Thursday, July 29th, 2010

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Traffic Plan


At Marquez Charter School, children come first. We need a Traffic Plan to keep them safe. To make the Plan work, we need everyone’s cooperation.

Traffic Plan Map

Morning Kiss-N-Drop

Kiss-N-Drop Zone. From 8:00 to 8:30 am the North side of Marquez Ave. between Jacon Wy. and the Lower Yard (marked with orange cones) is a Kiss-N-Drop Zone. Please pull all the way forward, kiss your children and scoot them out the door. No dilly-dallying — just Kiss and Drop — there are cars waiting behind you. What not to do in the Kiss and Drop Zone:

  • Eat breakfast
  • Complete homework
  • Finish getting dressed
  • Discuss the US Constitution

Afternoon Pickup-N-Go

Pickup-N-Go Line. The north side of Marquez Ave. will be dedicated to the Pickup-N-Go line for the 20 minutes after school ends – no parking, stopping or getting out of your car during that time. The Pickup-N-Go line starts at the Lower Yard entrance. As the line forms, please keep the crosswalk and Teacher’s Parking Lot driveway clear! Each parent will receive a Pickup Placard to display on their dashboard (extra copies available in front office). When the school bell rings, the children will walk down to the Lower Yard waiting area. One traffic aide on the curb will radio ahead the names of the cars in line. Another traffic aide on Lower Yard will yell out the names on a bullhorn. Please load your child as quickly as possible.  Normal pickup resumes 20 minutes after school ends. See map.

Pickup Placard. The traffic aide will call out with a bullhorn in the Lower Yard waiting area whatever you write on the Pickup Placard. You can write your child(ren)’s name, a carpool name, a secret password, etc. You just need to make sure your child(ren) knows what to listen for down at the waiting area. If you need extra Pickup Placards, one for just your kids and one for the car pool, there are extra copies available in the front office. In line, you can always tell the traffic aide an extra name to call out.

Kindergarten. When school ends, the afternoon Kindergarten teachers will walk their children to the Kindergarten Pickup Area (see map). Kindergarten parents in the Pickup-N-Go line move forward with the other cars and load when they move into the Kindergarten Pickup Area. If you want to spend some time talking to your Kindergarten teacher or other parents, however, you will need to park and walk.

The Later the Better. The first set of kids will be called five minutes after the bell rings. If your child can’t get down to the Lower Yard waiting area that quickly, you may want to get in the Pickup-N-Go line 10 or 15 minutes after the bell rings.

Park and Walk. Children who walk home won’t be impacted. They’ll simply tell the volunteer at the Front Entrance that they’re walking home or meeting their parents at Ronnie’s, on Edgar or wherever. Parents who park and walk in may meet their children in the Cafeteria Area or down on the Lower Yard. Children should not wait by the flagpole because this gets in the way of Kindergarten loading in the Pickup-N-Go line. Have your child wait in the same place every day to avoid confusion. Better yet, if you meet your child on the Lower Yard every day, s/he can get in some quality supervised free play time, and you can still use the Pickup-N-Go line on a day you need a quick pickup.

Others Picking Up Your Child. If someone else picks up your child, please go over the Traffic Plan with them and give them a Pickup Placard. There are plenty of extra Pickup Placards in the front office.

Pickup-N-Go Line Tips:

  • Come about 10 or 15 minutes after the bell rings to give your child time to walk down to the lower yard.
  • Look out for children crossing at the Crosswalk.
  • Don’t block the Teacher’s Parking Lot driveway.
  • Don’t cut in the Pickup-N-Go Line.
  • There are plenty of extra Pickup Placards in the front office.

On-Street Parking

There is plenty of parking on the surrounding streets — Do not park, pickup or drop off in the Teachers’ Parking Lot, not even for a couple of minutes.

  • Jacon Wy. (short uphill street on east side of school): all day parking on east side of street; no stopping any time on west side of street
  • Marquez Ter. (cul-de-sac parallel to Marquez off Jacon Way): all day parking on both sides of street
  • Ida St. (perpendicular to Marquez at Upper Yard): All day parking
  • Edgar St. (intersects Marquez at an angle to Lower Yard): All day parking
  • Marquez Ave. South (across from school): All day parking
  • Marquez Ave. North (in front of school) from Jacon Wy to Lower Yard: Look at posted signs for scheduled parking:
    • No Parking – Passenger loading only: 6:30 – 9:00 am and 1:30 – 4:00 pm
    • Traffic Plan – No parking
    • Kiss-N-Drop Zone: M-F 8:00 – 8:30 am
    • Pick-up-N-Go Line: M,W,F 2:30 – 3:30 pm and T,TH 1:30 – 2:30 pm
  • Two-Hour Parking – 9:00 am – 1:30 pm
  • Marquez Ave. North (at Lower Yard): School Bus parking only from 7:00 am – 5:00 pm.

We are fortunate to have so many all-day parking options. Please be extremely courteous and considerate to our resident neighbors. Do not block their driveways. Avoid turning around in driveways. Do not honk horns, discard trash or walk on lawns. Hold the noise down.

Safety Tips

WALKING TO SCHOOL:

  • Parents: Choose the best route to school and walk it with your children.
  • Obey all traffic signals, signs, and street markings (crosswalks).
  • Look in all directions (left right, left, forward and behind you) before crossing.
  • Cross the street at a corner or crosswalk only. Do not cross mid-block.
  • Stay alert at all times — especially in bad weather.

RIDING A BIKE TO SCHOOL:

  • A bike helmet must be worn at all times when bicycling. It’s school policy and California State Law.
  • With your parents, choose the best cycling route.
  • Obey all traffic signals; ride on the right – with the flow of traffic.
  • Children under the age of ten should always ride on the sidewalk in residential areas.
  • Do not ride your bike on the sidewalk in business districts. It’s against the law.
  • When cycling on the sidewalk, cross the street by walking your bike.

RIDING A BUS TO SCHOOL:

  • Stay out of the street and don’t play around at the bus stop.
  • Always wait for parents on the same side of the street as the school bus drop-off area.
  • Follow the bus driver’s instructions when crossing the street.
  • Stay in your seat at all times and keep the aisle clear.
  • Keep head, arms, and hands inside the bus.

RIDING IN A CAR TO SCHOOL:

  • Every person must wear a seat belt and remain belted until exiting the vehicle. It’s the law.
  • Children (under 60 pounds or under 6 years of age) must be in a child restraint seat when riding in a vehicle. It’s the law.
  • Children under the age of 12, and children in child restraint seats should sit in the back seat when traveling in a vehicle.
  • Riding in the back of a pick-up truck is against the law.
  • Children must cross only at the crosswalk — not mid-block.
  • Make sure children enter and exit the vehicle on the passenger side — nearest to the sidewalk.

For more information on bicycle safety seminars, traffic safety rodeos and parent training programs, contact Safe Moves at (818) 908-5341 and the LAUSD Bike LA Safety training at (213) 742-8218.