Principal's Page

Your Help Please:

One of the more challenging parts of my job is helping manage traffic at the end of each day. Some days the log-jam of traffic is huge and traffic comes to a stand-still.

I am happy to help in any way I can, and often people appreciate that help, though not always. I have been sworn at and spat at by frustrated motorists who felt (for example) that I should be banning cars from turning right into our Drop Off Zone. They seem to not realise I have NO authority to control traffic, I am just out there helping as best I can.

You can definitely help me out though - here's how:

1.  Do NOT stop on our yellow lines in our Drop Off Zone. It doesn't matter that you  think it's a quick stop - if it's a yellow line, don't stop there.
2.  Drive ALL the way towards the top of the Drop Off Zone before dropping off or  collecting children.
3.  Stay OFF your phone while waiting on the road or waiting in the queue in the Drop  Off Zone. (I have nearly been run over twice while managing traffic on the road by  parents who were looking at their phone while driving.)
4.  Stay aware - if the queue in the Drop Zone starts moving up, please also move up.
5.  Never get out of you car and leave it in the middle of the Drop Off Zone.
6.  Be patient. Tooting your horn briefly can be a help - blasting it, nearly led to a parent  fight in our car park recently.
7.  Time your arrival at the end of the day - dismissals are at 2:40 pm and 2:50 pm.

Almost once a week I receive phone calls from frustrated customers of the Palomino shops. Sometimes it's an elderly person who can't get a park to get to their Doctor's appointment. Sometimes it's just they can't get access to the chemist or the supermarket there. Sometimes they are really angry and abuse me because I am not stopping parents from parking there at the end of the school day. 

Again, I have NO authority to control parent parking. However, I can ask you nicely to use alternatives - such as parking at the bottom of the alley-way beside where our Bus Stop used to be.

This comes out to the No Exit street off Midhurst. It's a great spot to park - easy for you and easy for children to access or walk with you to the car.

Parking further down Sturges Road is also a good option - exercise is good for us. 

😇 😉

As always - if you have questions or concerns about anything school-related - email me at macash@mac.com and I will get back to you asap

Take care all - tofa soifua.

Ash Maindonald

Principal.