Keeping things SAFE and CALM! Drop off & Pick Up Keeping things SAFE and CALM! Hello from Peter Kirk! I’ve noticed that as the school year kicks in, I start to receive emails from concerned parents about pick up and drop off. With so many families opting to drive children to school, it is critical that everyone pay close attention to the pick up and drop off system. Doing so will keep everyone safe and start mornings off on a more pleasant note. So, let’s take few moments to review pick up and drop off procedures.

Before you arrive Give hugs and goodbyes when you get in the car (at home) Have backpacks and belongings easily accessible Teach your children how and when to disengage seat-belts When the car is at a complete stop When the driver states that it is ok to do so. Siblings and car seats should be placed behind the driver Planning ahead will help drop off run more smoothly for everyone. Remember, the only people who get out of the car at drop off should be Peter Kirk students. Take care of hugs and lengthy goodbyes at home, before arriving at school. Backpacks and coats should be easily accessible, next to the child. Before using the drop off lane, be sure that your children know how and when to disengage their seat belts. Practice this. It may be a good idea to use a verbal cue, indicating that it is safe for students to begin exiting the car. Be explicit about this cue, especially with younger students. Ideas include, ‘Unbuckle now, have a great day” or “the car has stopped, it is safe to unbuckle and go.’ If your child is unable to manage their safety equipment or if backpacks are stored in the trunk, park your car in a parking space and assist your child

Drop Off 8:30 – 8:44 School Starts at 8:45 Options for drop off Walk to school  Park on the road, walk in. Park in the Peter Kirk lot and walk to line up. Use the circle drive, drop off lane. The earliest that students may be dropped off is 8:30. The exception is for safety patrol students, who should arrive at 8:25 when their squad is on duty. Technically, Peter Kirk is a ‘waling school’ meaning that the bulk of our families live within walking distance. There is a handful of students, living west of market, that ride a school bus. Feel free to park in the school lot or on neighborhood roads. If walking in, use cross walks and heed guidance of our Adult crossing Guards and Safety Patrol students. The circle drive is an option for anyone who drives students who are able to exit the vehicle without assistance. Finally, for families with younger siblings who need to stay in the vehicle, place car seats behind the driver. It is challenging for students to climb over and dangerous for them to unload from the drivers side of the vehicle. Again, families always have the option to park, assist with disembarking, and walk students to their classrooms.

Overview Waiting to p/u or d/o THRU THRU Love & Leave There are two lanes in our loop. The right lane is for drop off and pick up. The inside lane is a through lane, for families wishing to access parking spots. When dropping off students, enter the right lane from 6th street and remain in this lane until your child has exited. Be sure to check your left side blind spot before merging into the through lane. The area to the left of the fence is reserved for busses. Do not park there. It is never appropriate to cut into the right lane from the through lane. That upsets people and is no way to kick off the day.

Orientation to Pick-Up Zones DROP OFF & PICK UP ZONE  Students are to be dropped off or picked up in the green zone, in what we call ‘the pick up or drop off box.’ The ground has yellow lines to help students identify where they are to wait at the end the day.

Pick-Up & Drop Off Zones Lets take a closer look at the love ‘em and leave’ em right lane. Upon entering the Peter Kirk lot, students are to remain in the vehicle. Students should never be picked up or dropped off in the areas identified in red. No matter what. If you have a younger student and want to pick them up closer to their classroom, park your car and meet them outside of the blue doors. Students are ONLY allowed to enter vehicles when the vehicle reaches the top of the lane. NO Drop off or Pick up! Stay Alert & Wait Drop off or Pick Up Zone Exit or Enter if crossing guard is in crosswalk

Drop Off Procedures Pull all of the way forward Put car in park Children exit from the passenger side. Driver remains in the car Exit the drop off area immediately Again at drop off, it is important to pull all of the way forward to the drop-off box. The drop off box is marked with yellow lines painted on the ground at the end of the drop off loop. You’ll know that you are there when you see safety patrol students standing there to open the door. The goal is for cars to pull as far forward as possible, unload or load quickly, and move on. In a perfect world, pick up and drop off would only occur in the area identified in the picture by green triangles. But the world calls for us to be flexible so that the system keeps moving smoothly. As you approach the cross walk, keep your eyes open. If the nose of your car is at the cross walk, and the crossing guard is out, with flag up, your child may exit in the dotted area. IN the morning, there is a safety patrol student posted here to assist.

Pick Up Students are released at 3:15 Options for Pick Up Walk in 1:45 on Wednesdays Options for Pick Up Walk in Park your vehicle on the street and walk in Park in the PK lot and meet your child Use the pick up lane Students are dismissed at 3:15 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. On Wednesdays, dismissal is 1:45. If you arrive early and are using the pick up zone, pull all of the way forward and turn off your car. Our kids breathe the air, so let’s keep it clean and healthy by maintaining an idle free zone.

Pick UP Procedures Pull all of the way forward Put car in park Children enter from the passenger side. Driver remains in the car Exit the drop off area immediately At the end of the day, it is important to pull all of the way forward to the drop-off box. Most drop offs should occur AFTER passing the cross walk. The extra pick up spot, identified by the yellow triangle, may or may not be in use. A good guideline is the presence of a safety patrol student AND the crossing guard stopping traffic so that children can cross. Be flexible, like when you gas up your car. Drivers gauge whether the person in front is about to wrap it up. Over the summer, curbs were painted red, identifying fire lanes. It is illegal to park in fire lanes at any time. If you happen to be waiting in the drive through loop, stay in your car.

Reminders Adult crossing guards are responsible for student safety The orange stanchions and chains are not to be stepped over Leave crosswalks clear Adult crossing guards are not allowed to direct street traffic. For this reason, it is critical for drivers to follow all laws, rules and regulations that govern our streets. We have placed orange stanchions and blue and white signs to remind everyone about where it is safe to load and unload. They are not to be stepped over. Always, always, always leave crosswalks clear. And, because so many little eyes are watching what we do, always use crosswalks when walking through the lot.

Reminders about Pick-up Arriving early? Pull as far forward as you can Leave the crosswalk clear Turn off your engine Upon Dismissal WATCH the car in front. Pull up! Remain in your car Leave neighborhood crosswalks clear If you child is unable to enter the car independently and put on their seatbelt, the pick up lane is not safe for you or your child. Park your vehicle, meet your child, and secure them.

A Few Words About Parking NOT a parking space NOT a parking space NOT a parking space In my time as Principal at Peter Kirk, I’ve seen some creative parking. Please park only in official parking spots, designated by white lines painted on the ground. We need to be certain that there is clearance for traffic move through and for the busses to enter. Remember that parking in the fire lanes is always illegal, the bus zone is reserved for the school bus and daycare vans, and stalls reserved for disabled parking are for people with appropriate placards only.

THANK YOU! Thank you! Thank you for all that you do to help everyone arrive safely and efficiently. Thank you in advance for honoring the system that gets everyone off to a solid start and ends the day on a positive note. With planning, patience and a positive attitude, our parking lot will remain safe and hopefully stress free.