Carpool & Parking Safety
Elkins Pointe Middle School
NO PICK-UP OR DROP-OFF IN THE HEMBREE SPRINGS PARKING LOT FOR ELKINS POINTE STUDENTS.
✅ DO & DON'T 🚫
Carpool Green Light and Carpool Red Light
Green Light - DO:
- Parents stay in cars
- Students walk quickly during dismissal to the carpool area
- Stay off cell phones - students and parents
Red Light - DON'T:
- No backpacks in trunks - do not pop trunk or get out of the car to open the trunk.
- Students do not walk down the hall slowly, looking at cell phones
- Students should not be in the lane of traffic at any time or for any reason
HEMBREE SPRINGS LOT OFF LIMITS
The Hembree Springs Parking lot is off-limits for Pick-Up and Drop-Off. All car riders will be redirected to the carpool pick-up area. Parents parking in the Hembree Springs Lot will be redirected to the carpool lanes.
No Student Pick Up or Drop Off in HSES Parking Lot.
- Pick-up/Drop-off will no longer be permitted in HSES Lot for safety reasons.
- Student car riders will be redirected to the carpool waiting area.
- The School Resource Officer will redirect cars parked in the Hembree Springs Lot to the carpool lane via Hembree Road. Cars will not be permitted onto Elkins Road from the traffic signal on Elkins Road (between Hembree Springs Lot and Elkins Pointe Bus Lanes).
- No cut thru between Hembree Springs and Elkins pointe between 3:30 - 4:30 pm. Parents should not travel through Hembree Springs into the Elkins Pointe parking lot because of safety concerns. Please travel on Elkins Road to access the carpool lanes. Traveling in the Elkins Pointe and Hembree Springs parking lots interferes with Fulton County bus arrival and departure. The first wave of Busses arrive at 3:30 pm, and the last wave of busses departs at 4:30 pm.
Note: Please review the Elkins Pointe Safety Guidelines below and reference the Elkins Pointe.
SAFETY GUIDELINES
- Please stay in your cars (i.e., parents, friends, siblings & pets).
- Please refrain from waiting on the front median and the sidewalk with young children and pets.
- Please, NO PARKING in the Employee Lot and Bus Parking Lot. These lots will be closed from 3:15 pm - 4:30 pm every day to keep our students safe.
- Please, NO CROSSING TRAFFIC lanes with students. This presents a major safety hazard.
- Please help expedite carpool by limiting the use of the Carpool Parking Lot to emergencies, handicap parking, and appointments from 3:15 pm - 4:30 pm.
PARENTS, PLEASE STAY IN YOUR CARS
People and pets are asked to stay inside of their cars! People and pets waiting outside of vehicles results in the following:
- Slows down of the carpool lane.
- This adds to the overall congestion (1,100+ students exit the building at once).
- Crowds the concrete medium in front of the school.
- Obstructs the sidewalk in front of busses.
- Blocks parking spaces in the Hembree Lot.
Bringing pets or siblings outside of your car means taking additional time to put everyone back inside the car. Also, meeting your child outside the car contributes to foot traffic and creates a prolonged dismissal.
Please Note: The elementary schools do not allow parents to stand and wait outside their cars during carpool. We are asking for the same safety considerations to be maintained at the middle school level.
SAFETY FIRST: All of the extra people, pets, etc., distract our students from focusing on safely getting to their means of transport.
EMPLOYEE LOT CLOSED FOR 8th GRADE FASTPASS PICK UP ONLY
The Employee Lot is adjacent to the gym and is located in between EPMS and HSES. The Employee Lot is closed from 7:30 am - 3:30 pm.
- Unauthorized cars entering and exiting the Employee Lot present a safety threat to our 400+ students being dismissed from the Connections hall and the Gym. Student safety is our primary concern.
- An excessive amount of cars will interfere with bus traffic by cutting off the bus lane.
- Cars clogging the Employee Lot prevent teachers from being able to enter in the morning. NO MORNING DROP-OFF.
BUS PARKING LOT IS CLOSED from 3:15 pm – 4:30 pm
The bus parking lot will be closed to all cars, parents, and students from 3:15 pm - 4:30 pm. This lot is closed for safety. Also, we wish to expedite bus departure to get students home at an earlier time. If you need to get your child for an appointment, please check them out of school before 3:30 pm.
In the morning:
- Please use Carpool Lane when dropping off your child between 7:45 am - 8:54 am.
- STUDENTS SHOULD NEVER CROSS THE BUS LANE DURING MORNING ARRIVAL OR DURING DISMISSAL
- Parents volunteering, attending Parent University Workshops, with a scheduled teacher conference or meeting, may escort their child(ren) into the building with them across the bus lane if necessary. Please use extreme caution!
NOTE: IF YOU PARK IN THE BUS PARKING LOT, YOU WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO LEAVE UNTIL ALL THE BUSES HAVE BEEN DISMISSED.
CARPOOL PARKING LOT LIMITED FROM 3:15 pm - 4:30 pm
STUDENTS SHOULD NEVER CROSS TRAFFIC DURING DISMISSAL: This precaution is for the safety of students!
- Students should not cross carpool lanes until after carpool is finished.
- Students should not cross bus lanes until after all the buses have been dismissed.
- If you need to cross the lanes for an emergency, we will provide an escort.
NO PETS ON CAMPUS
Pet and their leashes impede the flow of our 1,100+ students exiting the building. Some students wish to pet dogs/cats, but many students may be afraid of dogs/cats and are uncomfortable. Please keep your pet at home or in your climate-controlled car. Thank you!
NO WAITING IN FRONT OF SCHOOL
Pedestrians waiting outside of the front doors of the school impact foot traffic in this manner:
- Block the flow of students exiting because hundreds of students are funneled through the front doors in a very short time.
- Make it difficult for parents in the carpool to identify their child, and vice versa. Thus slowing down the carpool lane.
- Inadvertently, block students trying to locate their bus, prolonging bus departure.
Note: If you need to get your child for an appointment, please check them out of school before 3:30 pm.
ARBOR CREEK, HEMBREE GROVE & ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOODS
Parents who enjoy walking home with their students, please meet your walkers by the EPMS flagpole or the sidewalk in front of the Hembree Springs Parking Lot/cafeteria. Please do not bring dogs or cats to the EPMS campus (see above). The Resource Officer will be in front of Arbor Creek to safely escort walkers across the street. You are welcome to wait with our Resource Officer.
CARPOOL PARKING LOT
During Dismissal, the Carpool Parking Lot is reserved for appointments in the school, handicap parking, and medical emergencies. All cars picking up students should use the carpool lane.
- Disabled/Handicapped Visitors
- Vendors/Contractors
- FCS Employees
- Parents with Scheduled Meetings/Conferences
- Emergencies
Parents using the Carpool Parking Lot instead of the carpool lane to pick up their students at dismissal will be asked to wait to cross the lane until the carpool has run its course. Crossing the carpool lane prevents a safety hazard and interrupts the flow of the carpool. In an emergency, an EPMS staff member will escort both parent and child across the lane.
SAFETY REASONS
Guideline changes have been implemented for these reasons:
- For the Safety of ALL Students
- Speed Carpool
- Safe and Quick Bus Departure
- Our Parents have requested changes
Please help us to make dismissal safe and expeditious for everyone by adhering to the policies outlined above. Thank you!