Drop-Off and Pick-Up Information for Families

Student Safety is the Primary Concern and Goal During our morning drop off and our afternoon pick up. This page outlines important information that each family must know for the drivers of our West and the East Drivelines, as well as for walkers. Please review this information before the start of school to assist us with a smooth drop off and pick up.

West (Elementary) Driveline

Morning Drop-Off

Pick-up time is determined by the OLDEST SIBLING’s dismissal time. Families with all Elementary Students or a mixture of Elementary and Secondary Students in their car will use the WEST pick-up loop for both drop-off and pick-up. Secondary students dropped off in the morning at West Loop can go to the Middle School Cafeteria and will then be released to class after 7:30 a.m.
  1. Cars enter parking lot by turning RIGHT from Barrons at their designated drop-off time. Cars will not be allowed to stack up onto Barrons and will need to loop around if the Driveline is full.
  2. Follow the direction of the traffic attendant to your queue location. Cars will form 2 lines in the marked queue area.
  3. Traffic attendant will release cars from the queue when clear to drive forward.
  4. Proceed as far forward as you can and stop within the drop-off zone, students may exit cars. Once all students are out of the drop-off area, cars will be released to exit.  Stay in your lane – No Passing.
  5. Cars will exit on Barrons. The Left lane will turn Left onto Barrons and the Right lane will turn Right. No changing lanes.

Afternoon Pick-Up

Pick-up Time Window Placard Color West ES Loop
2:20-2:30 p.m. Green Kinder – 1st
2:30-2:40 p.m. Orange 2nd – 5th
K-1 with ES siblings
2:55-3 p.m. Yellow K-5th with MH/HS siblings

NOTE: PLEASE ONLY COME AT YOUR DESIGNATED PICK-UP TIME; NO PARKING OR STANDING ON BARRONS BLVD. (IT IS AGAINST THE LAW)

This is critical to the effective flow of cars. We are not able to accommodate cars that arrive earlier than their assigned time window due to their rider not being outside and ready for loading in the pick-up zones.  Site parking space is limited and there will be nowhere for extra vehicles to wait.

All cars must display a placard to enter the parking lot. See the information below on how to obtain one.

  1. Cars enter parking lot by turning RIGHT from Barrons at their designated pick-up time.  Cars will not be allowed to enter driveline early.  Cars will not be allowed to stack up onto Barrons and will need to loop back around if driveline is full.
  2. Follow the direction of the traffic attendant to your queue location. Cars will form 2 lines in the marked pick-up area.
  3. Traffic attendant will release cars from the queue into the 2 pick-up lanes.
  4. Proceed as far forward as you can and stop within the pick-up zone, students may enter cars. Remain parked until the attendant releases the cars to pull forward.
  5. Cars will be directed to exit in 2 lanes, the Right lane will turn Right on Barrons and the Left lane will turn Left on Barrons. No lane changing.

Elementary students will wait in classrooms for their parents to announce their arrival via the PikMyKid App. Once the parents have been moved into the “Active Line” Loading Zone (two lanes in front of the Elementary School Building) in the App, students will be released from the classroom and allowed to load into their cars. Elementary students that have not been picked up by 2:55 p.m. will be escorted to their class stones to wait with our staff for their car to arrive.

  • For Elementary Students: Any student not picked up by 3:15 p.m. will wait with one of our staff members and families will be charged $1 for every minute after 3:15 p.m. until the student is picked up. (fee will appear in MySchoolBucks)
  • For Middle School and High School students: Anyone not picked up by 3:15 p.m. must report to After School Care (fees will apply).

Enforcement policy – citations and fines will be instituted if Driveline rules aren’t followed.

West Driveline Graphic

East (Secondary) Driveline

Morning Drop-Off

Secondary students who do not have an Elementary sibling (or are not part of a carpool with an Elementary student) get dropped off in the East Driveline starting at 7:30 a.m. Students who arrive after 7:50 a.m. are tardy and must sign in at the front desk before proceeding to class.
  • Enter the south access on Ridgeline Blvd. (Right‐In Only)
  • Circulate the internal roadway and parking area as directed.
    • Right Lane is designated for Carpool and High School Drivers
    • Left Lanes (2) are designated for middle and high school driveline
  • Stop and Wait until all vehicles around you have come to a complete stop and the attendant directs students to exit the vehicles o Drop‐off in designated area
    • Carpool is located in the middle parking aisle
    • Driveline is located in south parking aisle
  • Exit as directed by the attendant
    • Ridgeline (north access) merge into one lane and turn Right‐Out Only
    • Barrons (north access) may be opened at 7:45 AM and east driveline drivers will be permitted to circulate around the elementary building to exit (Right Lane = Right‐Turn Only; Left Lane = Left‐turn Only)

High School Drivers: HS drivers (displaying a STEM-issued HS Parking Pass) will enter using the carpool express lane to park in the High School Parking Lot (located in front of the Middle School).

MS Crosswalk: Between Driveline groups, a parking attendant will direct students across the crosswalk at the Middle School Entrance.

Afternoon Pick-Up

Pick-up Time Window Placard Color East MS/HS Loop
2:55-3:05 p.m. Pink Middle / High
3:05-3:15 p.m. Blue Middle / High

NOTE: PLEASE ONLY COME AT YOUR DESIGNATED PICK-UP TIME; NO PARKING OR STANDING ON RIDGELINE BLVD. (IT IS AGAINST THE LAW)

This is critical to the effective flow of cars. We are not able to accommodate cars that arrive earlier than their assigned time window due to their rider not being outside and ready for loading in the pick-up zones.  Site parking space is limited and there will be nowhere for extra vehicles to wait.

All cars must display a placard to enter the parking lot. See the information below on how to obtain one.

  • Enter the south access on Ridgeline Blvd. (Right‐In Only) during the assigned pick‐up window
  • Circulate the internal roadway and parking area as directed
    • Right Lane is designated for Carpool
    • Left Lanes (2) are designated for middle and high school driveline
  • Stop and Wait until all vehicles around you have come to a complete stop and the attendant directs students to enter the vehicles
  • Pick‐up in the designated area
    • Carpool is located in the middle parking aisle
    • Driveline is located in south parking aisle
  • Exit as directed by the attendant
    • Ridgeline (north access) merge into one lane and turn Right‐Out Only
    • Barrons (north access) may be opened at 3:00 PM and east driveline drivers will be permitted to circulate around the elementary building to exit (Right Lane = Right‐Turn Only; Left Lane = Left‐turn Only)

*  Bikers and Walkers will be releases before Driveline begins and must cross at designated crosswalks.

High School Drivers: HS drivers will merge into the driveline as they leave their parking spaces, and will exit through the Middle School Entrance driveway.

MS Crosswalk: Between Driveline groups, a parking attendant will direct students across the crosswalk at the Middle School Entrance.

Secondary students will come out of the school building at 2:55 p.m. and look for their car in the Active Loading Zone (two lanes in front of the school). Students will not load into cars in the “loop” part of the parking lot.

For Secondary Students: Anyone not picked up by 3:15 p.m. must report to After School Care (fees will apply).

Enforcement policy – citations and fines will be instituted if Driveline rules aren’t followed.

East Driveline Graphic

WaytoGo School Pool Program

Join STEM School Highlands Ranch’s Schoolpool program to connect with other families to drive, walk or bike to school together. 

Looking for help getting your student to and from school to after-school activities, or want to find a buddy to commute to school with? STEM School Highlands Ranch is pleased to once again partner with Schoolpool, a free program to make it easier to get to school.

Signing up is simple!

  1. Using a computer (not a smartphone or tablet), create an account and enter your address or intersection here: https://mywaytogo.org/s/schoolpool-stemsch-hr2187 (Your information will only be shared with same school families. To maintain the highest level of privacy and security, each school’s registration link is unique.)
  2. Add comments to indicate interest, such as “can provide morning rides in exchange for afternoon rides,” “student is in after-school activities,” or “looking for a walk buddy in the mornings.”
  3. Find and contact interested STEM School Highlands Ranch families in your neighborhood or along your drive to/from school.

The more families that register, the more likely you will find good matches. Even if your family doesn’t need a ride, consider signing up to drive other students. Your participation builds a stronger school community.

Privacy and security: STEM School Highlands Ranch and Schoolpool do not run background checks, confirm valid driver’s licenses, or assess insurance coverage on participants. Potential users are advised to screen participants to their personal satisfaction and check their own insurance coverage for carpooling to ensure that they are covered under these voluntary arrangements. Schoolpool does not provide drivers, vehicles, or insurance.

Elementary Driveline Using PikMyKid

Our Elementary School Driveline will use the PikMyKid App for dismissal this school year. PikMyKid is a dismissal program that provides an additional layer of safety and security to ensure that our students are dismissed to the appropriate parent/guardian on the correct day. Click the button to the right to find out more about PikMyKid.

Elementary Placards

Every car that enters our Elementary (West) Driveline in the afternoon for pick-up needs to use a placard. Placards will be pre-printed at the start of the school year and will be made available for pick-up. If you cannot make any of those dates, don’t worry. You’ll have opportunities to pick up placards during the first week of school.

Placards must be visible in the front window to assist our driveline staffers with identifying the student that needs to get into that car.

How to get an Elementary Placard?

For families with an Elementary or an Elementary and Secondary student, you will pick up all students through the Elementary (West) Driveline at 2:55 p.m. After the start of school, all placard requests must be submitted through a support ticket to support@stemk12.org. Please put “ES Placard Request” in the subject line of the email.

If you are a family that has students in both Elementary and Secondary, you will pick up all your students via the Elementary (West) Driveline.

Secondary Placards

Every car that enters our Secondary (East) Driveline in the afternoon for pick-up needs to use a placard. Placards will be pre-printed at the start of the school year and will be made available for pick-up. If you cannot make any of those dates, don’t worry. You’ll have opportunities to pick up placards during the first week of school. For Secondary, If you do not have a placard by the first day of school’s pick-up, please enter the driveline starting at 3:15 p.m.

Placards must be visible in the front window to assist our driveline staffers with identifying the student that needs to get into that car.

How do I get a Secondary Regular Placard?

For families with only a Secondary student at STEM, please complete the Secondary Driveline Placard Sign-Up form to request your timeslot. You can then pick-up your placard from the Secondary Front Office.

If you are a family that has students in both Elementary and Secondary, you will pick up all your students via the Elementary (West) Driveline.

How do I get a Secondary Carpool Placard?

Carpools enjoy special Driveline perks! There is a carpool “express” lane in each Driveline Loop. Carpools (meaning three or more students or three or more families riding together) will need to obtain a carpool sticker to use the carpool lane.

To receive a Carpool Placard, please complete the form via the button below. You must list the names and contact information for the other riders in your carpool. Carpool placards will be available for pick-up during the times listed above.

Navigating Driveline Videos

Accessing STEM as a Walker/Bike Rider

Elementary Walker/Bike Rider Access

It is so important that our walkers use the Cross Walks when coming to school. In addition to it not being safe to cross where there is no crosswalk, it causes delays in getting cars in and out of our parking lot as they have to wait for pedestrians to cross the street.
See the image to the right to see the suggested route and where to cross and not cross.

If you are picking up your student via our Walker Pick-Up, please do not park in the surrounding businesses, where it is clearly marked that you cannot park. The surrounding businesses are private businesses and STEM families are not allowed to park in their parking lots to pick up their students. These local businesses have informed us that they will begin ticketing and requesting towing of any vehicles that should not be there.

Secondary Walker/Bike Rider Access

It is so important that our walkers use the Cross Walks when coming to school. In addition to it not being safe to cross where there is no crosswalk, it causes delays in getting cars in and out of our parking lot as they have to wait for pedestrians to cross the street.

See the image to the right to see the suggested route and where to cross and not cross for our Secondary School.

If you are picking up your student via Walker Pick-Up, please do not park in the surrounding businesses, where it is clearly marked that you cannot park. The surrounding businesses are private businesses and STEM families are not allowed to park in their parking lots to pick up their students. These local businesses have informed us that they will begin ticketing and requesting towing of any vehicles that should not be there.

Secondary Walking-DO Not Cross copy