Parents & Students

If your busing needs change at any time, please contact your school office or call the transportation department at 231.933.1933 for more information.

• Bus Hotline (for closings and bus delays) - 231.933.1955
• District Boundary Map
• Transportation Department: for bus parking maps, shuttle schedules, half day dismissal and bus stop drop times, contact information, etc. 
• Transportation Request Form

Bus Passes

• Please note that due to full loads on buses, bus passes are only allowed for emergency situations. We are unable to provide passes to go to a friend's home for sleepovers or parties.
• The student handbook is very specific that all students assigned to a bus are expected to board that bus before and after school at their assigned bus stop.
• Changes in this procedure are reserved for emergencies. Bus passes are issued for emergencies when the office has written permission from the parent/guardian.
• Directions given to a child verbally in the morning or handwritten notes cannot be accepted by the bus driver.
• If you need your child to ride his/her regular bus but to get off at a different stop, we still need a note so that a bus pass can be issued. (If the bus from which you are requesting special transportation is filled to capacity, the request cannot be honored.)
• For afterschool parties and other events, we ask that children ride their regular bus home and transportation be provided by families.
• Thank you in advance for understanding and abiding by this district bus pass policy. We will make every effort to accommodate emergency situations and ensure the safety of all students.

Please Plan Ahead

We realize that mornings are often a busy, hectic time but we need to ask parents to please make your after school plans with your children before they leave for school in the morning. Many of the messages called into the office are for the same students, day after day. Learning is interrupted every time we deliver a message. Please work with your family to make all after school arrangements before coming to school, whenever possible. We do understand there are occasional unexpected changes in schedules and emergencies that must be communicated with your child before dismissal. All phone calls requesting a last minute change in transportation (pickup, bus, walk) or destination (latchkey, home, sitter) must be received by the office before 3:30 p.m. We appreciate your cooperation!

Start of Day Schedule

• Extended Day Child Care Open: 7:00 AM
• School Building Opens: 8:40 AM
• First Bell: 8:50 AM
• School Begins (Second Bell): 9:00  AM
• Morning Announcements: 9:05 AM

Lunch Schedule

• Lunch: 11:30 AM - 1:10 PM

Dismissal Schedule

• Full Day Dismissal: 3:56 PM
• Half Day Dismissal: 12:07 PM
• Early Release Dismissal: 1:56 PM
• Extended Day Child Care Closes: 5:30 PM

Student Drop Off & Pick Up

• Just a reminder that students should not be dropped off at school prior to 8:50 AM.
• We want to keep our children safe and staff supervision does not begin until 8:50 AM.
• Buses will hold students on the bus until 8:40 AM. 
• If students are having breakfast, they may tell an adult and walk into the cafeteria.
• We do offer a before school child care program for students, which begins at 7:00 AM.
• We appreciate your assistance in this matter.

Who Can/Cannot Pick Up Your Child From School
Parents, please make sure you list individuals on your child(ren)'s emergency card who can pick up your child(ren) from school. Do not assume that if you give a friend permission to pick up your child, that the school will allow it. Without a note, phone call, or name on an emergency card, we cannot release your child. Please respect this district policy.

Thank you for your cooperation, as we strive to provide our students with a safe school environment.

Classroom Resources

• TCAPS 24/7 Anytime K-5 Online Learning
• TCAPS Elementary Tech Learning Resources

Documents

• Annual Education Report
• Elementary Student Handbook
• Preschool Participant Handbook
• School Safety Drills
• District School Year Calendar

Services & Information

• Community Resources & Events
• Dress Code Guidelines
• Health & Immunizations Information
• School Social Work Services
• Student Support Network (SSN)
• TCAPS Talented & Gifted Program

Student safety is our number one priority. Please take a moment to review the carline safety reminders below to help us ensure the safety of our students, staff and families. Thank you.

• View Pick Up & Drop Off Safety Reminders

Student Drop Off / Pick Up Procedures
Morning Student Drop-Off

If you intend to escort your child(ren) into the school yourself, please park your car in a designated parking spot and cross to the sidewalk by the designated crosswalk area.

Afternoon Student Pick-Up

Parent vehicles will use the southern lot for drop off and pick up, while the“loop” directly in front of the school will be used for buses only. We will try to have staff members in the “parent vehicle” lot to direct traffic. It is necessary for all parking spots to be filled before a “car line” is formed. Parents who park in an empty parking spot will need to exit their vehicle and greet their child at the sidewalk cross-walk area, where a staff member will be stopping “car line” traffic periodically in order to allow parents and children to cross. Furthermore, children awaiting pick up, will need to wait in a designated location near the end of the “car line.” In order to keep the line moving in the most efficient manner possible, children will not be allowed to “board” until the vehicle has entered this zone. Please instruct your child(ren) they must exit and enter your vehicle on the right side next to the sidewalk.

Parents will not be allowed to exit their vehicle if they are in the “car line”. Please remain in your vehicle and be ready to pull up when it is appropriate to do so. Parent vehicles will need to stay out of the “staff parking” and “buses only” loop at all times.

Student/Parent Crosswalk

The single crossing point to the parked vehicles in designated parking spots allows for total control of students and adults to avoid moving vehicles. Initially there will be an adult crossing guard to stop traffic so parents/students can cross over to the parked vehicles. Please cross at this single access point to the parking lot to avoid any further maneuvering of students/parents between moving vehicles before or after school.

Please remember to pull forward, thank you.

As you know, Westwoods Elementary serves over 450 children who all start school promptly at 8:50 AM and dismiss promptly at 3:48 PM. In addition, we have scores of parents who choose to pick up their children. This will inevitably lead to a "bottle neck" effect, especially during dismissal time. Parents choosing to pick up their child should expect the "bottle neck" effect, expect to wait, and make plans and preparations accordingly. Because we do not have the resources to overbuild a parent pick up parking lot, we ask parents to expect delays or to possibly consider having your students ride "the big yellow taxi" (the school bus) that is provided for their convenience.

Who Can/Cannot Pick Up Your Child From School

Parents, please make sure you list individuals on your child(ren)'s emergency card who can pick up your child(ren) from school. Do not assume that if you give a friend permission to pick up your child, that the school will allow it. Without a note, phone call, or name on an emergency card, we cannot release your child. Please respect this district policy.

TCAPS extended day child care programs are licensed by the State of Michigan. Extended day programs are available at TCAPS elementary schools for students in grades PreK – 5, with select schools offering extended hours for preschool-age students. The programs offer the opportunity for personal attention from an experienced staff and enrichment activities that develop social skills, teamwork and interpersonal relationships.

Before school hours begin at 7:00 a.m. and continue until the start of the school day. The after school hours begin when the school day ends and continues until 5:30 p.m. each day. The program starts with the first scheduled day of school and ends with the last scheduled day of school. This service is available to parents on a pre-arranged and pre-paid basis. Visit the TCAPS Extended Day Child Care website for registration information and contact information.

Online Registration & Payment Information

The online extended day registration process is completed through the PowerSchool (Parent) Public Portal. Before starting the registration process, you will need to have your child's unique PIN number which can be obtained from your child's school office. 

PowerSchool Public Portal Information

• Access the PowerSchool Public Portal
  • PowerSchool Parent Portal Instructions
  • Extended Day Participant Handbook

E-Funds Information

• Access e-Funds for Schools to make online payments
  • e-Funds Registration Guide

For additional registration information contact the Early Childhood office at 231.933.1759 or gignillike@tcaps.net. 

How to Report Bullying

Traverse City Area Public Schools takes bullying very seriously and will investigate all reported incidents. Reports can be made by contacting your school office or by filling out the TCAPS Bullying Preventions & Intervention Incident Reporting Form.  

All reported incidents reported will follow the bullying/cyberbullying investigative process.