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Totally frustrated with Parent Pick up at Norton Elementary
My daughter has a new principal at her school this year. I miss the old one. I guess the new one is trying something new with the parent pick up line and its not working. The old principal's system was entirely more efficient. I think the teachers and school crossing guards have probably had to add an hour to their work day. We have to put some kind of flier thing in our car window with our child's name and grade it. All the kids are inside the school, rain or shine. And they'll radio inside and someone will go get your child and escort them to your car . THis seems to have tripled the amount of time it takes to retrieve my daughter from school. I will get in line at 0115 and the bell rings at 0145. I used to could get her by 150 cause I would be pretty close to front of the line and could make it across town to St Michael's where my pre K daughter gets out at 0200. But now it takes FOREVER to get my child. And forget about parking close by and walking up because the principal has gotten people to ticket those parents not lucky enough to get one of few parking spaces not taken up by teachers and employees.
I don't know what to do actually short of begging relatives to provide rides home from school for my PreK child.
And I'm a divorced parent. So I had to zerox my flier and make a copy for the ex husband. That took a day or so. So he didn't have the copy and wasn't allowed to retrieve our child because he didn't have the flier.
Wondering if I should let her ride her bike to and from school. This has always made me nervous. My daughter is in the 2nd grade and my little sister got hit by a car riding her bike home from school in the 2nd grade.
Views: 1654
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Christine Gregory on -
This is a trend at many schools to keep the children safe and protect the school from liability. Things should get better as time goes on and everyone gets used to the new system.
I wouldn't let a 2nd grader bike home alone. Is it possible for you to ride a bike to the school, meet her and bike home together? Of course that may not give you enough time to pick up your other child.Is there a place near the school where you can park and then walk your child to the car? At the school where I used to teach, a nearby church let parents park there. We also had someone standing near where the parents first entered the pickup line to radio the child's name ahead of time. So by the time the parent pulled forward, the child would already be there. We had numbers from 1 to 7 and the child would be told which number to walk to which was where the parent would pull in. Maybe you could suggest a system like that to the principal.
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Permalink Reply by Kiki on -
Wow that system does sound annoying. :-(
I like Christine's suggestion in biking with your daughter to and from school. I think 2nd grade is a little young to bike alone.
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Permalink Reply by Brandy's Proud Mom on -
Is there any reason she can't ride the bus?
I use to have the same issue and then we put them on the bus and no more sitting in line or getting mad because the school didn't know what theybwere doing.
They love the bus and they get home about the same time as when I would pick them up
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Permalink Reply by Christine Gregory on
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The bus is a good option. It is actually the safest way for a child to travel.
Brandy's Proud Mom said:Is there any reason she can't ride the bus?
I use to have the same issue and then we put them on the bus and no more sitting in line or getting mad because the school didn't know what theybwere doing.
They love the bus and they get home about the same time as when I would pick them up
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Permalink Reply by Cherie Schneider on
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OH definitely don't let her ride a bike home--sadly in this day and age it is unsafe--even for a high school child. That system is simply to protect the school--I personally find it annoying and takes forever! Try for the bus--pick her up at the bus stop and grab the second one or vice versa--
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Permalink Reply by Traci on
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I know what you mean, my child goes there as well. I refuse to get in that CRAZY lane pick up, so I opt getting there a little late, so I don't have to wait. I dont understand why they don't use the other 2 doors and the other lane or where the busses drive (they are gone by the time pick up starts). 4th and 5th graders should come out the door closest to the bike rack and then get out of line and be on their way. 3rd and 2nd graders from the "normal" door and then 1st and Kinders from their spot. I so agree with you on the aggravation, there are so many different ways to do this.
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Permalink Reply by Kathy Stewart on -
Car pickup is a huge problem at many schools. My kids go to Wiles. As soon as my little one was out of VPK and into Kindergarten, I started having them take the bus just to avoid the madness of car pickup. At Wiles, there is the same problem - people double park and people park on the side of Tower Road. The pickup line extends from Wiles to Publix both before and after school, and if you're not there by 1:15 you won't get a parking spot because they're all gone by 1:20. Our kids are seated on the concrete in front of the school while waiting for parents, but this is a total madhouse with kids and parents everywhere mixed together, and literally anyone could come pick up a child and no-one would know if the child had been retrieved by a parent or kidnapper. So, I do understand the extra cautionary steps - but it would drive me mad as a parent to have to wait even longer than usual.
For me, the bus is super convenient as it is a 1 minute walk to the bus stop from where I live, BUT, pretty much the ONLY kids who take the bus are the ones who can walk to the bus stop - because the bus only stops at the entrance to Longleaf and the entrance to Mentone on Archer Road. A bunch of parents (including me) petitioned the school board to have the school buses come into the neighborhoods to make a few more stops so that A) more kids would ride the bus which would lessen the traffic at the school. B) Be MUCH safer that having kids waiting along Archer Road. C)Reduce traffic on Archer Road for the commuters who get stuck behind the bus. The school board denied the request because it would cost too much in gas to have the bus make extra stops, and they didn't have the money to add an additional bus and driver. So frustrating.
The real problem is that so many schools are overcrowded and underfunded, and the schools cannot function effectively with so many students. The new school alleviated some overcrowding at some schools, but we need at least one more school built and probably two. Blah - I could go on and on.
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Permalink Reply by TC on
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Parking anywhere at Norton is impossible. The parking lot is so small and half taken up every morning and afternoon because the teachers and staff have to park up front as well. The morning traffic and lines are terrible. The school just needs some help and maybe some funds to help with the situation. They defenitely should not give out tickets to parents just trying to get their children in to school for an education. Maybe if you called the principal or better yet the school board or city and voice your concerns. Nothing will get done if we as parents don't say anything. Maybe some suggestions could be made to assist. I do agree with keeping the kids safe but maybe some efficient ideas would be good to make it run smoother.
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Permalink Reply by Kristin Foster on -
We aren't far enough away for A bus . I would say i am a mile from the school but too far for walking since I have a pre k student who has to be picked up at 2. I may have to pick up at the pre k first and then drive back to Norton even though I wouldnt be there until 30 mins after the school bell rang. But I am thinking there will probably be plenty of other parents picking up at 215 cause the line is just so long and slow . I will have to try that next week.
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Permalink Reply by tony bagnall on
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The flier is used at Williston Elementary and works!.. Nobody can get take a child into their car without one unless they go to the office with their drivers licence. It does take time... and believe me I prefer this system knowing nobody else can take my child from school unless i had them a card and put their name on the list.. As for cycling to school... gee I cycle a lot and keep well away from schools... Parents are in such a rush its scary!! I am not being funny but you should see the number of speeding tickets given out to parents in school zones... So in reality .. you give up a little time to ensure your child is safe... I would rather do that ..
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Permalink Reply by Rochelle Reber George on -
Whatever happened to riding the bus? It was good enough for us as kids!
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Permalink Reply by Kristi Weldy on -
I believe the OP said they live too close to the school for bus service. I feel your pain as I was in a similar situation last year. I m at Wiles too and we had somewhere to be right after school last year. I had to line up 25 minutes early to get close enough to get the boys on time and sometimes id get pushed too far forward and end up waiting longer because they would call their names before they were actually outside! Lots of the parents at our school park and walk up to get the kids even though parking is a nightmare but last year that meant hauling my preschool daughter out with me and she is a very fidgety, impatient child and had trouble standing there for 20 minutes. So I usually just ended up waiting in car line. My daughter is in school with my boys this year but we still have therapy some afternoons so walking isn't always an option. It's also so HOT in the afternoons and walking home with three tired kids and heavy backpacks makes homework time a nightmare when we do get home. When it cools off a bit, we will definitely walk on the days we can. Op, could you possibly find someone to carpool with? You could drop off their child in the mornings and they could pick up your daughter in the afternoons?
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