Thoughts on the new Churchill principal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Curious if anyone saw the new parking lot logistics in action this afternoon.

If it were a shitshow, there would have been tons of posters ready to throw Mrs. Heckert under the proverbial bus. The lack of comments means one thing; all must have gone pretty well despite the Armageddon predicted by the pushy Potomac parents.

Not really. You posted in the afternoon. Parents probably are busy driving carpools, cooking dinner, and getting ready for the next day of school and work when you posted.

They had MCPS personnel guarding the lot from cars from what I can tell. I did not see the Resource Officer to direct traffic as promised but perhaps she came out after I left. Seniors had the biggest impact because the buses blocked them in lot. The buses filled 2 lanes in the loop and it appeared that the lot was too small to fit all the buses MCPS has intended to put there.

The faculty lot is much bigger and would be a better solution. Staggering the buses they want to put in the student lot might be necessary. Buses were still arriving after 2:30pm. Victory Lane traffic became a standstill till buses could turn into the loop.

Yesterday, the weather was good. Add rain or snow to the mix (including the snow piles where the snow will be pushed) and the scene would be even more ridiculous.

Here's an idea. Since the busses transport the majority of the students how about the pick ups and drivers be held until everyone else gets out of there?

Actually, the buses they are putting in the student lot do not transport the majority of students. These are special education buses that transport a much smaller number of students than the number of students who park their cars in their assigned spots in that lot and the students who get picked up in that lot. They need to move those buses to the the faculty lot or figure something else out because in talking to several parents the dismissal yesterday from that lot was as bad as most of us suspected it would be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Curious if anyone saw the new parking lot logistics in action this afternoon.

If it were a shitshow, there would have been tons of posters ready to throw Mrs. Heckert under the proverbial bus. The lack of comments means one thing; all must have gone pretty well despite the Armageddon predicted by the pushy Potomac parents.

Not really. You posted in the afternoon. Parents probably are busy driving carpools, cooking dinner, and getting ready for the next day of school and work when you posted.

They had MCPS personnel guarding the lot from cars from what I can tell. I did not see the Resource Officer to direct traffic as promised but perhaps she came out after I left. Seniors had the biggest impact because the buses blocked them in lot. The buses filled 2 lanes in the loop and it appeared that the lot was too small to fit all the buses MCPS has intended to put there.

The faculty lot is much bigger and would be a better solution. Staggering the buses they want to put in the student lot might be necessary. Buses were still arriving after 2:30pm. Victory Lane traffic became a standstill till buses could turn into the loop.

Yesterday, the weather was good. Add rain or snow to the mix (including the snow piles where the snow will be pushed) and the scene would be even more ridiculous.

Here's an idea. Since the busses transport the majority of the students how about the pick ups and drivers be held until everyone else gets out of there?

Staggering the buses any more than current practice has implications downstream-- they would be late for their middle school runs, and then two sets of elementary school runs. This could have been worked out before the start of school (possibly) but at this point would throw off their entire system.

[Anonymous]

Some of these buses had less than 5 students on them yet they were full size buses. As PP said, these are Special Education buses so the number of children per bus is much lower than a typical school bus.

MCPS choses to not use vans in its transportation fleet like other school districts use for Special Education transportation. The size and number of these buses at Churchill is part of the problem.

[Anonymous]

Can't parents pick up at the stadium loop at dismissal time, and not worry about this second pick up point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Curious if anyone saw the new parking lot logistics in action this afternoon.

If it were a shitshow, there would have been tons of posters ready to throw Mrs. Heckert under the proverbial bus. The lack of comments means one thing; all must have gone pretty well despite the Armageddon predicted by the pushy Potomac parents.

Not really. You posted in the afternoon. Parents probably are busy driving carpools, cooking dinner, and getting ready for the next day of school and work when you posted.

They had MCPS personnel guarding the lot from cars from what I can tell. I did not see the Resource Officer to direct traffic as promised but perhaps she came out after I left. Seniors had the biggest impact because the buses blocked them in lot. The buses filled 2 lanes in the loop and it appeared that the lot was too small to fit all the buses MCPS has intended to put there.

The faculty lot is much bigger and would be a better solution. Staggering the buses they want to put in the student lot might be necessary. Buses were still arriving after 2:30pm. Victory Lane traffic became a standstill till buses could turn into the loop.

Yesterday, the weather was good. Add rain or snow to the mix (including the snow piles where the snow will be pushed) and the scene would be even more ridiculous.

Here's an idea. Since the busses transport the majority of the students how about the pick ups and drivers be held until everyone else gets out of there?

Staggering the buses any more than current practice has implications downstream-- they would be late for their middle school runs, and then two sets of elementary school runs. This could have been worked out before the start of school (possibly) but at this point would throw off their entire system.

So safety for the students who park and walk through the Victory lot is the price for MCPS convenience and schedules. Again, a very short sided and heavy handed move by Heckert.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can't parents pick up at the stadium loop at dismissal time, and not worry about this second pick up point?

That lot is smaller than Victory - too small to handle the traffic. Parents will start gravitating there I am sure because the other lot is a non-option at the moment. The result will be the main bus loop will be blocked by parents trying to enter the stadium lot. Total gridlock.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some of these buses had less than 5 students on them yet they were full size buses. As PP said, these are Special Education buses so the number of children per bus is much lower than a typical school bus.

MCPS choses to not use vans in its transportation fleet like other school districts use for Special Education transportation. The size and number of these buses at Churchill is part of the problem.

Well well wouldn't want the special ed kids to get any special treatment now would we. Why not just have your kids walk down to Fox Run and pick them up there. Jeeze, you just need every single thing done to your schedule and your liking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of these buses had less than 5 students on them yet they were full size buses. As PP said, these are Special Education buses so the number of children per bus is much lower than a typical school bus.

MCPS choses to not use vans in its transportation fleet like other school districts use for Special Education transportation. The size and number of these buses at Churchill is part of the problem.

Well well wouldn't want the special ed kids to get any special treatment now would we. Why not just have your kids walk down to Fox Run and pick them up there. Jeeze, you just need every single thing done to your schedule and your liking.

Vans would be cheeper to purchase and maintain, use less gas, and be easier to fit in the small loop while servicing the needs of the Special Education children.

BTW - I have a child with Special Needs so I am in favor of supporting this population in the community. I don't think anything I posted said otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of these buses had less than 5 students on them yet they were full size buses. As PP said, these are Special Education buses so the number of children per bus is much lower than a typical school bus.

MCPS choses to not use vans in its transportation fleet like other school districts use for Special Education transportation. The size and number of these buses at Churchill is part of the problem.

Well well wouldn't want the special ed kids to get any special treatment now would we. Why not just have your kids walk down to Fox Run and pick them up there. Jeeze, you just need every single thing done to your schedule and your liking.

Vans would be cheeper to purchase and maintain, use less gas, and be easier to fit in the small loop while servicing the needs of the Special Education children.

BTW - I have a child with Special Needs so I am in favor of supporting this population in the community. I don't think anything I posted said otherwise.

Has it occurred to anyone that maybe they use these busses for other things? That they can't tailor everything to us? The level of entitlement is simply astounding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of these buses had less than 5 students on them yet they were full size buses. As PP said, these are Special Education buses so the number of children per bus is much lower than a typical school bus.

MCPS choses to not use vans in its transportation fleet like other school districts use for Special Education transportation. The size and number of these buses at Churchill is part of the problem.

Well well wouldn't want the special ed kids to get any special treatment now would we. Why not just have your kids walk down to Fox Run and pick them up there. Jeeze, you just need every single thing done to your schedule and your liking.

Vans would be cheeper to purchase and maintain, use less gas, and be easier to fit in the small loop while servicing the needs of the Special Education children.

BTW - I have a child with Special Needs so I am in favor of supporting this population in the community. I don't think anything I posted said otherwise.

Has it occurred to anyone that maybe they use these busses for other things? That they can't tailor everything to us? The level of entitlement is simply astounding.

Like transport student athletes to school games and meets. Nope. Only the football teams has this privilege. Other sports have perverted coaches more than happy to give rides.

[Anonymous]

Mini / Half Size Buses in the Victory Lot today. Size of the vehicles did make a difference and the buses were able to fit better without spilling out into the road.

Stadium lot option was a MESS. Traffic tie ups on Gainsborough with the number of cars waiting to turn into the tiny lot.

Perhaps move the mini buses to the faculty lot? Or have the faculty lot be another designated student pickup site with one way traffic flow?

Still not sure how long Seniors had to wait to exit the Senior lot. The buses were still parked when I left the neighborhood at 2:40pm and even though smaller, they still block students from exiting the parking lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Curious if anyone saw the new parking lot logistics in action this afternoon.

If it were a shitshow, there would have been tons of posters ready to throw Mrs. Heckert under the proverbial bus. The lack of comments means one thing; all must have gone pretty well despite the Armageddon predicted by the pushy Potomac parents.

Not really. You posted in the afternoon. Parents probably are busy driving carpools, cooking dinner, and getting ready for the next day of school and work when you posted.

They had MCPS personnel guarding the lot from cars from what I can tell. I did not see the Resource Officer to direct traffic as promised but perhaps she came out after I left. Seniors had the biggest impact because the buses blocked them in lot. The buses filled 2 lanes in the loop and it appeared that the lot was too small to fit all the buses MCPS has intended to put there.

The faculty lot is much bigger and would be a better solution. Staggering the buses they want to put in the student lot might be necessary. Buses were still arriving after 2:30pm. Victory Lane traffic became a standstill till buses could turn into the loop.

Yesterday, the weather was good. Add rain or snow to the mix (including the snow piles where the snow will be pushed) and the scene would be even more ridiculous.

Umm, no. Look at the post again. I posted in the late evening. After 11 pm.

Mrs. Heckert is trying to solve traffic problems that have existed for years under do nothing Benz. Will her solutions be perfect from the get go? Probably not, but she’s very open to feedback.

People here should try dropping the Potomac entitlement, provide her with thoughtful feedback, and give it time.

[Anonymous]

If she wanted parental input then she should have had a meeting on the issue. Currently, her solution for traffic is worst than the status quo under Benz.

The "Potomac" entitlement slur would reference you don't live in Potomac and thus have no problems bashing a community. Anytime a parent speaks up with a legitimate concern, we are bashed for our zip code. Sheer brilliance in collaboration.

[Anonymous]

I tried to give her thoughtful input but she didn't have a meeting with parents and she won't return an email or phone call.

[Anonymous]

Less MCPS staff in the student parking lot today. No one was monitoring the entrance to the lot. I observed 3 students (who's exit was blocked by the line of buses) disobey the traffic rules for the lot and exit via the lot entrance. The last student came close to a head on collision with a MCPS school bus. Mrs. Heckert should talk with the bus drivers for their input as to the situation in the student parking lot. This incident occurred at approximately 2:35pm today.