visit this resource page for full arrival/dismissal procedures.

How does pickup work?

Keheley Dismissal begins at 2:20 P.M. Any student not picked up by 2:35pm will be taken to ASP & all ASP charges will apply.

Carpool: Students will wait in their designated area to be called for dismissal. Keheley staff members will call your students when you pull into the circle and they scan your student(s)’ barcode. (This can be the original paper or a photo of the barcode.) Cars that do not have a barcode will be asked to park and come into the front office to provide proper identification before a student is dismissed.

Note: The carpool line is a single-file car line. Please do not attempt to pass cars while in this line. Please also do not run over our cones. The object is to get our children home safely from school. You can do this. :)

Walkers: Students in 3rd-5th will be dismissed after the bell. Students K-2 will have a number tag attached to their back pack. The adult picking up younger students will have a card with a matching number; your student will be released to you after the matching numbers are confirmed by a member of staff.

Pro-Tip: If you are picking up your young student in a car as a walker, remember there is limited parking. Arrive early and the left side of the parking area is your friend.

Bus Riders: Students will be ushered to the buses. The district Transportation FAQ has all of the information you could ever want about buses! From finding your route, to the bus tracker app, please utilize as much as you can.

Visit this resource page for full arrival/dismissal procedures.

I didn’t use the school box kits to order my child’s school supplies. Is there a list online somewhere?

Yes! The Keheley school website has downloadable lists for all grade levels. Visit this website link to view the lists.

My child is having a birthday. Can I send in a birthday treat? Can the teacher pass out invites to a birthday party?

Yes! Please check in with Nurse Shannon at least a couple days in advance to check if there are any listed allergies in your child’s classroom. If you decide to bring in a treat, they MUST be store bought with an ingredient list and be enough to feed your child’s entire classroom. You may also choose to send in money or use MySchoolBucks to add money to your child’s account and purchase a popsicle for each student in your child’s class (please notify the classroom teacher so they can help/speak to the lunch room workers).

Keheley has an all or nothing policy regarding invites. If you send in an invite to be passed out at school, all students in your child’s classroom must receive an invite.

The new digital sign at the front of the school also can be used for special birthday wishes for your child. Visit the Keheley Foundation Birthday Marquee page for more information.

Allergies (checking with the nurse)

Some classrooms could be allergen free, please check with your teacher. If you are ever sending in snacks for the whole class, they MUST be store bought and labeled. Always reach out to Nurse Shannon for allergies, she is super helpful and knowledgeable.

Visit the Keheley Clinic page for more information.

First day of school

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a new parent, the first day of school is a special day filled with photos, smiles, extra hugs, and maybe a few tears.

For new parents, we encourage you to familiarize yourself with the inner workings of the school before that first day. Attend all the school’s summer activities, especially Meet and Greet/Parent Orientation. You’ll meet your child’s teacher and get a good feel for how your child’s day will go and what your child will be learning. PTA and the school also have online resources linked in this FAQ to important topics like dropping off and picking up your children.

PTA will have a welcome tent on the first day with snacks, beverages, and accessories to make your photos fun. It will be located on the right-side of the sidewalk as you’re looking at the school. Whether you’re doing carpool or walking your student up, come by and visit on the walk up and/or the walk back to your vehicle. Meet other parents as well as the volunteers who are in the school often to do the little things to make your child’s educational experience a little more special.

Half days what to expect

For Keheley, the early release time is 12:30 P.M., about 2 hours earlier than the normal release. Move up your normal schedule by two hours on these days. Carpool, walker, and bus procedures will remain the same. There is no extra at-home instruction expected on early release days.

What is a Digital Learning Day and what should I expect to do on these days?

On these days, school will not be open to students as teachers are participating in professional development training. For our elementary students, teachers will provide assignments to caregivers in CTLS that are designed to reinforce previously taught standards. These will not be graded and will be short in duration. You are not expected to give your children a full day of school! The four learning days will be August 18, October 13, December 2, and March 2. To learn more, visit this website link with the Digital Learning Day flyer.