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Important Traffic & Safety Reminders

by | Sep 26, 2022

A reminder to all families: please abide by all traffic & parking rules & restrictions in the streets around our school. The safety of the children and families must be all of our priority, we ALL need to do the right thing.

Please note: in term 4, much of our staff parking lot will be closed due to construction at the school. Street parking will become even more difficult.

We will be putting in place some new practices at the Kiss & Go to improve how it functions, stay tuned for more on that in October.

We very highly recommend families and students walk, ride, or scoot to school in Term 4 as the weather improves. Use the school holidays to plan out your route… try parking along Woodend Way or Hugh Johnson Reserve and walking or scooting just part of the way to school or partner up with friends and share the supervision of a small walking group.

We will also remind students of traffic and safety best practices while coming to and from at assemblies in term 4.

KISS & GO Expectations:
The Kiss & Go Zone is a 2 min only drop off & pick up zone: 8:30-9am and 2:30-3:30pm

  • DO NOT arrive before the bell rings to wait in this zone… the zone should be empty of all cars until after the bell rings and students are actually ready to be picked up
  • cars that are waiting in the zone before the bell rings are violating parking restrictions – if you are there longer than 2 minutes you are parking and may get fined
  • children are supervised until 3:20 and the kiss & go zone is generally empty at this time – try coming to the zone between 3:15-3:20
  • pull up to the front of the zone as far as you can – do not stop in middle of zone
  • do not leave your car unattended
  • do not loiter in your car watching or waiting
  • drop off & pick up quickly – this is a 2 min only zone
  • if you are waiting longer than 2 mins, drive around block & come back
  • do not stop/block traffic/block crossing to wait for spots to open in the zone
  • if there are no spaces, drive around block & come back
  • do not double park to pick up or drop off children
  • do not U Turn into or out of zone

NEIGHBOURHOOD PARKING:

Please be mindful of our neighbors if you are parking near the school: do not block driveways and watch for no parking/no stopping zones.

SCHOOL CROSSINGS:

Legally it is stated that “a pedestrian must not cross a road within 20 metres of a crossing on the road, except at the crossing or another crossing.”

Modelling safe behaviour when crossing the road is essential in developing safe practices by children. Hence we ask that to ensure safety for children, that all children (and adults), cross at the designated crossings on Young Street and/or Edward Beck Drive.

FAQs

Can I leave my car to assist children getting into/out of car?

You are not allowed to leave your car unattended in a ‘No Parking Zone’ – i.e. the Kiss & Go Zone – however you may certainly get out of your car to assist children when necessary. Please keep in mind this is a 2 minute zone, so we do ask drivers to pick up and drop off quickly: please do not loiter (i.e. do not wait to watch your children walk all the way to their classrooms) and if you do not need to assist children, the zone will move more quickly if you remain in the car for pick up/drop off.

What if my child needs to enter/exit the car on the driver’s side?

Best practice is for children to enter/exit the car on the passenger side and this is what our students learn at the road safety school. It is considered by road traffic authorities to be a highly unsafe practice to use the passenger side for children to enter or exit the vehicle. However if your child must enter/exit the car on the driver’s side we urge you to use your own judgement and caution in the Kiss & Go – just as you would if you were parking – and get out of the car to assist them to enter/exit the car safely.

Can’t staff or parent volunteers direct/monitor traffic so it moves smoothly?

No. Staff and parents are not allowed to monitor/police/direct traffic. Staff are in the zone to monitor and supervise children. Police and/or marion council have the job of monitoring/policing traffic. They may give tickets/warnings for the following:

  • parking/leaving car unattended/staying to long in 2 min kiss & go zone
  • parking in no stopping zones/on yellow lines
  • double parking or pausing in the line of traffic (next to the kiss and go zone) to pick up children
  • illegal UTurns (e.g. across the solid white line on Edward Beck)
  • parking on reserves or on the verge or other Council Property
  • parking in front of post box on Edward Beck
  • blocking driveways
  • not stopping at school crossing when STOP signs are raised

Can’t we create more parking?

No. The authority for local street parking falls under Marion Council. Parking restrictions are in place in local streets by request of local residents and as per local traffic regulations. Local reserves will not be used for parking.

Who do I contact if I have noticed / experienced a traffic issue?

Marion council are responsible for local traffic restrictions. If you see something of concern, please contact them. The free app Snap Send Solve is an easy way to shoot a message off to Marion Council about the concern you’ve witnessed (eg parking in a no parking zone) or contact via website. Perhaps the more Marion Council hear from local community the more they will come and give warnings or tickets. If you are a witness to a traffic violation, an accident, or an altercation please contact the police.

Woodend Governing Council continues to be in contact with Marion Council, Local Councillors and MPs, the Department for Infrastructure and Transport, and the Department for Education when safety concerns are raised, but the bottom line is that we need all parents/carers coming to and from school to follow all traffic rules and restrictions. Let us all put the safety of the children first, before convenience or ease or being rushed for time or any of the other things that might tempt us to ignore the rules.