The following message was emailed to families on Friday, Aug. 30:
Good afternoon,
We’re excited to welcome back our students on Thursday, Sept. 5. It’s normal at the start of any school year to have the first few days of school be a little hectic, as our staff, students and families get back into school mode and get used to new routines.
Because of the shift to one bus run and one start time for PreK through grade 12, as well as a general trend of having more families in recent years drop off students in the morning in their personal vehicles, we anticipate a very busy first few mornings of school.
We understand our families are busy, especially in the mornings. We appreciate your patience. To ensure the safety of our students and families and to help get the school year off to a great start, we ask you to please review the following instructions and notes:
Family drop-off/pick-up
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There will be additional school staff on hand to assist with arrival. Please follow directions from school staff, who will be posted in various locations.
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Parents and guardians should remain in their vehicles at all times, with the exception of parents that may need to assist children getting into and out of car seats.
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When dropping off students, please pull your vehicle as close to the vehicle in front of you as safely possible.
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Students should exit and enter vehicles only on the sidewalk side of the vehicle.
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We ask that all students say their goodbyes at their vehicle, and family members do not try to walk them across to the school. There are many staff on hand who will take care of them and make sure they get connected with their classroom teacher from there.
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Once you’ve dropped off your child, proceed with caution if you pull around the cars in front of you.
Busing
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Please allow for an extra 10 minutes before and after the scheduled pick-up time, as bus drivers get used to new routes.
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Elementary students will be required to sit in the front of the bus. Jr./Sr. High School students will be required to sit in the back of the bus. If younger and older siblings wish to sit together, they may do so in the middle of the bus.
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Buses will hold students in the parking lot until 8 a.m.
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The 3:30 p.m. late bus run will start later in the month of September. More details will be available later. The 5:30 p.m. late bus will begin on Sept. 5.
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PreK and kindergarten students will not be released from a bus in the afternoon unless there is an adult present at the drop-off location.
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For more on student busing, please visit our transportation page on the district website.
Student drivers
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Student drivers in 11th and 12th grade must park in the lot behind the track. If they park in any other location, they will be asked to move their vehicles. Student drivers risk losing parking privileges on school property if they fail to comply with the requirement to park behind the track.
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Student drivers are required to have a parking pass that will be assigned through the Jr./Sr. High School office.
Visitors during the school day should find an empty space in the parking lot if you are at the school for a prolonged period of time. Visitors can pull into the bus loop and park near the building as needed for short visits, ie. dropping off or picking up students for appointments. Please do not leave vehicles unattended in the area marked in red as the fire lane.
We anticipate that there will be changes to traffic flow, parking patterns and procedures as we move forward into the new school year and we get a better understanding of arrival and dismissal patterns. Thank you in advance for your patience. As we make adjustments to our procedures, we will keep you informed.
Sincerely,
David M. Blanchard, Superintendent of Schools