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Arrival and Dismissal

Morning Arrival Procedures

We appreciate your help getting your students to school on time. Our Safety Patrols and staff members will begin unloading students at 7:40 AM. Students are not to be dropped off on campus before 7:40 AM. There is no supervision until 7:40 AM.

Instruction begins at 8:00 am. Please be mindful that students who arrive after 8:00 AM are missing valuable class time and will be marked tardy.

Car Line

A few things that can help us move the car lines and keep everyone safe in the morning:

• For safety, student should always exit on the right passenger side of the vehicle.

• Remind students to walk on the right side of the sidewalk when they exit the vehicle.

• Students’ backpacks and items should be ready to grab upon exit.

• Staff and patrols will assist with younger students exiting the vehicles.

• Please pull all the way up and follow the directions of the staff directing cars.

• Please refrain from using your cell phone while in the carpool line.

We will continue to use the car line and the bus loop for morning arrival. Vehicles should not enter the bus loop to drop off students until directed by staff or School Deputy to do so.

Also, parents should not drop off their children in the parking lot adjacent to the school (baseball field parking lot) as this drop off location causes a traffic delay for our buses and poses a safety risk for biker and walkers.

Biker/ Walkers

Per the St. Johns County Student Code of Conduct:

“Students riding bicycles, electric bicycles, or scooters to school must wear a safety helmet in accordance with Florida Statutes (F.S. 316.2065 and 316.20655). For their safety, students should never ride any type of bicycle, electric bike, or scooter on school grounds. Upon arrival at school, students are required to disembark their vehicle at the entry gate and walk it to the designated storage area. The same protocol should be followed when leaving the campus. Students are encouraged to lock these items in the designated storage area.”

We appreciate your support in discussing bike safety with your children and ensuring they wear their helmets each day when leaving for school. School Crossing Guards will be stationed at Longleaf and Shetland Drive, as well as at the Bus Loop adjacent to the Field of Dreams on Shetland Drive, from 7:25 AM to 8:00 AM.

 

Buses

There are two FCA buses that have ‘Double Runs” with their first drop off time at 7:30am. All other buses will begin student drop off at 7:40 am. Please allow the “Double Run” buses priority as they move in and out of our campus. Parents can monitor all bus route information, pick-up/drop-off times, and transportation alerts will be provided exclusively through the BusPlanner web portal or Chipmunk app.

Website: https://sjcsd.mybusplanner.com

Extended Day

Morning drop-off for extended day starts at 6:30am and ends at 7:25am. Please drop off your child at the cafeteria/bus loop. After 7:25am, parents will need to drop off their child in the carline. Please note there is no supervision until 7:40am.

After School Dismissal Procedures

Dear Falcon Families

We are excited to announce that beginning this school year, Freedom Crossing Academy will be fully implementing the Raptor system—a new district-wide platform designed to enhance both campus security and student dismissal procedures.

What is the Raptor System?

The Raptor System has two components:

  1. Raptor Visitor Management – Streamlines and secures visitor check-ins.
  2. Raptor Dismissal Safe – A new, app-based dismissal management tool.

Here’s what you need to know about visitor access and campus security.

Visitor Access and Campus Safety

In accordance with Florida state law, all visitors must pass a cleared background check before entering beyond the front office at FCA. This applies to all guardians, grandparents, siblings over 18, and any other adults who visit campus. We strongly encourage all FCA families to register into the Raptor system prior to the first weeks of school to ensure you have campus access.

Key Points to Remember:

  • All school doors, including front office doors, remain locked during school hours.
  • Visitors must check in at the front office and state the nature of their visit.
  • All visitors must present a valid photo ID (driver’s license) at every visit.
  • Background check approval is required to volunteer, attend conferences, or chaperone field trips.

👉 Apply for school access here: Volunteer Application.

Be sure to select Freedom Crossing Academy as your designated school. Approval is valid for three years and can be updated or renewed anytime in the front office.

Introducing the Raptor Safe Mobile App

The Raptor Safe App provides a secure and convenient way for:

  • Visitor check-in via QR code.
  • Managing and updating your child’s daily or recurring dismissal plan.

App Highlights:

  • Within the Raptor Safe Mobile App, the Raptor Passport allows pre-verification of identity for faster campus check-ins to visit campus activities.
  • Once registered, you will be assigned a QR codes regenerate every 5 minutes for security.
  • For dismissal purposes, the app also allows parents easy access to change dismissal plans right from the app.

Download the Raptor Safe App
Available free on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store by searching “Raptor Safe.”

Step-by-Step Setup:

  1. Create your account and scan your driver’s license.
  2. Take a live selfie for ID verification (photo is not stored).
  3. Accept your school invitation under the “Invitations” section of your profile.
  4. This invitation will be sent to all families via Raptor on Tuesday, July 29th.

Please download this app prior to our Meet the Teacher Event on August 7th.

How to Guide:

Creating Your Raptor Safe Passport:

Video: RaptorSafe App

Dismissal Procedures for 2025–2026

At the Meet the Teacher Event on August 7, your child’s teacher will ask you how your child will go home everyday. Based on this information, FCA staff will default your child’s dismissal method to one of the following in the app:  Car rider, Bus Rider, biker/walker, The Nest- Extended Day

Car Rider/ Biker Walkers

For all Car Riders and Biker Walkers, your child’s teacher will give you a Car Tag for your windshield to be displayed during car line dismissal. Biker/Walkers will also need this tag when picking up your child during Rainy Day Dismissal.

   Car Tag Information:

  • Car Tags will include a unique family  4 digit code for all siblings with same guardian.
  • Each family will receive one car tag with their child’s information written to ensure a smooth dismissal.
  • For families with multiple children, please pick up your Car Tag at your oldest child’s Homeroom Teacher.

We will continue the same procedures from last year with K–1st Biker/Walker students. All K & 1 Biker/ Walkers will be escorted by a staff member to the Bike Rack every day. The staff member will only dismiss the student to the guardian, or sibling who has the red lanyard. Using the Raptor app, the staff member will “Dismiss” the student.

Red Lanyards will be handed out at Meet the Teacher Event and available at your child’s K & 1st Grade Teacher classroom. The Red Lanyard will include the same information as the Car Tag

Buses:

Students must ride their assigned bus. Bus riders cannot ride home with a friend on another bus-per the Transportation Department.

The Nest- Extended Day:

Only students registered in “The Nest” may attend the program.

Dismissal Changes:

All dismissal changes must be submitted through the Raptor Safe App by:

  • 1:40 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
  • 12:40 PM on Wednesdays

If there are emergencies, please contact the front office at 904-547-4230.

Types of Changes You Can Make in the App:

  • Specific Date – One-time changes (e.g., riding with a friend, bus instead of carpool).
  • Recurring – Ongoing weekly schedule changes.
  • Search and select carpools by student or parent name.
  • Bus riders cannot ride home with a friend on another bus-per the Transportation Department.

How to Make Dismissal Changes:

Video: RaptorSafe App

Dismissal in Action

Car Riders

  • Display the Car Tag on your dashboard with:
    • Last Name, Student First Name, Grade, and 4-digit code.
  • Staff will check in students via the Raptor Staff app.
  • Students will report to the car line from their classrooms once parents have been checked in.
  • Parents will receive app notifications when their child is “dismissed” and on the way.
  • Safety Patrol members will assist with loading and navigating students to their vehicles.

K–1 Biker/Walkers

  • Escorted by staff to the bike rack.
  • Students are released only to guardians or older siblings wearing the Red Lanyard.
  • Dismissal is recorded in the Raptor app.

Extended Day & Enrichments

  • Dismissed from their class first to ensure accurate attendance.
  • Staff will check students out using the Raptor Safe app once parents have signed their child out from the program.

Bus Riders

  • Parents must use the same email address as listed in HAC.
  • HAC will no longer display transportation info.
  • Raptor Safe can be used to change a student’s dismissal mode to/from the bus but not for riding another student’s bus.

 

FCA Dismissal Order

  1. Extended Day & Enrichments
  2. Walkers/Bikers
  3. Bus Riders & Daycare Vans
  4. Car Riders (Via Raptor app)
  5. 2nd Run Buses

All students, K-8, will receive a Backpack Tag the first week of school to help staff identify dismissal instructions. Please do not remove this tag, as it adds another layer of security.

Thank You!

We sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding as we transition to this new dismissal system. The first few weeks may take a little longer as students and staff adjust, but this system is designed to improve efficiency and, most importantly, enhance student safety.

Next steps include downloading the Raptor Safe app and watching the helpful videos before Meet the Teacher on August 7th. Please check your email and text for the invitation from Raptor to get started. There will be a Raptor “Help Desk” team available during the Meet the Teacher event to answer any of your questions.  Please don’t hesitate to contact our front office for assistance at 904-547-4230.

With gratitude,
Freedom Crossing Academy Administration