Greetings,
Over the past two weeks I have received numerous emails and phone calls of concern regarding traffic at Mannion Middle School. While it will never be perfect, I believe it is important for everyone to agree to follow the established guidelines. To make sure everyone knows and understands the guidelines, I ask that everyone carefully read the details of this email.
Paradise Hills Drive:
It is illegal to do a U Turn in all school zones, including the school zone of your student’s school. U Turns on Paradise Hills are illegal and jeopardize the safety of those in the crosswalk and disrupt traffic patterns. Handout: Driving Safely in School Zones.
Paradise Hills Drive is a two lane road. The far right lane is not a travel lane. The intent of the far right lane is for parents to pull out of the middle lane, drop off their student, and return to the middle lane.
The far left lane on Paradise Hills, when heading east toward Smalley, is a travel lane, intended for people who do not plan to stop or pull into Mannion. It is dangerous to go from the travel lane into Mannion Middle School’s Parking Lot or the Paradise Hills Drop Off Lane.
Cars on Paradise Hills, about to enter the round-a-bout near Smalley, are asked to be courteous towards those exiting the Mannion Parking Lot. Allowing a car to pull in front of you is a gesture of courtesy, not a sign of weakness.
Crosswalks along Paradise Hills and other roads are designated areas for pedestrians to safely cross the street. Blocking them with a vehicle can create a hazard for pedestrians. Remember, pedestrians in crosswalks are probably our students, and we want every student to be safe. Parents are consistently seen parking and blocking the crosswalk. This has to stop.
Mannion Parking Lot:
The orange cones directly in front of the building are to ensure that nobody parks in the designated red zone. Please DO NOT stop parallel to the orange cones unless you are stopped for someone to use the crosswalk. Do not allow your student to exit or enter your vehicle if you are parallel to the orange cones.
There are no lanes in the Mannion driveway, but there is enough room for two cars to travel parallel to each other – carefully. However, past the tennis courts the traffic must merge into 1 lane as the Mannion exit onto Paradise Hills is NOT a double exit. Henderson Police directed the school not to allow a double exit onto Paradise Hills which is the reason for the cones at the end of the driveway. Do not move the cones.
All Mannion parking lot drop offs and pick ups must take place in one of three designated areas. These areas include the curb before the orange cones, the curb after the orange cones, and a parking space in the actual parking lot.
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If you drop or pick up your student from a parking space in the parking lot, please encourage your student to cross at the crosswalk. Parents and teachers are asked to set a good example by also utilizing the crosswalk at all times.
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In the morning, drop off before or after the cones must be quick. Please pull up to the curb, quickly drop your student off, and pull back into the flow of traffic. This is not a time for extended goodbyes. If you need additional time to say goodbye to your student, please pull into the parking lot and utilize a parking space. Remember, “I love you. Have a good day. Go.”
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Similar to getting gas at Costco, please pull all the way forward during drop off. This will allow cars behind you to also pull into the curb for drop off. Middle school students have boundless amounts of energy, and your student walking an additional 20 feet is reasonable and acceptable.
Pedestrian Safety:
The number of students taking an electric scooter or e-bike to school is at an all-time high. The bike rack is full, and we are actually ordering additional racks to accommodate the increased use of scooters and e-bikes. The City of Henderson has provided us with a 2 page poster with detailed information about scooter and e-bike safety. I found the handoutinformative, and it is posted on our website, in our hallways, and will soon be on our morning announcements. Students may NOT exceed 15 MPH when riding a scooter or e-bike on the sidewalk. Once on Mannion property, students will be expected to drop to 10 MPH. Parents are asked to review these posters with their student, especially if he or she utilizes a scooter or e-bike to school.
Please follow these expectations to ensure that our drop-off and pick-up procedures at Mannion Middle School are safe and efficient for everyone. As always, I am happy to discuss traffic issues at future Parent Community Partnership Meetings.
Go Mustangs!
Todd Petersen, Principal
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