Prioritizing Safety: Student Drop-off & Pick-up Guidelines
As we excitedly ramp up for the return to campus of our students, we want to highlight a few key dates for the first week back to school.
- Orientation Day for new students is Tuesday, September 8th
- School opens for all students Wednesday, September 9th
- Our Welcome Back BBQ (for the entire family) will also take place Wednesday, September 9th, starting at 2:30 p.m. on Hawksworth Track and Field
Next, a few thoughts on Student drop-off and pick-up, particularly in the Middle/Senior School main lot where there is some additional traffic due to construction. Remember, we all have to partner together to ensure all of our students, faculty and staff remain safe during this busy time.
As you know, traffic continues to build in the area and we draw students from a very large catchment area; all of our students are either driven to school or take the bus. This results in an extremely large number of vehicles entering and exiting our parking lots during morning drop off and afternoon pick up. We have arranged for construction traffic to avoid these peak times whenever possible.
When all of our families arrive at the same time for pick up, we experience congestion and back up. However, even on our busiest days, the traffic and congestion in and out of our school is cleared within 20 minutes. At the start of the school year, you can add 5-10 minutes as people acclimatize to this daily ritual. Remember, it takes time to gather their possessions from their lockers and arrive for pick up, so you can arrive later to pick up your student.
The logistics of getting you on your way as quickly and efficiently as possible and the safety of your children are intertwined. Please be patient, we are all part of the same community.
At all times, safety is our most important consideration so, I implore you to take careful note of the following:
MUSTS:
- Remain patient and make prudent decisions as you are in an active school zone.
- Travel at a safe speed at all times. Do not rush through a red light or a stop sign. Follow proper road rules and lanes.
- Only use hands-free cell phone options while driving.
- Do not stop during pick up or drop off in a crosswalk zone as it impairs sight lines.
- Follow the guidance of people assisting in the parking lot.
- Remember we have student drivers who may not be as confident with their driving skills as you are.
- Pull as far forward in the pick-up and drop-off lane as possible in order to make more space in the lane behind. Leaving large gaps between cars reduces the number of spots available and causes backups. One of the most frustrating habits is when people unnecessarily wait and cue for the spots immediately in front of the far Senior School door. Please pull forward as far towards the PAC as possible! Anywhere along the front of the school is always just a short walk (which can be done inside) from the end of the Senior School and helps the corner keep from getting congested and sightlines clear.
SUGGESTIONS:
- Have a pre-established plan for picking up with your children. For example, set up in advance that you are going to park in the Hawksworth parking area, and that your child should meet you there at a specific time.
- Consider picking up your child a little later when the rush subsides. Many students take their time at their lockers and with friends as a matter of course and are consistently not ready to be picked up right away. Arriving a few minutes later can make pick up less stressful.
- Pick up your child ONLY in a designated pick up or drop off location, or parking spot. Picking up in the middle of traffic slows the whole procession and means that children are dangerously walking among moving cars and in blind spots.
- Have your children walk to your location if you are in a parking spot or designated pick up location. They don’t need to be picked up right in front of the PAC entrance way or the end of the Senior School which backs up all traffic.
- Try to use the designated drop-off and pick-up lanes like you would at the airport. Once school is out at 3:20, if you are waiting here for longer than a few minutes, you should move into a parking spot (if one becomes available) so others can safely pick up children who are ready to go.
- Use both left and right sides of the drop-off lanes (people favour the right which slows things down).
- Increased traffic in the area is something we can do little about. You may find that approaching the school from the south and departing to the north (and avoiding two left turns in front of the school) makes things a little easier even if it adds a few kilometres to the journey.
Please keep these things in mind as we all try to make pick up and drop off a safer and more efficient experience for everyone. Thank you.
John Liggett
Head of School
Land Acknowledgment
The Country Day School wishes to recognize and acknowledge the land on which the school operates. Our nearest Indigenous Nations are now the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Chippewas of Georgina Island. The Dish with One Spoon Wampum covenant is often cited as an example of the shared responsibility for caring for these lands among the Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples who would call these their traditional territories. CDS respects the relationship with these lands and recognizes that our connection to this land can be strengthened by our continued relationship with all First Nations, by acknowledging our shared responsibility to respect and care for the land and waters for future generations.
School Information
Junior, Middle and Senior Schools
13415 Dufferin Street, King, Ontario L7B 1K5
(905) 833-1220
communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca
Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.
13415 Dufferin Street, King, Ontario L7B 1K5
(905) 833-1220
communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca
Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.
