Need Help...School Drop off

So I need help/suggestions on how to handle drop off at school better for Peyton. She has been in school here for about three weeks now and although we are no longer have screaming throw down fits, I am tired of the whining/crying and just general difficulty in getting her to school. She has been going to some sort of school since she was 14 months old and I don't know what to do to make this more enjoyable. And I know she has fun once she is there because she tells me she does and also the pictures her teacher sends every week shows her engaged and having fun.

Here are the issues....

• As soon as she wakes up and I start getting her dressed she starts with the whining,"I don't want to go to school, I stay home with mommy."
• The whole morning she whines, complains and tells me she is not going to school
• When we get to school she either refuses to walk or she walks incredibly slow.
• When we get to the door, she hides behind me and won't go in and starts the whining, fussing. Then when it seems like she will go, she stops and yells, "wait."
• When I leave she just cries. The teacher has told me it is only for a couple of minutes and then she is fine.

Here have been my responses....

• I have tried the comforting approach, validating her feelings and then planning fun things to do when we get home.
• I have tried making it a game and a "big girl" thing where she gets to walk herself and it is all about being independent...resulted in her sitting on the curb saying she wasn't going.
• I told her I would bring prizes when I came to pick her up for something to look forward to and would bring fun cereal, a lollipop etc
• ...and then I bribed and said I wouldn't bring the prize if she cried.
• I have tried to be stern and say that we are going to school, no whining...lets go, see you later and that is that.

Does anyone have any tips/suggestions? Or am I doomed to have her cry it out every day until she graduates high school? That should be fun...