School Procedures
Arrival & Dismissal Procedures
In the Area
While in the School Zone area of our school, please be sure to adhere to the following safety protocols. Adhere to all traffic laws and reduced speed requirements. Be alert for children, parents, and crossing guards in various locations. Please be alert and void of distraction while in our parking lot, loop, and surrounding streets. Please be vigilant about watching the parking lot for parents and students walking. Please yield to our buses that are entering and exiting our campus to assist them in traveling safely with our students and maintaining the timeliness of their route deliveries.
Morning Arrival
Morning
Arrival Window for OPS Elementary Schools: 8:45 AM-9:00 AM
Barnes is a hub of activity in the mornings and student safety is our top priority. Please assist us in making sure students arrive at school safely. If someone other than yourself is responsible for getting your child to school, please make sure they are aware of our procedures. Barnes Elementary does not open until 8:45 in the morning. Any student arriving before that time is not permitted inside the building and is therefore unsupervised. Please help us avoid any unsafe situation, such as this.
Attendance, Tardiness & Late Arrivals
If your child is absent from school, call the attendance number 918-272-1153 to report the absence between 8:15 AM and 9:45 AM each day he/she is absent. Any student who is absent is considered unexcused until a parent calls the attendance office.
We work hard to maintain a positive and welcoming school climate that both supports and encourages our students and the way we start our day together matters. Our tardy bell rings at 9:00 a.m. and students are considered tardy at that point as our morning classes commence. Students arriving late must check in at the main office to obtain a tardy pass for class. We actively monitor arrival and attendance trends and may reach out to you to assist in supporting your child’s regular or timely attendance.
Bus Riders
Students are allowed to have a water bottle on the bus. No food is allowed. Parents are encouraged to look up their child’s bus route information in advance. Please contact the OPS Transportation Department at 918-272-2231 with any questions you may have.
Car Riders
Students that are brought to school by car, will enter the main lot on the west end of our campus off of 76th Street. Cars arriving before 8:45 may pull through to the entrance at the back. The drop-off line begins at the awning. Students are not permitted to exit the vehicle until there is a staff member on duty to greet them. Beginning at 8:45, there will be personnel available to assist children both outside and inside.
Parking Parents
Our parking lot is a busy place. Parents are encouraged to remain in their vehicles and use the drop-off loops. However, if there is a need for parents to park their vehicle in the parking lot, parents MUST escort their child to the sidewalk or front door. Please do not signal to your child it is safe for them to cross alone, an adult needs to accompany them. Students are not permitted to enter the school until 8:45. Additionally, we have a morning drop-off loop that is quite active, which adds morning traffic, so please be alert when crossing.
Student Arrival
Students will report directly to their classroom or cafeteria if they are eating breakfast.
Pre-K Mid Day Dismissal/Arrival
Mid-Day
AM Pre-K Dismissal
AM Pre-K Dismissal is at 11:30 AM | Pick up at the purple hall doors on the southeast corner of the building. Staff will be available to assist.
PM Pre-K Arrival
PM Pre-K Arrival Window is 1:05 - 1:15 PM | Drop off at the purple hall doors on the southeast corner of the building. Staff will be available to assist
Afternoon Dismissal
Afternoon
Afternoons at Barnes are quite busy and fast-paced. We recommend a consistent daily dismissal plan for your child. Daily changes cause confusion for children and create opportunities for error and misunderstandings. Should your family have a need arise that causes a change to your daily dismissal arrangements, please notify your child’s teacher and receive confirmation of your request. If you are unable to get confirmation from your child’s teacher, please notify the office. Notifications arriving at our office after 3:00 PM may be unable to be fulfilled properly.
Car Rider Line Dismissal
Parents utilizing our Afternoon Car Rider Line will pull around back to pick up their child through the second entrance (closest to the railroad tracks) off 76th Street if their students are in grades 1 - 5. Grades Pre-K and K will be picked up on the east side of the building near the early childhood playground. Cars are not permitted to begin lining up until 3:25. At that time, you are permitted to pull to the in-lot crossing area but please do not pull into the teacher lot or playground area until 3:35. While our line can appear quite long, we promise it moves swiftly.
The following request is made on behalf of both the Owasso Fire Department and the Owasso Police Department. Please assist us in avoiding congestion on 76th Street by NOT lining up before 3:25 in our Car Rider Lane. Please stay off cell phones and keep alert while in the line for the safety of our students and staff. For safety, we ask parents to remain in their vehicles while we load students. Once prompted by personnel you may pull forward. There is a designated "Buckle Up Zone" just beyond the loading area. To help us keep our line moving, please pull forward to secure your child's safety seat, if needed.
Bus Riders
Students riding the bus home will report to the hallway outside of the office with their grade level and be seated in their appropriate bus line. Parents are encouraged to look up their child’s bus route information in advance. If you have any questions, contact the OPS Transportation Department at 918-272-2231.
Other Coming & Going Procedural Reminders
Animals at Arrival & Dismissal
While it is tempting to bring up beloved pets to see your child off for their day or to greet your child after school, please refrain from bringing your family pets to school. Arrival and dismissal of a school can be busy and overwhelming for animals. For the safety of our students, families, staff, and pets, please keep them at home. We thank you for your cooperation with this matter.
Breakfast Service
Breakfast service begins when the doors open at 8:45 and concludes at 9:00.
Deliveries to Students
We discourage deliveries of any type to our office, unless in the case of an emergency. If you are curious about the extent of the need, you can contact our office and we are happy to assist you.
Inclement Weather Pick-ups
We respect that at times during inclement weather you may choose to pick your child up early. However, we do ask that when picking up please be aware that when entering our office we may have young or worried ears nearby. Nothing concerns a student more than hearing fear or panic in the voice of an adult. We work diligently in our office to always remain weather-aware but also maintain a sense of calm and comfort for our students. We appreciate your support of our efforts in advance.
Parent Access to the Building
Parents are welcome to visit the school. We ask that all visitors enter through the front doors of the school. When visiting, volunteering, or attending an event all visitors are required to follow our kiosk check-in procedure.
Parent Volunteer Opportunities
Parent volunteers are welcome on our school campuses, whether you are interested in being involved in our parent organization(s), assisting a classroom teacher, or volunteering for special groups/events we have a place for you! All volunteer work should be prearranged and confirmed with a school official or their designee. Volunteers are required to check in at the school office and follow background security protocols. While on campus volunteers should adhere to site expectations for their designated tasks and location(s). We appreciate the partnership of our parents to provide irreplaceable support to our schools.
Playground Etiquette for Parents/Guardians
While it can be tempting to want to stop and watch your child play out at recess, parents and stopped vehicles are not permitted outside of our playground areas. We practice a safe space for our students and if you linger near our fence you will be viewed as a stranger and could cause unnecessary alarm as our teachers and staff notify the administrators and School Resource Officers should someone linger nearby. Please help us stay free from distraction and our students free from concern. We greatly appreciate the partnership of our parents. Thank you for your support of these procedures.
Student Birthdays
Student Birthdays are recognized within your child’s classroom, but birthday parties are not permitted. This includes bringing snacks, candy, gifts for a celebration, or party invitations for distribution.
Specialty Items
Delivery of specialty items such as candy bouquets, balloons, cupcakes, flowers, etc., is not permitted.
Student Meals
Delivery of student meals is discouraged. Should your child forget their lunch, we will make sure they still eat. If your family qualifies or you are curious as to whether your child would qualify for Free/Reduced Meals, complete information to help you determine your status can be found here.
