Carpool Procedures & Reminders

Posted Wednesday, September 19, 2007

When entering and exiting the property please use right turns only. This will minimize the traffic on Stonewall Road and help us to maintain positive public relations with our neighbors.

It is helpful at the beginning of each new school year for us to take some time to review some of the key aspects of our arrival and dismissal systems. With an enrollment of nearly 520 students, it is important that we maintain procedures that insure the safety of all children, parents and staff members at All Saints. All of our procedures have been designed with this in mind. Secondly, we have organized the carpool system in a manner that enables us to keep Stonewall Road clear of traffic so that we do not disrupt the activities of neighboring businesses and residents. The following is a list of annual reminders that will help us maintain an arrival and dismissal system that is safe, efficient and courteous.

Parking:

~It is important that parents park only in those areas identified for our carpool system.

~Parents are asked not to park directly in front of the school building since this area is designated a fire lane and is also used for the Pre-Kindergarten dismissal and arrival. Beginning this week, access to this area will be restricted by traffic cones.

~Those volunteering in the school during the day are asked to park in the far end of the parking lot nearest Cardinal Bank. Please refrain from parking in the lot across from the priests' parking area (Lot #2) since this section is reserved for parish staff use.

~When arriving for afternoon carpool, parents are asked to refrain from parking on Stonewall Road and other areas of the property. For the safety of the children, it is important that each family participate in the school organized carpool system. Similarly, parents are asked not to park beyond section one of the carpool area. Though doing so does allow for a quick departure, it is not fair to the hundreds of parents who patiently participate in the carpool each day, nor does it communicate a positive message to the children. (From time to time, occasions may arise that require special exceptions. In these situations, please contact the office so that arrangements can be made for you to pick up your children at the front of the school during dismissal.)

Arrival & Departure:

~When entering and exiting the property please use right turns only. This will minimize the traffic that sometimes occurs on Stonewall Road and help us to maintain positive public relations with our neighbors.

~Please be sure that your carpool number is clearly displayed in your windshield. This is particularly important on inclement weather days when a staff member reads the numbers and forwards this information to the front office so that students may be called individually for pick up. If you have not received a carpool number, please contact the school office for assistance.

~In that our carpool system brings together many people, it is a time for discussion and community building. However, once dismissal actually begins, we ask that parents wrap up conversations so that complete attention may be directed to the children and so that we might avoid any unnecessary delays.

~When arriving for afternoon dismissal, parents are reminded to use great caution when exiting their vehicle. We recommend that parents not open their doors until the next row of cars has arrived in the adjacent parking spaces.

~For the safety of all involved, drivers are asked not to exit the carpool lines unless directed by a staff member to do so. Teachers only wave drivers forward after verifying that the adjacent lanes are clear of pedestrian traffic.