Carpool Update

Carpool News and Notes - Carpool: It's Fun For Everyone!

Happy Tuesday Wildcat Country!

School traffic is a hot topic in our community these days. It was even a topic during the Community Meeting for Katie Reeves this morning - though not our Milton cluster specifically.

I wanted to provide some reminders about the morning and afternoon routines for our community. There are many factors about the traffic we cannot control, but I do believe there are some ways that we can improve the traffic and time it takes to drop off and pick up students from school.

Please pay close attention to the morning and afternoon routines below. I have added "Mr. Peterson's Observations" to help address issues I have personally witnessed. As always, thank you for your continued support of Northwestern Middle School!

Northwestern Carpool Procedures

Morning Carpool

Please enter the roundabout and pull up as far as possible. Students may exit your vehicle anywhere along the sidewalk. Students should use the sidewalk to enter the school through the Wildcat Den doors.

Mr. Peterson's Observations

Students can enter the school starting at 8:05 am. Parents should not "park" in the carpool line after 8:05 waiting for students to exit their car. As you enter the carpool line, pull up as far as you can, and your student should exit your car right away.
Cars that are "parked" or not moving in the carpool line create backups that significantly impact the morning arrival.
If your student is not ready to exit your car, please park in our parking lot until they are ready to enter school.
Under no circumstances should a student be dropped off in our bus lot in the morning. Student should only be dropped off in the carpool line. Our School Police Officer will start monitoring the bus lot in the morning.

Afternoon Carpool

We have an afternoon carpool procedure designed to keep cars off of School Road and Birmingham Highway. Please review the carpool map carefully. When in doubt, follow the person in front of you. Please be courteous to fellow parents/guardians and NMS staff members during carpool.

Mr. Peterson's Observations

Our afternoon carpool has improved significantly since the first day of school.
Please follow the directions of Mr. Lyttle & Mr. Peterson in the afternoon. There is a method to our madness. We're trying to keep as many cars off of School Road as possible so we will stack cars in our parking lot and carpool loop.
The parking spaces are reserved for parents and visitors who are entering the building. If you need to park, please alert Mr. Lyttle or Mr. Peterson.
Students should not enter cars that are in the staff parking lot. This is a dangerous situation with MHS students leaving, our carpool line moving, and NMS staff leaving. Students should only be picked up from the sidewalk. If we see a student walking toward the parking lot, we will ask them to turn around and wait on the sidewalk.

Afternoon Carpool Procedure

Before 4:05 pm Dismissal

The first car should pull up to the front of the carpool line. This is the first spot after the 5 reserved spaces. (marked on map with red 1) Park behind the sign that indicates the line starts here.
All subsequent cars should line up on the sidewalk (marked with yellow arrows) until the line reaches the roundabout entrance/corner. (marked with red 2)
All additional cars should follow the red arrows through our parking lot, circle back toward the roundabout and stop (stop indicated with a red 3)
A staff member will direct any car parked behind location 2 to follow flow of traffic (red arrows) through the parking lot.

After 4:05 pm Dismissal Bell

A staff member will direct cars who have picked up their student(s) toward the exit.
A staff member will direct cars parked at location 3 to proceed into the roundabout toward location 1 to pick up their student(s) (marked with blue arrows).
Students can enter their car from a sidewalk at any point in the roundabout
Students are not allowed to enter cars who are in the carpool line in the parking lot.

Other Important Information

No cars may enter the Bus Lot (marked red 5) between 8:05-9:15 am and 3:15-4:45 pm.
Students may walk across the street if their car is parked at Milton HS (marked red 4)

SY21-22 Carpool Map

Student Arrival to School

Expected arrival time for students is between 8:25 am and 8:45 am. Our 1st period class begins at 8:55 am. All students, except for bus riders, will enter the school through the Wildcat Den doors. The Wildcat Den doors will open at 8:05 am for early arriving students. Students may arrive early for teacher help sessions, etc. Early arriving students will be supervised between 8:05 and 8:25 in the cafeteria. At 8:25, all students will be dismissed to their grade level hallways. Northwestern Middle School cannot assume responsibility for students prior to 8:05 am.

Only students who have a signed Early Morning Pass will be allowed to attend a help session prior to 8:25 am. Teachers will provide a signed Early Morning Pass to students in advance for help sessions starting prior to 8:25 am. We encourage students to take a picture of their Early Morning Pass in case it is lost.

Breakfast is served from 8:25-8:50 and is free for all students this school year.

Student Dismissal From School

Car riders, bike riders, and walkers will be dismissed at 4:05 pm and exit the school using the front entrance doors and Wildcat Den doors. Bus riders will be dismissed at 4:05 pm to the gymnasium (6th/7th) and cafeteria (8th) until dismissed by staff to load their bus.

Please ensure your student(s) knows how they are getting home every day. We cannot notify students of transportation changes. Please text your student to let them know of a transportation change. Students will be able to check their cell phones during locker breaks and at the end of the school day.