Traffic Letter

TO:                        Convent and Stuart Hall High School Parents
FROM:                   Pamela J. Hayes
CC:                        Administration, Faculty and Staff
RE:                        2008-09 Traffic Policies and Procedures

Thank all of you for cooperating with us in the very difficult and important area of traffic management. Because of your efforts we feel that we have provided a safer environment for your children and the entire community. In order to have time to plan even more efficiently for the 2008-2009 School Year, parents have the option of completing the mailed Traffic Compliance agreement or by completing it on line, here. . You will find the link to the Traffic Compliance Agreement and Registration Document at the bottom of this page.

Even if you do not normally pick-up or drop off your daughter or son, we must receive your signed compliance agreement, along with a listing of all vehicle license numbers that may be used to access either the Broadway campus or Pine/Octavia campus. If you do not own a vehicle and/or your son or daughter walks or takes public transportation exclusively, please mark the appropriate space on the compliance agreement. If your son or daughter drives to school, their vehicle must be listed and they must sign the agreement as well. A Compliance Agreement is required for all student drivers and all adult members of our community. The Director’s Office must be advised immediately of any changes during the school year.

Your partnership with the School is the key to the successful implementation of these procedures, and I know I can count on you to make them a reality. As a given, we want to maintain a good relationship with our neighbors and provide the most secure, efficient, and safe environment possible for our community, especially our students. Please read the following traffic rules and procedures and fill out the attached Compliance Agreement along with the license plate numbers of all vehicles that will be involved in dropping off or picking up your daughter or son at school or that will access either campus during the school day.

BROADWAY CAMPUS
Beginning again on September 3, every morning at “drop-off” one security guard will be present in the traffic lane along with members of our Administration. A crossing guard will also be stationed on Broadway at the Fillmore Street and Webster Street crosswalks. Every afternoon, at “pick-up”, two security guards will be present, one to direct the traffic lane and the other to supervise the intersection of Broadway and Webster. Please note the elementary schools' pick-up times. Only elementary school parents will be allowed to pick up in the white zone during those times, however the white zone is available for high school student pick-up before and after those times and drop-off in the white zone in the morning is strongly encouraged.

PINE/OCTAVIA CAMPUS
When the construction of Stuart Hall High School was approved by the San Francisco Planning Commission, we agreed with the Commission and the Pine and Octavia neighbors to manage the traffic generated by the school. Octavia is a narrow street and Pine Street is an extremely busy cross-town route. As part of this agreement, Stuart Hall High School asks that students take public transportation or carpool when possible. The School Office will assist families in locating other Stuart Hall and Convent families interested in carpooling. The school discourages students from driving to school and students who do drive to the Pine/Octavia campus must register with the high school office and secure off-street parking during the school day. Students will not be allowed to leave the school during the school day to relocate cars parked on the street. Additionally, the school has agreed with the City to enforce all traffic policies in place as outlined under the General Rules below.

GENERAL RULES
for all members of the Sacred Heart Community
during School Hours, 7:30 AM-6:00 PM Weekdays

The following procedures will be enforced for the 2008/2009 school year:

All State of California traffic rules must be followed.
Instructions of School Traffic Patrol Personnel must be followed.
During posted hours, no right turn is permitted from the Webster hill into the white zone or westbound lanes on Broadway.
Jaywalking and exiting a vehicle in a non-curbside lane is strictly prohibited.
Members of our community are expected to exercise patience at all times. Honking of horns disturbs the neighborhood and must be used only as a warning of imminent danger.
U-turns in front of either School and at the Webster Street intersection are prohibited during school hours and on Octavia Street at all times.
Double-parking, as well as parking in driveways, bus zones, red zones and white zones on Broadway, Webster and Fillmore Streets, and Octavia Street is prohibited by vehicle code 22500.
Drivers must never block the corner of Octavia Street and Pine in any manner that will prohibit Pine Street traffic from making a left-hand turn onto Octavia. Drivers must never block the corner of Broadway and Webster Streets in a manner that will prohibit through-traffic from making a right-hand turn down the Webster hill.
Drivers must never off-load or pick up their passengers in a driveway or the traffic lane on the Webster Street hill.
Drivers must not park in the school’s white zones during the posted hours unless otherwise directed by Traffic Personnel or Administration. These times are reserved for drop off and pick up of students.
Drivers must circle the block, should a curbside location not be available.
During arrival and dismissal times, students disembark or embark in the most expeditious manner to prevent unnecessary back-up or delays.
Use of cell phones while in the drop-off or pick-up zone is prohibited.

There is no High School use of the Broadway white zone during Elementary pick-up on Broadway from 2:30-3:40 p.m. on regular school days, 2:00-2:55 p.m. on Fridays and 11:45 a.m.-12:40p.m. on days that the elementary schools are dismissed midday (September 3 and December 19). At the Broadway campus, we strongly urge you to pick up your high school student in the traffic lane after the elementary schools' dismissal in front of the Flood Building. Cones will remain in place until 4:00 p.m. for this purpose. Please select a legal alternate location if you must pick up your High School student before then. High School students may be dropped off in the traffic lane in the mornings.

Instructions from Traffic Personnel during Arrival and Dismissal should be heeded at all times. Administration will be on duty daily during Arrival and Dismissal times. Please direct any problems to an Administrator or to the Traffic Officer.

We maintain a database with the license plate numbers of our parents and the designated drivers of their Schools of the Sacred Heart students. Parents will be contacted immediately should they or their alternate be observed in violation of our traffic/safety procedures.

If you have any suggestions, please call Terry Betterly, Director of Finance and Operations at (415) 292-3138.

The following information does not pertain to High School Students, but is included here for your information. If there is a kindergarten, lower form or middle form student in your family, you will receive a separate Traffic Letter and Compliance Agreement.

Convent Elementary School and Stuart Hall for Boys

All children must be dropped off and picked up in the traffic lane.
Hint: There is seldom a wait before 8:00 AM and after 3:40 PM.
Once we have received your completed Compliance Agreement, you will be sent one
Traffic Lane Permit per family, per vehicle listed. A Traffic Lane permit must be displayed in order to use the pick-up lane during pick-up hours.
Only vehicles with a Traffic Lane Permit displayed will be allowed in the pick-up lane at the appropriate times for dismissal.
Please enter the drop-off/ pick-up lane at the corner of Webster and Broadway at the appropriate hours. See #9, Pick-up Times. All drop-off and pick-up in front of the school must be done from the drop-off/pick-up lanes only. Drivers must ALWAYS remain in their cars.
If you do not have your Traffic Lane Permit displayed or if you need to speak to someone, PLEASE:
- Park your car 'legally
- Walk to the school.
Backpacks should be on your child's lap or on the car seat or floor, not in the trunk, as this impedes the smooth flow of traffic.
Arrivals: The Campus opens at 7:30 a.m. Beginning on Friday, September 1, Escort Service is available at 8:00 AM. For Escort Service, please pull all the way up in front of Stuart Hall in order for student escorts to assist in opening and closing car doors. An escort will walk Kindergarten and First Grade children into school. Please display your permit so that the escorts can identify your child's grade level. If you are using the Escort Service, please do not stop in the drop-off lane until you are in front of Stuart Hall.
Dismissal: If picking up more than one child, please arrive at the time designated for the eldest student. The younger children will be supervised and waiting in the Broadway yard. Exception: Kindergarten students are to be picked up at their regular dismissal times.

WE USE TRAFFIC PERMITS in order to more easily facilitate pick-ups.

Please do not arrive early. Cars will not be allowed into the pick-up zone prior to the designated time. Double-parking or parking in driveways, through-traffic lanes, red zones and white zones on Broadway, Webster and Fillmore is prohibited by vehicle code 22500. Please arrive in the neighborhood at the appropriate times. THIS WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED.

Pick-up Times:	Day	Time
Kindergarten	Mon.-Thurs Friday Midday Dismissal	2:45 p.m. 2:00 p.m 11:45 a.m
Lower Form Grades 1 & 2 Grades 3 & 4	Mon.-Thurs Friday Midday Dismissal Mon.-Thurs Friday Midday Dismissal	3:00 p.m. 2:15 p.m. 12:00 p.m. 3:15 p.m. 2:30 p.m 12:15 p.m.
Middle Form Grades 5-8	Mon.-Thurs Friday Midday Dismissal	3:30 p.m. 2:45 p.m 12:30 p.m.

Convent and Stuart Hall Faculty will dismiss their classes on time and make sure that the students are in front of school at the assigned departure time. As Lower Form vehicles enter the pick-up zone, a staff member will be positioned at the corner of Broadway and Webster and will use a walkie-talkie to radio the names of families to the classroom teachers in the pick-up areas. Children will be at the curb, ready for pick-up. If your child is not at the curb, prepared to get into the car, then the driver will be expected to go around the block and get back into line.

Faculty are not available for conversation because traffic and safety are their primary duties at dismissal time. If parents wish to discuss a matter, they are asked to please call and leave a message for the teacher. Arrival and dismissal time is extremely serious business and all our attention must be directed to the safety and well-being of each child.

I/We have read the Traffic Policies and Procedures and understand I/We must comply with School procedures as well as the Traffic Laws of the State of California. I understand that compliance with Traffic Policies and Procedures, both the School’s and the State’s is a condition of continued enrollment.

License plate numbers for all vehicles driven by parents, students, and family-designated drivers must be registered with the Director's Office for traffic, parking, and carpooling. By, selecting “AGREE “you will be linked to the 2008-09 registration form (Traffic Compliance Agreement).