Harper Safety

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Keep Kids Safe!

Please familiarize yourself and others who assist in picking up your child by reviewing these guidelines.Everyone benefits from a safe and orderly dismissal system. We recommend that you view this carpool safety video with your children to ensure that they understand the rules put in place to keep them safe.

The Harper PTO Civics and Safety Committee has developed traffic guidelines for student drop-off and pick-up that are meant to keep all our children safe. It is especially important that all new families take the time to read the following information carefully so that you are familiar with the routine before school starts. Please review the guidelines with your children AND most importantly, with all drivers who might be dropping off or picking up your children at Harper.

We cannot emphasize this enough! EVERY driver in your household MUST be familiar with the rules. Harper Staff wearing brightly colored vests assist with dismissal daily and are paid for by the Harper PTO and funded by your iGNITE dollars. They are there to help you and your child have a safe and pleasant experience.

The rules are as follows:

Do not turn into the drop-off/pick-up line from Thornwood Avenue. You MUST enter it from one block north on Kenilworth Avenue (this includes kindergarten carpool as well).
Once in the line, move your car forward as soon as there is a gap ahead of you.
If you are in carpool line, do not leave your car to walk your child into school or to find your child.
Stay in your car at all times.
Do not double-park.
Drop-off and pick-up from curb side only. Do not allow your child to walk in between stopped or parked cars.
Do not block crosswalks or residential driveways.
Do not park illegally.
Drive very slowly and carefully at all times when children are present.
According to Illinois State law, cell phones may not be used in school zones.

Directions For Entering the Line

Drop-off & Pickup Zones

Entering the drop-off/pick-up line: You may not turn into the drop-off/pick-up line from Thornwood Avenue (this includes Kindergarten families). Please enter the line on Dartmouth Avenue from Kenilworth Avenue, one block north of Thornwood Avenue. Ensure that all family members, sitters, etc., are aware of this routine and route.  Once in the pick-up line: Please pull as far forward as possible and let your child exit the car on the curbside only. If you have a kindergartner and you have a “K” emblem displayed on the right dash of your car, you may proceed to the kindergarten entrance and bypass the regular carpool line (once you are past Thornwood Avenue). Dartmouth is a two-way street North of Thornwood, and a one-way South of Thornwood on school days. If you find that there is not enough room for your car in the Kindergarten line, you MUST drive around again and try to re-enter. Do not block the crosswalk or left lane of through traffic!

dropoff_pickup_map

How to find your child

If you pick up your child via car, please advise him/her that you may be in the carpool line beyond his/her sight and to wait for you on school property. Do not leave your car from the carpool line to go look for your child. Stay in your car unless you are legally parked.

Kindergarten Students

If you drive and have your “K” displayed in your car window it will alert everyone that you have a kindergartener and allow you to pull south of the main entrance into the parking spots near the ramp. DO NOT get out of your car. Please drop off and pick up your child and exit the carpool line. For pick-up, the teachers are instructed to release your child to you when they spot you in the carpool line. You do not have to personally pick up your child from their teacher. Never pull up parallel to a car already waiting in the pick-up line or the cars parked in front of the Harper garden to drop off or pick up your child. Please do not block the disability parking place.

Please note for AM kindergarten carpool line pickup only and PM kindergarten drop-off, parents may park on Dartmouth north of the crosswalk to Thornwood Avenue and walk to pick up their children. No cars should be parked South of the crosswalk, as enrichment buses park to pick up our children. There should never be any parking over the crosswalk. For PM kindergarten pick-up, all cars enter the carpool line at Kenilworth Avenue. Once past Thornwood Avenue, kindergarten parents may drive around the 1st-4th grade carpool line and enter the kindergarten line that begins south of the Greenwood Avenue crosswalk. Thank you for your help in creating a safe environment.