• TRAFFIC TIPS

     
    Traffic congestion is a fact of life at Tam Valley. Our goal is to provide a safe environment for our children and to help keep traffic moving. The following are some general guidelines to follow when dropping off and picking up your children at Tam Valley. Please take a moment to read and become familiar with them.

    1. Whenever possible park outside school grounds and walk in.  Or walk and wheel to school.
    2. When walking into school grounds always cross over to the sidewalk as soon as you can. Avoid walking through the parking lot.
    3. Stay alert.  Talking on cell phones during drop off and pick up is a safety hazard.  While we have been injury free, we have not been accident free. 
    4. Let the traffic volunteer be your guide! Please be courteous to them; they are volunteers and only have the safety of your children in mind.
    5. Please limit social conversations in order to keep traffic flowing. (We know this is the perfect time to set up a time to play date or touch base on a volunteer project, but it really contributes to traffic congestion.)
    6. Please do not leave your car unattended if you are parked curbside.

    7. Do not park in the staff spots, red zones, or fire lane.

     

    MORNING DROP OFF:
    1. Pull up to the curb as far forward as possible. Even if you see your child near the front doors, PLEASE pull all the way forward.
    2. Children should be dropped off CURBSIDE; they should not exit vehicles on the roadside. Drivers should remain in the car; traffic volunteers will aid the children getting in and out of the vehicle when necessary.
    3. Never drop your children off in the lane of moving traffic. The inside lane is for moving traffic only. If you are in the lane of moving traffic, please watch closely and yield to pedestrians crossing to the sidewalk from parking spots, and to cars pulling back into traffic from curbside.

    AFTERNOON PICK UP:
    1. The structure is the same as drop off; however, the emphasis switches from keeping traffic moving safely to GETTING traffic moving safely.
    2. Please remind your children to be on the lookout for you if you will be picking up curbside.  Pick out a spot away from the front of school (such as in front of the art room or library) to pick up older children.  We ask that 3rd-5th graders avoid the front of the office area during afternoon pick-up unless they are quickly meeting a younger sibling.
    3. Children not picked up by 2:45 p.m. will be at Tia's after school program.
                            
    Do not park in marked staff parking stalls or the fire lane.


    The only way we can guarantee the safety of our children is for everyone to be committed to following this policy. This means that everyone must be made aware of it: all parents, babysitters, friends, all drivers, not just the ones who drive everyday but the ones who only drive occasionally as well. Please spend a few moments with your family to plan how you will implement this policy.

    Leaving School Early: If you must pick up your child early, please sign him/her out in the office, and notify the classroom teacher. Children other than your own will only be released with prior authorization from the parent to the school office.