Youth’s Benefit Elementary School is excited to celebrate Gatorthon 2026 on Thursday, October 1!
Gatorthon is one of the most exciting days of the year at YBES and an opportunity for our students, staff, and families to come together, show their Gator pride, and support our school community.
Parents and guardians are invited to attend and cheer on their students during their scheduled Gatorthon session. As we prepare to welcome many visitors throughout the day, student safety will remain at the forefront of our planning.
Gatorthon Schedule
Students will participate during their regularly scheduled Special Area time:
4th Grade/AM Pre-Kindergarten: 9:05–9:50 a.m.
3rd Grade: 9:55–10:40 a.m.
1st Grade:10:45–11:30 a.m.
5th Grade: 12:55–1:40 p.m.
2nd Grade/PM Pre-Kindergarten: 1:45–2:30 p.m.
Kindergarten: 2:35–3:20 p.m.
The remainder of the day will continue as a normal school day.
Registration Required
All parents and visitors planning to attend Gatorthon must complete the visitor registration form by Tuesday, September 29.
Families should be sure to check their email for important Gatorthon information sent directly from Youth’s Benefit Elementary School on September 20 and September 27. These messages will contain registration information, visitor procedures, parking details, and additional information needed for the day.
Morning Arrival
To ensure that our students can arrive safely, parents and visitors are strongly encouraged to wait until after morning arrival has concluded before entering school property.
The Bus Lot will not be available to visitors until approximately 8:55 a.m., after all buses have arrived.
Families attending the 4th Grade session at 9:05 a.m. should plan accordingly.
Visitor Check-In
All visitors must report to the designated Gatorthon Sign-In Tables near the front of the school before attending the event.
Visitors should bring a photo ID.
If a visitor’s ID has not previously been scanned into the school’s Raptor Visitor Management System, the visitor will be directed inside the building to complete that process after first checking in at the Sign-In Tables.
Visitors attending more than one session during the day should keep their visitor sticker so they do not need to repeat the entire check-in process.
Visitor Access
To help us maintain safe and secure areas for students throughout the school day, all visitors will be asked to follow the designated visitor route.
Visitors should enter from the front of the school, report to the Sign-In Tables first, and follow staff directions to the Gatorthon event area.
Visitors should not access the event from behind the school and should not walk through playground, recess, or other student areas to reach Gatorthon.
Recess and regular instructional activities will continue throughout the day.
Parking
Parking on school property will be limited.
Families should avoid parking along red curbs, which must remain clear for emergency and fire department access.
If school parking is full, additional visitor parking will be available at the Fallston Recreation Center. Families should use the designated parking spaces communicated in the school email.
Afternoon Traffic
Beginning at 1:45 p.m., the Bus Lot will begin closing to visitor traffic as the school prepares for afternoon dismissal.
Families attending the 2nd Grade and Kindergarten sessions should plan accordingly and may wish to utilize parking at the Fallston Recreation Center.
Student Dismissal
All students will follow their normal dismissal routine.
To keep dismissal safe, predictable, and organized, all spectators will be asked to promptly leave campus at 3:20 p.m., at the conclusion of the Gatorthon event.
This will allow us to begin and conduct our school-wide dismissal routines safely and efficiently.
We greatly appreciate the cooperation of our families in helping us keep our regular end-of-day procedures consistent for all students.
We appreciate the partnership of our YBES families as we work together to make Gatorthon a fun, welcoming, and safe experience for everyone.
Please remember to check your Youth’s Benefit Elementary School email on September 20 and September 27 for the complete Gatorthon family and visitor information.
We can’t wait to see our families cheering on our students!