Parents » Traffic Safety

Traffic Safety

Traffic safety is an ongoing issue at Westwood Charter and unfortunately it is one that isn’t going to go away.  The only way that we can help is for each one of us to do our part.  This can be done in a variety of ways:

  1. If you can, leave the house a few minutes earlier, park your car a few blocks away from school, and walk.  We are fortunate to live in Southern California where 99% of the time the weather is good.  Take advantage of this opportunity to spend a few minutes of quality time with your child, and take a moment to smell the roses or hear birds chirping.
  2. If you walk your dog in the morning, please keep them off school property and away from the busy front lawn (even if they fit in your purse).  Even though your dog is perfectly gentle, crowds of children can cause an unexpected reaction.
  3. Have your child(ren) get out of the car on the curbside, NOT into the street.  Exiting the car on the street side is very dangerous, not only for you, but also for your child.
  4. DO NOT direct or allow your child(ren) to get in or out of the car in the red zone.  This is considered a moving violation and the ticket can be several hundred dollars.
  5. DO NOT park in the handicapped spot unless you have a permit.  Again, this is an expensive parking ticket!
  6. DO NOT use the teacher parking lot as a loading zone or unloading zone.  This is for the teachers and staff at Westwood Charter and is not meant for us to use because it’s convenient.  In addition, pulling into the entrance driveway to drop off your child(ren) is a hazard to your children and other children on the sidewalk.
  7. DO abide by the no parking zones on the corners of Selby, Mississippi, and La Grange.  These zones are designated as drop-off and pick-up areas only—absolutely no parking is permitted.  Do not leave your vehicle, even if it’s simply to walk your child to the school gate.  These rules are in effect until 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. and from 1:30 – 4:30 pm.
  8. DO follow the directions of our volunteer traffic valets.  Look for parents in the orange vests; they keep traffic moving and assist your children in getting out of the car safely.
  9. DO use the cross walks and do not jaywalk with your child.  The teachers teach the children to use the cross walk and how to walk between the lines. If we don’t model the same thing it confuses the children.
  10. DO remember that we are a neighborhood school.  We should be considerate of our neighbors and not block driveways, move garbage cans, or use the horn unnecessarily.

If we can all remember these simple "rules of safety," then we have done our best to keep our children "traffic safe."

For more information, watch this video. 

For a map of unloading and loading zones, please see the map.

Traffic Duty

At Westwood Charter, we rely on fellow parents to help keep traffic flowing at pick up and drop off times.  This requires parents to volunteer for at least one traffic shift per year, per child (whether you drive, walk, or bike to school).  The shifts are only about 25 minutes long and if done according to guidelines, can be a truly pleasant and gratifying experience. Click here to view the week your child's class will volunteer.