Will Arrival Wait Times Improve?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LAMB was not great this morning. Lots of congregating outside before the doors opened, and the doors opened late. Things were easier/more organized in this spring. I am hoping it gets better this week.

The biggest issue I saw at LAMB this morning was parents who ignored the explicit instruction that parents using the kiss and ride option should not get out of the car. I saw numerous parents this morning get out to take first day of school pictures. While frustrating for those of us behind them in line, I'm reminding myself that this is just the first day, excitement/nerves are running high, this particular issue won't be a long-term problem, and that everyone going back to school (parents, students, teachers) deserve some grace as we get back into the swing of things. Based on what I saw today, I think we will see significant improvement by the end of the week.

how do you get your kid out of the car seat without getting out?

...you've never seen a kiss-and-ride? There's a helper who helps kids out of the car if necessary. You drive up, that helper opens the kid's door, unbuckles them if needs be, helps them out, helps them get on their backpack if needs be, walks them inside if needs be.

Nope- kid is entering prek-4 and we've never set foot on a DCPS campus, and the school docs sent over didn't mention any helper. Sorry we're not all a ~*genius*~ like you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LAMB was not great this morning. Lots of congregating outside before the doors opened, and the doors opened late. Things were easier/more organized in this spring. I am hoping it gets better this week.

The biggest issue I saw at LAMB this morning was parents who ignored the explicit instruction that parents using the kiss and ride option should not get out of the car. I saw numerous parents this morning get out to take first day of school pictures. While frustrating for those of us behind them in line, I'm reminding myself that this is just the first day, excitement/nerves are running high, this particular issue won't be a long-term problem, and that everyone going back to school (parents, students, teachers) deserve some grace as we get back into the swing of things. Based on what I saw today, I think we will see significant improvement by the end of the week.

how do you get your kid out of the car seat without getting out?

...you've never seen a kiss-and-ride? There's a helper who helps kids out of the car if necessary. You drive up, that helper opens the kid's door, unbuckles them if needs be, helps them out, helps them get on their backpack if needs be, walks them inside if needs be.

In my ten years as an ES parent, I never once saw a helper at our school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LAMB was not great this morning. Lots of congregating outside before the doors opened, and the doors opened late. Things were easier/more organized in this spring. I am hoping it gets better this week.

The biggest issue I saw at LAMB this morning was parents who ignored the explicit instruction that parents using the kiss and ride option should not get out of the car. I saw numerous parents this morning get out to take first day of school pictures. While frustrating for those of us behind them in line, I'm reminding myself that this is just the first day, excitement/nerves are running high, this particular issue won't be a long-term problem, and that everyone going back to school (parents, students, teachers) deserve some grace as we get back into the swing of things. Based on what I saw today, I think we will see significant improvement by the end of the week.

how do you get your kid out of the car seat without getting out?

...you've never seen a kiss-and-ride? There's a helper who helps kids out of the car if necessary. You drive up, that helper opens the kid's door, unbuckles them if needs be, helps them out, helps them get on their backpack if needs be, walks them inside if needs be.

Nope- kid is entering prek-4 and we've never set foot on a DCPS campus, and the school docs sent over didn't mention any helper. Sorry we're not all a ~*genius*~ like you.

I apologize if I sounded snotty. I'm living in this jaded world at present where every post I read on DCUM I think it someone trying to shame others about covid safety. Not a good look, I realize.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LAMB was not great this morning. Lots of congregating outside before the doors opened, and the doors opened late. Things were easier/more organized in this spring. I am hoping it gets better this week.

The biggest issue I saw at LAMB this morning was parents who ignored the explicit instruction that parents using the kiss and ride option should not get out of the car. I saw numerous parents this morning get out to take first day of school pictures. While frustrating for those of us behind them in line, I'm reminding myself that this is just the first day, excitement/nerves are running high, this particular issue won't be a long-term problem, and that everyone going back to school (parents, students, teachers) deserve some grace as we get back into the swing of things. Based on what I saw today, I think we will see significant improvement by the end of the week.

how do you get your kid out of the car seat without getting out?

...you've never seen a kiss-and-ride? There's a helper who helps kids out of the car if necessary. You drive up, that helper opens the kid's door, unbuckles them if needs be, helps them out, helps them get on their backpack if needs be, walks them inside if needs be.

Nope- kid is entering prek-4 and we've never set foot on a DCPS campus, and the school docs sent over didn't mention any helper. Sorry we're not all a ~*genius*~ like you.

I think you can get out of your car for primary kids. Parents of elementary kids (grades 1-5) are supposed to stay in the car, but few did so from what I can see. Lots of parents had supplies to drop off that the younger kids couldn’t carry so they got out (we had to do this too). I am hoping it goes much faster tomorrow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LAMB was not great this morning. Lots of congregating outside before the doors opened, and the doors opened late. Things were easier/more organized in this spring. I am hoping it gets better this week.

The biggest issue I saw at LAMB this morning was parents who ignored the explicit instruction that parents using the kiss and ride option should not get out of the car. I saw numerous parents this morning get out to take first day of school pictures. While frustrating for those of us behind them in line, I'm reminding myself that this is just the first day, excitement/nerves are running high, this particular issue won't be a long-term problem, and that everyone going back to school (parents, students, teachers) deserve some grace as we get back into the swing of things. Based on what I saw today, I think we will see significant improvement by the end of the week.

how do you get your kid out of the car seat without getting out?

...you've never seen a kiss-and-ride? There's a helper who helps kids out of the car if necessary. You drive up, that helper opens the kid's door, unbuckles them if needs be, helps them out, helps them get on their backpack if needs be, walks them inside if needs be.

In my ten years as an ES parent, I never once saw a helper at our school.

I think it's more a thing at places that have zero parking or routes of drop-off that lead to congestion. You don't want the neighbors pissed at the school, so generally parent volunteers help out by doing the kiss-and-ride. Maybe your schools just haven't had the congestion issues.

[Anonymous]

No, we had drop off in the middle of the block next to school. No parking. No pulling over to the curb. No helpers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:also appreciate the comment about pictures. it may be a normal day for some, but for others its the first time their kid has ever gone to primary school, a forever memory, and i don't care one bit if it delays my drop off or others, you can't get that moment back!

The go park your car and walk up to the building for.pictures. you don't use the kiss & ride or drop-off lane if you know you need need to talk to a teacher or get out of your car to take picture or drop something off. Just park you stupid car down the block and walk your kid up! Better yet take the picture at home or after school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, we had drop off in the middle of the block next to school. No parking. No pulling over to the curb. No helpers.

So I guess that would lead to a lot of congestion and a headache at drop-off. What was your solution?

[Anonymous]

The two charters I've been at with no parking both have had parent volunteers serving as helpers. Sometimes it was also staff.

For those of you with irritating drop-offs and no helpers, it might be worthwhile to suggest to PTO or the school to get parent volunteers.

[Anonymous]

Whittier has QR codes at the entries that go to the link for the online screening form. I bookmarked the link and fill it out before my kid leaves for school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:also appreciate the comment about pictures. it may be a normal day for some, but for others its the first time their kid has ever gone to primary school, a forever memory, and i don't care one bit if it delays my drop off or others, you can't get that moment back!

Or your school can offer a photo station where they send out the photos

[Anonymous]

The first day of school is always madness. It was madness pre-covid and it was madness yesterday. Some of it is people figuring out a new routine (this is my sixth year at our school and they changed things around so even we had to adjust) and some of it both parents dropping kids off (when usually there may be just one, so less people milling around). Plus you have the parents who must ask the new teacher about her employment history (on day one?! At arrival?! Good grief lady). It was a bit better today and will probably be fine by next week. Not looking forward to tomorrow with the rain though because even pre-covid arrival and dismissal in the rain was a cluster at our school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:also appreciate the comment about pictures. it may be a normal day for some, but for others its the first time their kid has ever gone to primary school, a forever memory, and i don't care one bit if it delays my drop off or others, you can't get that moment back!

The go park your car and walk up to the building for.pictures. you don't use the kiss & ride or drop-off lane if you know you need need to talk to a teacher or get out of your car to take picture or drop something off. Just park you stupid car down the block and walk your kid up! Better yet take the picture at home or after school.

Lamb makes a big deal about not parking in the neighborhood to avoid angering the neighborhood.

I am a DC taxpayer and will freely park in the neighborhood as I see fit. I suggest other parents do the same. It is a breeze to park and walk a block or two.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The two charters I've been at with no parking both have had parent volunteers serving as helpers. Sometimes it was also staff.

For those of you with irritating drop-offs and no helpers, it might be worthwhile to suggest to PTO or the school to get parent volunteers.

It would be even MORE worthwhile to offer to help with this! In my experience with a PTO, if there is something like this that isn't happening, it's because there isn't capacity to make it happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:also appreciate the comment about pictures. it may be a normal day for some, but for others its the first time their kid has ever gone to primary school, a forever memory, and i don't care one bit if it delays my drop off or others, you can't get that moment back!

The go park your car and walk up to the building for.pictures. you don't use the kiss & ride or drop-off lane if you know you need need to talk to a teacher or get out of your car to take picture or drop something off. Just park you stupid car down the block and walk your kid up! Better yet take the picture at home or after school.

Lamb makes a big deal about not parking in the neighborhood to avoid angering the neighborhood.

I am a DC taxpayer and will freely park in the neighborhood as I see fit. I suggest other parents do the same. It is a breeze to park and walk a block or two.

You must be so fun!