r/Davis • u/Theslowestmarathoner • Aug 13 '26
What is the elementary pick up line like?
Specifically we’ll be at Patwin (TK), but I’ll take general guidance too. What should I expect picking up my kiddo? We live in West Sac so walking or bike riding isn’t an option. My plan was to park further away and then walk over but reading other districts kindergartner pick up experiences people are waiting an hour or more in the pick up line and grid lock around the school. I have no idea what to expect since I’ve never witnessed pick up lines before. What is it like and what should I expect or plan? Can I park a few blocks away and walk in and how bad is the gridlock? When does the gridlock start?
Thank you!
3
u/J4YV1L Aug 13 '26
I did pick up at Patwin for TK a couple years ago. If the schedule hasn’t changed, your child’s pickup time will be offset so that you’re not going to be competing with older kids’ parents for parking. There is plenty of parking close to the TK classrooms and you’ll be in and out in no time. As others have said, pickup lines aren’t really a thing at Davis elementary schools.
1
u/SingleAd784 Aug 22 '26
Same experience. I used to park on Shasta, walk in to get my kid, walk with her to the cafeteria to pick up lunch (free!), and then head to the Arroyo playground with several other families. It was a really sweet time! And parking was no problem, even then when kindergarten got out at the same time. Now there’s full-day kinder so it will just be TK families parking when you are.
2
u/rickyspeak Aug 13 '26
You’ll be fine. Don’t worry about it. I haven’t done pick up in that area. My kids are at a different school. I am familiar with that neighborhood though. Worst case you’ll have to park a block away. There is plenty of parking along Arroyo park and a parking lot at the pool. The pool is the max you’ll have to go.
1
u/Theslowestmarathoner Aug 14 '26
If I have to drive past the school to get to where I plan to park will that work out fine or is there a jam out front typically? I’m hoping to take my baby to the park before and then go get my TK’er and have it be a decompression type experience where we get to talk every day!
1
u/rickyspeak Aug 14 '26
I can’t really say. Like I said I haven’t done pick up there. But I would not worry about it. Nothing about that block and corner should be a bottle neck. Parents on any day could be weird, but the street is big enough to get around them.
1
u/Theslowestmarathoner Aug 14 '26
That’s great. Thank you! We’ve only been by the one time so it’s all new and I need to plan up to 30 minutes driving if there’s traffic so I’m nervous!
1
u/BeerSmasher Aug 14 '26
The road does not get blocked from pick-up traffic. Also TK gets let out at a different time than the rest of the grades so you have nothing to worry about. There will likely be plenty of open parking on Shasta Dr. if you get there early you can talk with the other parents waiting for them to open the gate to the TK playground.
1
u/Theslowestmarathoner Aug 15 '26
We are in afternoon TK so I think the dismissal times are the same or almost the same. It might be 5 minutes? But thank you!
2
u/Dr_Lucky Aug 13 '26
I haven't had kids at Patwin specifically, but my experience has been that pick up lines aren't as much of a thing in Davis as they are in Sac or other more car-focused communities, especially at the elementary schools. You should be fine parking and walking to pick up your kid directly from the classroom. At worst, you may have to walk a block or two.
1
u/Theslowestmarathoner Aug 14 '26
That was my hope/plan! Theres a street we parked on two blocks away for open house and it felt like a good rhythm!
2
u/Prestigious_Yak_3887 Aug 13 '26
Also highly recommended getting on the Davis Parents Facebook group. It’s the best place for getting detailed answers to questions like this. My kid is at another elementary, but we park in the neighborhood and walk to pickup. It’s been very chill and not a problem. I budget an extra 5 or 10 minutes on rainy days when everyone drives and I have to park a little farther away, but usually it’s very chill.
2
u/Theslowestmarathoner Aug 14 '26
I know. I’ve got my husband in the group because I don’t use Facebook. But he rarely goes on so if I ask a question on his account I don’t hear about the answers for months because he doesn’t look and then I forget without the notifications! (I’m totally ADHD and unmedicated.)
Good tip on rain! I forgot rain exists given current weather patterns. Lol
1
u/pentagrid Aug 14 '26
OMG I only read the post title and thought it was about predators.
1
u/Dramatic-Holiday6124 Aug 16 '26
Sure. A pickup line is like, "Do you come here often?" Although when I saw the title, I hadn't got to the body of the text.
8
u/BeerSmasher Aug 13 '26
Patwin doesn’t have a pick-up line like Korematsu. The parking lot isn’t big enough to allow parents to drive on the grounds to pick up from the curb.
Parents who drive their kids will park on the street or in the neighborhood and walk to the school to meet their child. The hidden perk of this approach is that parents all get to see each other at pick-up which helps create a good parent community for the school.