Bus Service

St. Mary of Gostyn School students, grades K-8, who live 1 ½ miles or more from the school within District 58's boundaries qualify for bus service. Cook Illinois Bus Company provides the bus services as well as determines the bus routes. There is also a bus service for the Half-day Kindergarten students who meet the above criteria. Morning arrival for students who take the bus is determined by the arrival of the bus to the school.

Walk/Car

All other students, including all preschool students, can either walk or be driven to school. Preschool and kindergarten students report directly to their classroom. Students in grades 1-8 are asked to arrive between 7:30-7:45 a.m. They will wait in the gym or main lobby until they are allowed into their classrooms.

Parents who drive their children to school are asked to drive slowly around the school premises to ensure the safety of all children. It is illegal to use cell phones in school zones.  The front and sides of the main school building are the Drop-Off Zones; parents may not park their cars in these areas. There is a crossing guard at Douglas and Prairie to direct the walkers; he cannot direct traffic. 

Arrival

When bused students arrive at school, they wait in the main hall or gym as directed by the teachers on duty until 7:45 a.m. Students who walk or are driven should arrive by 7:45 a.m. (Students who come early to see a teacher or to use a wireless computer should go directly to the teacher or to the wireless lab.)

Parents who bring their children to school are asked to drive slowly, allow enough time and use caution to ensure the safety of all the children. The front and side of the school are the Drop-Off Zones. If you drop off on the Douglas side of the school, pull your car all the way up to the back door of the school to allow more cars to pull up and to not block the intersection. Children should exit from the right side of the car. If you drop off in front of the LRC, children exit from the right side of the car (not the street-side) and walk to corner to be crossed. (A map detailing these instructions is available in the office.)

Parents can park in the parking lot on the east side of Douglas next to the Church, on the north side of Prairie past the Kindergarten on Wilson or on Gierz. There is no parking on Douglas between 7:30-8:30 a.m. Parents and children should cross at Prairie and Douglas following the instructions from the crossing guard. Parents are asked to not escort their children into the building.

Dismissal

Walkers are dismissed at 2:27 p.m. Students who take the bus are dismissed after the walkers. Buses pick up students in the front of the school. Parents who come to pick up their children may park in the spots listed above in Arrival. The buses line up along the school on Prairie. When the buses display flashing stop signs, exit the parking lot at the farthest east end and go to Fairview. The crossing guard directs the walkers only, he can not direct traffic. To ensure the safety of all, parents and children should not cross in the middle of the street. Parents are asked to not come into the building, but rather to wait outside at the end of the day.

Early Dismissal

Students are dismissed at 11:30 a.m. on most Early Dismissal Days.

Tardiness

Pupils in grades 1-8 who are not in their homeroom seats as the bell rings at 7:55 a.m. are marked tardy. In kindergarten, students are tardy after 8:00 a.m. Doctor Appointments and late bus arrivals are excused. Any other tardy should have a written excuse and be presented to the office. An unexcused tardy will result in the student receiving a demerit, which can result in an academic detention.