Greenwood Families,
Effective immediately, prioritizing the safety of all students, we urgently request your compliance to the following arrival and dismissal procedures for all car riders.
Arrival:
During parent drop-off or pick-up, all students use the passenger side doors exclusively when exiting or entering vehicles. Your child should be capable of independently opening the car door in our designated car loops. However, if you choose not to utilize the passenger side or if your child requires assistance opening the door or walking into the building, we kindly ask that you park your car in the designated parking lot and assist them.
It's imperative that upon entering our campus, your child is prepared to exit swiftly. We've observed a notable increase in instances where students are taking extended periods, eating breakfast, playing video games, or hesitating to leave the vehicle. In such cases, we kindly ask that you park your car and accompany your child into the building.
A crucial reminder: our drop-off process begins at 7:15 AM. For the safety of all students, vehicles should not drop off students before this time. If you prefer not to have your child dropped off between 7:15 - 7:20 AM, we kindly request that you park your car and personally accompany your child into the building. Additionally, it's important to note that students are not permitted to cross the parking lot unaccompanied.
Under no circumstances should a parent park their car in our car drop-off loops to escort their child into the building. This directive applies to all families, including our preschool families. Preschool families must park their vehicles in our designated parking lot and personally accompany their child into the school premises. Our dedicated preschool teachers will actively enforce this Greenwood procedure. To ensure compliance and reinforce safety measures, our School Security Officer will be present to oversee and guarantee adherence to these guidelines, prioritizing the safety and well-being of all students and staff members.
Dismissal:
We want to emphasize that parents are no longer permitted to exit their vehicles within both our loops to assist their child to the driver's side. This action poses a significant safety concern and must be strictly avoided.
Furthermore, we'd like to bring attention to a concerning trend: an upsurge in early dismissals among our car pick-up families and students. Even a 15-minute early dismissal significantly disrupts the classroom learning environment as teachers must pause their lessons to facilitate student departures. Consequently, to maintain the continuity of learning and minimize disruptions, starting today, we will strongly enforce our Greenwood procedure of no longer accommodating early dismissals after 1:45 PM, unless it is an absolute emergency. This decision aligns with the collective request from all members of the Greenwood staff.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in adhering to these safety measures. Your commitment to ensuring a secure environment for all our students at Greenwood is greatly valued.
Sincerely,
Mr. Stein
Principal
Greenwood Elementary School
Henrico County Public Schools