The following notice regarding afternoon pick-up has been sent home with all students.  Please be sure to read it in detail if you pick your child up at 2:00pm.  Thank you.

Dear Saint James School Parent,

It has been brought to our attention that dismissal of the “walkers” to the Saint James Church and Municipal Parking Lot is very chaotic and unsafe.  This situation creates a problem of safety for our teachers and children.  With this said, a solution needs to be developed and implemented.

The teachers and children walk down to the parking lot in a line, cross at the crossing guard, and enter the parking lot to be taken by their parents. Many parents, waiting for their children, are standing on the sidewalk, on the neighbor’s lawn, near the fence on the lawn, parking and standing on the street, and parking in Saint Mary’s Church parking lot.  Some of the parents, parked on St. James Street, have taken their children out of the line before it reaches the parking lot.  All of these scenarios are causing a very unsafe condition for your children!

Beginning on Tuesday, October 14, we will follow a safer and more controlled dismissal procedure:

• All parents/guardians need to park in the Saint James Church-Municipal Parking lot to pick up your children.

• Parents/guardians need to wait near your car or in the entrance of the parking lot for your child(ren).  This is the only “pick-up spot” for all the children.

• Please no standing on the lawn, near the fence, on the sidewalk, or in the street near your parked car.

• Please no parking in Saint Mary’s Church parking lot and walking your child across the street.  Their lot is owned by the church and is not a public parking place.

• Please do not take your child out of the line, as it passes St. James Street.

• If a parent is late and cannot get into the parking lot, please drive up to the school and wait for your child to be brought back to school with the staff.

• Please consider, if you are a Manchester resident, to let your child(ren) ride the bus home each day.

There are approximately 125-150 children, each day, that walk to the parking lot and are picked up by parents/guardians.  We need to keep your children safe at all times.  We need all parents/guardians to follow this new dismissal procedure.

Thank you for your cooperation in this matter!

Sincerely,

The Administration and Staff of Saint James School