Will Arrival Wait Times Improve?

[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.

Thank you!! so many parents here assume that what you experience at your school is the same everywhere. We've received no info on a helper, nor have we done this type of drop off/experienced school during covid, it was an innocent question as to how you literally get a 3-4 year old out of a car without getting out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

All forgiven, no one is more stressed about covid than me, two kids under the age of 5 that cannot be vaxed but both are in school. I would love nothing more than to have a school fairy arrive at my car and drag my kid out if its 1) safer 2) faster and 3) easier, just didn't know it was happening. Will report back after my kiddo starts later this week.
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]

Also, new parent to DC schools, just know (and I say this as a person with experience at three separate charters now): communication from schools never seems to be great. You often need to ask for specific info, or you stumble onto something that you didn't know because you talk to another parent. I found it very jarring when first kid started PK3, but then realized it was something pretty common to seemingly all DC schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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!

Why? Anyone can park on the street and pp is probably there for less than 15 min.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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!

Why? Anyone can park on the street and pp is probably there for less than 15 min.

It's more the "I pay taxes so I can do it!" attitude that was off-putting. We all do what we have to do when our kids aren't in walking distance, but I don't think it's a bad thing to be mindful of a school's impact on neighbors. The PP seemed pretty scornful of that idea. Maybe I read too much into their comment, but perhaps not....

[Anonymous]

Can say that wait time today was non-existent after about a half-hour yesterday. Today, parents weren’t allowed near the school entrance and the kids lined up by grade to be let in. The whole thing took less than 5 minutes.

[Anonymous]

We are at a charter outside of DC with a kiss and ride that started a few weeks ago.

First day was 55 minutes. Today was under 10 minutes. Huge improvement in just a few weeks time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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!

Why? Anyone can park on the street and pp is probably there for less than 15 min.

It's more the "I pay taxes so I can do it!" attitude that was off-putting. We all do what we have to do when our kids aren't in walking distance, but I don't think it's a bad thing to be mindful of a school's impact on neighbors. The PP seemed pretty scornful of that idea. Maybe I read too much into their comment, but perhaps not....

I’m super fun.

And no I don’t give a crap about the neighbors around lamb. I live in a neighborhood that is popular on the weekends. I don’t get to tell people to not park in my neighborhood and neither do the 16th street heights neighbors. Put up with it. It’s 15 minutes, max. You don’t get special rules.

[Anonymous]

At a local IB where 90% of the arrivals are by foot and we had a 30 minute line yesterday and 5 minutes today. It's actually pickup that's more of an issue, since they will only dismiss the kids when adults arrive one-at-a-time to claim them.

[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.

lol what a miserable person you must be.....your poor kiddos

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?

My solution was to walk/bike to school. My only personal complaint was the situation made for some very frustrated and impatient drivers who made the crosswalks a hazard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

The helpers are pretty common outside the district. I teach in NoVa and every school has a kids and ride with helpers. Parents are absolutely not allowed to get out. We couldn’t operate if parents got out.

[Anonymous]

Drop off and pick up were great today. Like Pp, I am dreading tomorrow.

[Anonymous]

I've been at our school between my kids for 9 years. Pickup and drop off for the first 10 days are ALWAYS a mess. It'll get better. Don't be the ahole that double parks. Put your kid who can't unbuckle themselves on the passenger side.

[Anonymous]

Nothing compares to what is happening at SWS …