Drop-Off Zone: 

Drop-Off Zones pose a challenge the world over. When I visited the United States I witnessed a system where cars were siphoned in via coordination between teachers with Walkie-Talkies. A child would be ready, a message relayed, a car sent forward and the child duly collected. We don't have a big near-by waiting zone site, so this is not an option.

The new crossing work is an added challenge but I have to say, things have gone remarkably smoothly these first few days of term.

There is one problem though that we REALLY need your support with.

PLEASE drive to the top of the drop-zone. Please do NOT stop at the start of the drop-sone to collect or drop-off children by the bottom gate. This may mean an extra 25 steps for your child, but they can cope with that.

When parents stop at the bottom (first) gate they stop the flow of traffic as cars cannot proceed into the drop-off zone. This causes havoc on the road - especially while crossing works are being done.

Thanks for your support and understanding with this.

In case you are interested, here is the final paragraph of an article about one solution an American school tried  - somehow I don't think we could try that at Western Heights.

Windsor Charter Academy in Windsor, Colo., capitalizes on car-line angst by auctioning off prized parking spaces to parents. The K-12 charter school uses a dismissal app and gives parents detailed instructions. Even so, “it’s a pain point obviously for parents,” said Sara Sanders, the school’s communications director.

Sarah Baldwin and Annalyssa Brandley, sisters who collectively have four children at the school, bought their way out last year. They made the winning bid for exclusive use of a choice parking spot for the school year: $560.

“It was worth every penny,” Baldwin said. “I cut 45 minutes out of sitting in a line every

single day, waiting for them to come out. I just pull up and get them.”