Safety First

Dear Parents of My Students,

It goes without saying that keeping our school safe is my number one priority, and in talking with many of you, I believe keeping our school safe is also your priority.   I need your help.  We need your help.

Our parking lot has been unsafe.

Approximately 75 cars arrive each morning to drop-off their children.  We have slightly less than that at afternoon pick-up.  (The rest of our students use our bus system and/or walk to school.)  My staff and I do AM and PM car duty each day.  I am outside each morning and afternoon I am present in the building.  Whether sunshine, rain, or snow, it's my favorite part of the day.  I genuinely enjoy greeting students and their families as they begin their days or saying goodbye to them after a great day of learning.

Let me just clearly state my safety concerns.

• Drivers are going too fast.
• I notice too many drivers using their cell phones.
• Cars are pulling around each other without watching closely what else is happening.
• Families park in the lot and walk their child across the busy parking lot.  This means the entire line must stop for you.  It is inefficient and unsafe.  Our line works best when pedestrians are not in the lot. 
• Some families park in the lot and then have their child walk across the lot without an adult.  This is absolutely unacceptable and unsafe.

Over my years at our school I have seen cars hit each other.  One car jumped the curb and hit a sign.  We need to do better.

To be fair, the majority of drivers are doing a great job.  They are helpful, understanding, and safe.  The extreme cases, however, are very scary.

With support from our PTO, you will soon notice new signage outside.

We will also be sending this flyer home.

I am confident we can do a better job to help our parking lot be a safer place for our school, students, and each other.

Thank you for your continued vigilance and partnership as we work to, "Grow Great Leaders!" and keep them safe.  Please share this with your spouses, grandparents, and any other caregivers who may be using our pick-up and drop-off line.

Sincerely,

David Ascher