Circulation plan

This page outlines the Seattle Public Schools and City of Seattle approved circulation plan for our school as well as the morning arrival and afternoon dismissal procedures information.

Terms

Drop-off: student exits vehicle and walks to campus entrance while adult remains in car (we recommend dropping students off on the right side of vehicle so they exit directly onto the sidewalk and not walking in front or behind vehicles).

Parking: student and adult exit vehicle and walk to campus entrance together.

Buses

40th avenue NE and the school parking loop are a bus zone (no parking nor drop-off) between 7:40-8:00 am and 2:10-3:00 pm. On Wednesdays, buses will need loop access from 12:45-1:30 pm.

Drop-off zones

The sides of NE 77th street and NE 80th street adjacent to the school’s campus are drop-off only zones. Please no parking, no waiting, no pick-ups in drop-off zones. If you are walking your student to class or waiting to pick them up, please park in the designated zones.

No parking zones

The side of 43rd avenue NE adjacent to Decatur’s building is a no parking zone.

Parking zones

The sides of 40th ave NE, NE 77th street, 43rd avenue NE, and NE 80th street non adjacent to Thornton Creek or Decatur campuses are available for parking. Additional parking is available in the surrounding neighborhood side streets. When parking, please be mindful of our neighborhood and avoid blocking mailboxes, driveways, crosswalks, etc.

Handicap parking

There are three handicap parking spots available in the school parking lot entered from 40th avenue NE.

Biking

Biking is a great option to come to school and bike racks can be found to the left of the school main entrance (student can enter through the “Dug Out” Gate) as well as next to the entrance on NE 77th St (students can enter through the “Decatur” Gate).

To visualize drop-off, parking, no parking, buses zones, as well as the location of school entrances and bike racks consult the map below.

Morning arrival

Students should not be dropped off or on campus unsupervised before 7:40am. There is NO staff supervision prior to 7:40 am.

7:40 am: Supervision begins on playground. Thornton Creek values a balance of learning and play and wants to provide an additional recreational time before the start of school.

Students and families may enter campus using one of the morning entrances below where staff will be present to welcome families and supervise students:

“Dragonfly” Gate on 80th (Drop off area along NE 80th Street)
“Decatur” Gate on 77th (Drop off area along NE 77th Street)
“Dug Out” Gate on 40th (Students riding the bus and walking along 40th Ave)
Front entrance (used for transitioning our Special Education students in the morning)

Breakfast – Any student can purchase a school breakfast. Students can enter the cafeteria through the playground doors. Staff will be present in the cafeteria, and students can eat breakfast between 7:40am – 7:55am.

Bus Riders – Students using school bus transportation will be greeted each morning by school staff to support their transition on campus.

Open Library – The Librarian will communicate specific information about open library after the start of school.

7:50: First bell

PreK and Kinder students will meet their teachers in the courtyard (staff will support this transition).
K/1 and 1st – 5th Grade will meet their teachers outside at a designated spot teachers will establish with students and families at the start of the school year.

Late arrival after 8:00 am

If arriving after 8:00 am, please use the school parking loop along 40th to drop off your child. If you need to walk your child in, please park in one of the designated areas. All K-5 students arriving after 8:00 am, should check in at the office as they enter the building and get a “Welcome Pass” before heading to their classroom.

During school hours

Visitors will use the main entrance facing 40th Ave NE. Please press the security buzzer located outside the main entrance and wait for the doors to open. All visitors must sign in at the office and put on a “Visitor” sticker so you can be easily identified as a cleared adult in the building.

If, post-drop-off, parents/caregivers need a comfortable place to sit and chat with other parents/caregivers, they are welcome to use one of our beautifully landscaped areas outside. This preserves our shared learning spaces for students and creates a “kid-owned” atmosphere in the classroom wings.

Afternoon dismissal

Students will be dismissed by the following:

Pre-K/K students: released to their parents/caregivers in the K/Pre-K courtyard
K/1 and 1st-5th grade teachers will establish dismissal meeting spots with students and parents/caregivers

Please note that the front parking lot is for bus pick-up only and should not be used as a pick up or parking space.

Bus riders in K and 1st grade will be picked up and escorted to the bus loop out front by a designated staff member. Grades 2-5 will meet designated staff through the front entrance bus loop.

Students attending KidsTime or enrichment programs in K and 1st grade will be picked up by a designated adult from the after school program and escorted to the Commons. Grades 2-5 will meet designated KidsTime/enrichment staff in the Commons.

The playground is open until 3:10 pm without supervision (note: 2:00 PM on early release Wednesdays). Students should not remain on campus after 2:35 p.m. (when buses depart) unless supervised by a parent or enrolled in enrichment activities or KidsTime. There is NO staff supervision.