Thoughts on the new Churchill principal?

[Anonymous]

My dd complains that she enforces the rules much more than in the past (in terms of kids leaving campus at lunch, dress code, etc) and she took action on the traffic/drop-off situation (though I'm not sure it's any better than last year).

I figure those are both improvements. Hoping that the changes aren't stopping there!

Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

I just met her and she seems competent. She is not patronizing or pompous. She strikes me as someone who could easily make it up the ladder, like be recruited to be some superintendent later on. She seems real. I am a fan of the dress code being enforced.

[Anonymous]

Missed the change in drop off -- what is it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Missed the change in drop off -- what is it?

They did a tiny bit of construction and have cones in place to form two entry lines rather than one. I think they also opened the parking lot near the stadium for drop off. (?? I've never tried that, but they indicated as much in the back-to-school letter??)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just met her and she seems competent. She is not patronizing or pompous. She strikes me as someone who could easily make it up the ladder, like be recruited to be some superintendent later on. She seems real. I am a fan of the dress code being enforced.

I would be very happy for dress code enforcement-- is it really happening?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just met her and she seems competent. She is not patronizing or pompous. She strikes me as someone who could easily make it up the ladder, like be recruited to be some superintendent later on. She seems real. I am a fan of the dress code being enforced.

I would be very happy for dress code enforcement-- is it really happening?

I doubt that the can do anything about the girls who wear just bras to school. Maybe when the boys just wear a jock strap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Missed the change in drop off -- what is it?

They did a tiny bit of construction and have cones in place to form two entry lines rather than one. I think they also opened the parking lot near the stadium for drop off. (?? I've never tried that, but they indicated as much in the back-to-school letter??)

Traffic is much more backed up on the side streets in the morning than it used to be. The original traffic loop designed was flawed and the flow stops to a standstill because there is not a 4 way stop at the exit so no one can leave the loop.

In the afternoon, I have seen children driving out of the lot in the wrong direction. It is only a matter of time before a student has a head on collision or heaven forbid, strikes a pedestrian because he/she is not obeying the new traffic patterns. Perhaps the Principal or Assistant Principal can stop this behavior by withdrawing parking passes from Seniors who cannot use the proper exit for the lot.

Finally, it never made any sense for the drop off and pick up loop to be in the Senior Parking Lot. There is a lot less traffic flow in the faculty parking lot. Perhaps switch the Faculty and Senior lots around so parents could drop off and pick up in a lot where the faculty cars are just parked, not Senior cars coming and going. The change would distribute the flow of traffic better.

[Anonymous]

Thus far, she is as unresponsive as the previous principal. Perhaps not replying to emails is an ok practice for MCPS principals?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Missed the change in drop off -- what is it?

They did a tiny bit of construction and have cones in place to form two entry lines rather than one. I think they also opened the parking lot near the stadium for drop off. (?? I've never tried that, but they indicated as much in the back-to-school letter??)

Traffic is much more backed up on the side streets in the morning than it used to be. The original traffic loop designed was flawed and the flow stops to a standstill because there is not a 4 way stop at the exit so no one can leave the loop.

In the afternoon, I have seen children driving out of the lot in the wrong direction. It is only a matter of time before a student has a head on collision or heaven forbid, strikes a pedestrian because he/she is not obeying the new traffic patterns. Perhaps the Principal or Assistant Principal can stop this behavior by withdrawing parking passes from Seniors who cannot use the proper exit for the lot.

Finally, it never made any sense for the drop off and pick up loop to be in the Senior Parking Lot. There is a lot less traffic flow in the faculty parking lot. Perhaps switch the Faculty and Senior lots around so parents could drop off and pick up in a lot where the faculty cars are just parked, not Senior cars coming and going. The change would distribute the flow of traffic better.

I agree that the main problem with the traffic flow is the exit. Not only slows traffic, but is dangerous for either driving straight or turning left out of the lot because of poor visibility. (And turning right is terribly backed up.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Missed the change in drop off -- what is it?

They did a tiny bit of construction and have cones in place to form two entry lines rather than one. I think they also opened the parking lot near the stadium for drop off. (?? I've never tried that, but they indicated as much in the back-to-school letter??)

Traffic is much more backed up on the side streets in the morning than it used to be. The original traffic loop designed was flawed and the flow stops to a standstill because there is not a 4 way stop at the exit so no one can leave the loop.

In the afternoon, I have seen children driving out of the lot in the wrong direction. It is only a matter of time before a student has a head on collision or heaven forbid, strikes a pedestrian because he/she is not obeying the new traffic patterns. Perhaps the Principal or Assistant Principal can stop this behavior by withdrawing parking passes from Seniors who cannot use the proper exit for the lot.

Finally, it never made any sense for the drop off and pick up loop to be in the Senior Parking Lot. There is a lot less traffic flow in the faculty parking lot. Perhaps switch the Faculty and Senior lots around so parents could drop off and pick up in a lot where the faculty cars are just parked, not Senior cars coming and going. The change would distribute the flow of traffic better.

I agree that the main problem with the traffic flow is the exit. Not only slows traffic, but is dangerous for either driving straight or turning left out of the lot because of poor visibility. (And turning right is terribly backed up.)

Why do so many kids get dropped off and picked up?

[Anonymous]

Does it matter why? That is a individual parental decision.

The new traffic patterns put in place under Heckert has slowed the traffic pattern causing for greater delays. Adding a 2nd loop may have helped but the old loop is too small to serve the community needs and traffic going to that lot is added to by Seniors who are trying to park their cars in the school assigned spaces. More studies and a better design for the community is needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does it matter why? That is a individual parental decision.

The new traffic patterns put in place under Heckert has slowed the traffic pattern causing for greater delays. Adding a 2nd loop may have helped but the old loop is too small to serve the community needs and traffic going to that lot is added to by Seniors who are trying to park their cars in the school assigned spaces. More studies and a better design for the community is needed.

Or you can have your kid walk, take the bus or ride with a kid who has a car. Then you can stop complaining about the car drop off and pick up lines for *high schoolers*. I guess now we know what happens to the parents who drive their kids to the elementary bus stops.

[Anonymous]

The lack of female representation in the Athletic Department is a more urgent and dangerous problem than traffic. Heckert really needs to roll up her sleeves and fix the long standing patterns of employee misconduct by her current staff. Children have been hurt on athletic teams at Churchill and very little has been done to address the problems of bullying and sexual harassment by coaches on multiple teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does it matter why? That is a individual parental decision.

The new traffic patterns put in place under Heckert has slowed the traffic pattern causing for greater delays. Adding a 2nd loop may have helped but the old loop is too small to serve the community needs and traffic going to that lot is added to by Seniors who are trying to park their cars in the school assigned spaces. More studies and a better design for the community is needed.

We’ve had to leave a little earlier to avoid the long back up of cars on Gainsborough. I appreciate Heckert looking at ways to fix the drop off/pick up problem but I think having the teacher parking lot used for drop off just creates more problems.

But I have to say I’m happy with what I heard about Heckert tightening up policies and procedure. Hopefully that continues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Missed the change in drop off -- what is it?

They did a tiny bit of construction and have cones in place to form two entry lines rather than one. I think they also opened the parking lot near the stadium for drop off. (?? I've never tried that, but they indicated as much in the back-to-school letter??)

Traffic is much more backed up on the side streets in the morning than it used to be. The original traffic loop designed was flawed and the flow stops to a standstill because there is not a 4 way stop at the exit so no one can leave the loop.

In the afternoon, I have seen children driving out of the lot in the wrong direction. It is only a matter of time before a student has a head on collision or heaven forbid, strikes a pedestrian because he/she is not obeying the new traffic patterns. Perhaps the Principal or Assistant Principal can stop this behavior by withdrawing parking passes from Seniors who cannot use the proper exit for the lot.

Finally, it never made any sense for the drop off and pick up loop to be in the Senior Parking Lot. There is a lot less traffic flow in the faculty parking lot. Perhaps switch the Faculty and Senior lots around so parents could drop off and pick up in a lot where the faculty cars are just parked, not Senior cars coming and going. The change would distribute the flow of traffic better.

I agree that the main problem with the traffic flow is the exit. Not only slows traffic, but is dangerous for either driving straight or turning left out of the lot because of poor visibility. (And turning right is terribly backed up.)

Why do so many kids get dropped off and picked up?

Because so many kids don't actually live in bounds for Churchill. Well known that many families in MCPS use alternate addresses to attend different schools. Even the teachers at Churchill know this happens. They admit it's the side effect of working at a school with a 'good reputation'. People want to attend, even if they don't live in bounds.