Dear ISD Parents,

At ISD, January is designated as Science month with the targeted focus of promoting the importance of science for our students. To that end, many extra-curricular events are planned both in the classroom and outside of the classroom. The PTA is generously supporting the cost of most of these activities that either reinforce our science curriculum or provide enrichment. These experiences not only provide content learning but are also motivating to students. This motivation could inspire a life-long passion that may even result in a chosen career.

And now from Science to traffic. I am receiving increasing complaints about traffic in the front circle from our neighbors, community members driving in the area and from some of you. The reality is, there will always be some level of traffic around a school at arrival and dismissal times. These times are taxing, but patience must always be the rule, in conjunction with adhering to traffic laws. I am sharing this because it has come to my attention that drivers are engaging in unsafe and shocking practices as they strive to enter the front circle, often with safety being compromised. It is most upsetting that a child's safety or anyone's safety for that matter could be at risk because of an inappropriate action being taken when driving.

I am looking into some structural changes that require town and transportation departments to be involved. However, there are some small steps that may have a significant impact in helping to remediate the gridlock and long lines. First and foremost, if more cars were to take a right at the end of the circle driveway, it would facilitate the movement of traffic immensely. Please consider it and in many cases, taking a right turn would not negatively impact your ride significantly. Also, upon entering the circle, please move up to where the parking spaces are located so we get as many cars in the circle as possible. When arriving in the morning, students can exit their cars anywhere near a green cone; they do not need to wait until the car is right in front of the main entrance. Students should be ready to exit the car with their belongings in hand. If there is a musical instrument in the trunk, then parents should not be entering the front circle, but instead parking on the street to assist their child.

Of course, utilizing the bus service, if you are eligible, would help a great deal as would carpooling. It is amazing to see how many cars have one child exiting with a neighbor in the car behind them doing the same thing.

I have dedicated this space to this important topic as it has become a serious issue and we all need to work together to try and rectify it. If you have any ideas, please let me know. Have a good weekend.

Sincerely,