Take it slow

Perhaps it is a good sign that we have completed our first week and carpool seems to be the topic on most parents’ minds. It definitely has been a good week and it is gratifying to see so many happy faces on campus. My hunch is that you will have some tired kids this weekend.
 
But, carpool is an important topic, as we must move 500 children on and off campus in as safe of an environment as we can provide. I know it seems simple, but variables like age and mobility of students, three different locations, mixed carpool, new traffic patterns, student drivers, and different arrival/dismissal times combine to create a myriad of options. While we began the year with best of intentions, the first week of carpool has shown the need for some changes. I will try to make this as simple as possible!

Perhaps it is a good sign that we have completed our first week and carpool seems to be the topic on most parents’ minds. It definitely has been a good week and it is gratifying to see so many happy faces on campus. My hunch is that you will have some tired kids this weekend.
 
But, carpool is an important topic, as we must move 500 children on and off campus in as safe of an environment as we can provide. I know it seems simple, but variables like age and mobility of students, three different locations, mixed carpool, new traffic patterns, student drivers, and different arrival/dismissal times combine to create a myriad of options. While we began the year with best of intentions, the first week of carpool has shown the need for some changes. I will try to make this as simple as possible!

1. Lower School and Mixed Carpool will enter from the back gate for both morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. This is the longest line and using the back gate avoids back-up onto Colonial Avenue.
2. Middle School carpool and Upper School arrivals will use the front gate as last year for both morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. 

Download our updated carpool maps for illustrated instructions.

Between now and next Wednesday, we are planning on some additional striping that will clearly delineate Middle School and Lower School/Mixed Carpool lines. Additional speed bumps along with this added delineation should help to lower speeds and prevent near misses. Even with this, however, there are a few things you can do to help out.

1. Please watch your speed entering and exiting carpool.
2. Phones are excellent for passing the time while waiting, but once traffic starts to move, please put them away.
3. As we have a right side drop-off and clockwise traffic to the Middle School, it is unavoidable that that Lower School parents are forced to exit the Lower School turnaround across Middle School traffic. Please be very careful at the lower school turnaround.
4. Please be patient. I know it seems like you are in carpool forever, but truly, Lower School lets out at 2:50 and the carpool line has dissipated this week before 3:05. Fifteen minutes to safely load 230 Lower School students into cars is not an unreasonable amount of time. And, this time decreases as kids get older and everyone gets used to the drill.
5. Do not be afraid to schedule your arrival at different times until you find the time that works best for you. If you arrive in Lower School carpool at 2:30, you will be close to the beginning of the line but you will have a 20-minute wait until students show up. If you arrive at 2:45, you will be further back in line but you will have a 20-minute wait until you pick your child up at 3:05pm. If you arrive at 3:00, you will have, at most, a 5-minute wait to pick your child up. All options are fine, choose the one you prefer.

Thank you for a good first week!