Dear Parents,
Welcome to our 2024-2025 school year.
My number one priority, aside from ensuring an unparalleled learning environment, is your child’s safety. To that end, drop off and pick up policies MUST be understood and adhered to ensure that our children’s transitions to and from school happen as safely and as quickly as possible.
Please take time to read the drop off and pick up policies. I cannot stress enough how much your cooperation will help reduce stress on you, our staff, and our children.
Should you choose to use carpool, please make sure you study the map and follow the instructions. For a faster pick up, I recommend opting for walk up (walk up is also required when picking up from after care programming). Please don’t forget, whichever pick up method you have chosen needs to remain the same for the duration of the year.
Thank you for your assistance – it’s going to be a great year!
Principal Eric Torres
Carpool Policies:
- The carpool line runs south on SW 73rd Avenue. When the line reaches the four way stop at SW 128th Street, please continue to wrap around the front of the middle school, make a right at the four way stop at SW 74th Avenue and drive towards the main entrance to Palmetto Elementary. Do not block any four way stop or attempt to bypass others that are waiting. Do not use any of the side streets to cut off parents waiting in line.
- Do not use cellular phones while in the carpool line.
- The only vehicle drop off/pick up location is the carpool lane in front of the school.
- Please drop off students in the right lane adjacent to the building, the left lane is to go around cars and exit the drop off area.
- Do not allow your child to disembark from the left side of the vehicle, as it will have vehicles passing by.
- For the safety of our children, do not drop off or pick up students in the street.
- Staff parking lots are dangerous places for children, never drop off, walk through, or direct your child to meet you in a parking lot. There is no parking for parents in the staff parking lots.
- Always pull as far forward as possible to maximize the use of the carpool lane and never exit your vehicle in the carpool lane. Please say your goodbyes and have your child ready to exit your vehicle before you arrive at the carpool lane.
- Please use your rearview mirror sign in the afternoon for car pick up and walk up. Your sign was given out at Orientation.
- Do not jaywalk or walk in front of vehicles in carpool! Teach your children proper safety procedures. Use the crosswalk and/or sidewalk.
- School doors open at 8:00am. There is Before Care offered, for a fee, that begins at 7:00 am. Please contact the Main Office for Before/After school care information at 305-238-4306.
- On rainy days we will follow the same arrival and dismissal procedures.
- If possible, please use the hook to hang your rearview mirror sign from your rearview mirror during pick up so the teachers can read the names clearly. Walk-up Policies:
- Walk up drop off will be through the sidewalk leading to the Main Office.
- Walk up pick up will be from the entrances on 124th St. Please bring your rearview mirror sign to identify each parent.
- Do NOT park in the staff parking lot off of 124th as it is all reserved. You will be towed.
- **Please note, you should have received your rearview mirror sign at Orientation**