Seven Pines Safety and Traffic Procedures

9/25/2017

Dear Parent/Guardian:

Below is important information regarding safety and traffic procedures at Seven Pines Elementary School for the 2017-2018 school year. As always, it is our hope to provide a safe and secure learning environment for our students.

Seven Pines Safety and Traffic Procedures

Morning arrival time is between 7:20 AM and 7:40 AM. Students arrive to school by bus, car drop off, or walking. Students should not arrive any earlier than 7:20 AM as there is no adult supervision. Students should be physically on campus and on their way to class by 7:40 AM to avoid being marked tardy. Students are supervised by adult staff members at all arrival locations to monitor students as they travel to classrooms and breakfast. Staff members are located in the front of the school, along the main sidewalk, at the bus loop and the areas near the Learning Cottages, specifically the gravel pathway and “F” Building and carry walkie-talkies for increased communication.

Parent drop off is located on the side of the school facing Beulah Road. Parents enter the loop and pull all the way forward to allow the optimal number of cars to enter the loop. A marked yellow line on the sidewalk indicates where the drop off process begins. Cars form a single line and have students exit the vehicles on the passenger side only. Cars are not to pass another car in the car loop. Once students have exited the vehicle, drivers pull forward toward the exit and may take a left or right on Beulah Road. 1st and 2nd grade students who are not going to breakfast are observed by the adults on duty as they travel through the safety cone pathway to the Learning Cottages.

Students in all grade levels who wish to eat breakfast go directly to the café from car drop off and buses. This year, 1st and 2nd grade students eat breakfast in the café instead of their classrooms due to renovations. All students are supervised in the café by multiple staff members each morning. One of our school’s safety practicesis that students travel in pairs or groups during the school day. Due to our 1st and 2nd grade students eating breakfast in the café this year, children are placed in groups or pairs by the adults on duty and released to the main sidewalk when they are finished eating breakfast. The main sidewalk and gravel pathway are monitored by multiple staff members at strategic locations to ensure student safety as they travel to classrooms.

Parents who wish to walk their child to the main entrance of the school, must park their vehicle in the front parking lot and escort their child to the front of the school to say good-byes at the Hug and Kiss Zone.

If your child arrives after 7:40 a.m., we ask that parents park and walk students into the office to receive a tardy slip. Please do not send students into the school unescorted as this presents a safety hazard. After receiving the tardy slip, students are paired with another student or an adult to walk to their classrooms.

Afternoon Pick up and Dismissal Procedures:

Students may be picked up from school in two ways. All parents picking up their children through the car loop will have a special color-coded form designating the license plate number, color, and make of all cars that are authorized by the parent to pick up students in this manner. An adult will supervise and dismiss the children from the cafeteria to parents in their vehicles. No child will be dismissed to a driver of a vehicle that is not on the parent authorized list. Without a card on file, children will need to be signed out from the office and a photo ID will be required. Parents will enter the parent pick-up loop at the front of the school (Beulah Road) and pull all the way forward to allow for the optimal number of cars in the loop.

Parents may also park and sign out students in the cafeteria. Individuals picking up students in this manner will need to show a photo ID to the staff member on duty and must be on the Student Authorization to Pick Up list.

Additional Safety Measures:

All students travel in pairs, groups, or with an adult throughout the school day. All classroom doors are remained locked and only the teacher or another staff member can open doors. Students are not allowed to open doors for visitors at any time. All visitors to our school must sign in at the front office, must present a photo ID and receive a visitor badge. If an individual does not have a visitor badge, a staff member will ask you to check in at the office before continuing with your visit. Please do not take offense, but we must ensure the safety of all of our students. All staff members have walkie-talkies and are expected to report any unusual activity on our campus to administration immediately. In addition, we encourage dads, granddads, and other male figures in our community to become a WATCH DOG. These individuals spend a day at our school to walk the campus and assist with student safety, keeping a watchful eye on our students both in and out of the classroom. Please join our efforts and volunteer for this rewarding time with our Penguins! Interested in volunteering this year? You must fill out a Volunteer Form prior to serving as a volunteer in our school, so don’t delay! These forms are available on our school’s website and in the main office.

Safety is a priority at Seven Pines and we will continue to provide a safe and secure educational setting for your children. We will continue to work with the county’s Safety Office and other community resources to maintain a safe campus during our upcoming renovations. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at school at 804-328-4065.

Sincerely,

Terri W. Mothershead

Principal