Please adhere to our procedures for picking-up and dropping-off students.
Be considerate, courteous, and aware of the cars waiting in line behind you.
Always circle the block in a clockwise direction.
Always load and unload students from the building side of 17th Ave. No loading will be allowed this year from the Watkins Park side of the street until after 3:15. Stopping on that side of the road is creating severe gridlock at the light at 17th Ave. and Jo Johnston. Never load or unload on the eastbound lane of Jo Johnston. That lane is for magnet buses only.
When exiting either parking lot, turn right only between 2:50 and 3:30 P.M. This is the single biggest cause of congestion in front of the building. Student drivers: if you really need to get to Jo Johnston directly, then park in the back lot. It empties out much more quickly than the front. On turning right out of the front lot you can then take the first right past the railroad tracks (Herman), go down to 12th Ave. and turn right and this feeds back to Charlotte. Or you can take the second left onto Jackson and then turn left onto D.B. Todd Blvd. to get back to Charlotte.
Whenever possible, pull over to the curb to load and unload. Never double park. You may stop briefly in the second lane only if you are actively loading or unloading (please ask your student to watch for you and load and unload quickly).
If you have to go into the building for any reason, please park in either the front or back lot. If no spaces are available, park as far down toward the gym end of the building as possible. Do not impede the flow of traffic in the pick-up lane between 2:30 and 3:30.
If you have followed all of these rules, but you cannot pull over to the curb lane and your student still has not exited the building do not under any circumstances sit stopped in the middle lane. This is inconsiderate, discourteous and unfair to the cars full of parents and students stuck behind you. Yes, it is inconvenient to have to circle the block and get back at the end of the line. If this happens regularly, you either need to arrive later or insist that your child move outside more quickly. Holding up everyone else is not an option!
