September 13, 2013

posted Sep 13, 2013, 2:42 AM by Suzanne WARDINI   [ updated Sep 13, 2013, 2:45 AM ]
Dear Parents and the ISD Community,

Ways to Improve Traffic Flow in the Mornings 

We have been looking at the traffic during the morning drop off to seek ways to improve the flow. A couple of factors play a role and I think we can sort them out with some practical adjustments.

Come to school earlier if you are currently arriving between 8:15 and 8:30, because that is when the traffic backs up the most. Between 7:55 and 8:05 I have observed regularly that there are few vehicles at the drop off, literally 2 or 3. So if you aim to arrive earlier, traffic will be spread out and be less jammed.

Another choke point is the area immediately in front of the entry gatehouse where you see the administrators greeting arrivals. This is the perfect place for our youngest students to be dropped off, but it slows down traffic. If you drop off older students along the sidewalk once you are inside the gates and let them walk to the gatehouse entry, there will be less of a jam up front.

Drivers that try to park outside as they leave the gate, often block the flow with their efforts to fit into a parking spot. Our guards will ask them to do so quickly or move along in order to avoid further blockage outside.

We are also in contact with the police who first supplied us with an excellent officer who was quite good at managing the traffic at the circle on the Corniche. Well, he got promoted and a new fellow came with less experience. We are asking for a better traffic cop to help in this area.

I welcome any observations and suggestions you may have in this effort. Several of these listed originated from input by fellow community members.

Kindly bear with us as we try to sort out ways to make the traffic flow easier. I do believe several of the above measures (particularly aiming to arrive 10 minutes earlier if you have been in the habit of arriving later) will make a significant difference.

Director’s Goals for 2013 – 2014 

At the Board Retreat and the first Board Meeting, I presented my goals for the school year. They are closely aligned with the Board’s annual goals, as you will see in the report from the Board regarding its goals. The Board approved these goals at its first meeting on September 11, 2013. These goals are where I will be focusing a good deal of time and energy across the year, even while I attend to the many tasks and responsibilities of the day-to-day running of the school. Please see the goals as outlined here below:

1. Transition management for the new director:
  • Recruitment 
  • Communication across the year and summer 
  • Handover materials and documents 
2. Directing development and implementation of the new ISD Financial, Academic and Operational systems

3. Setting up the initial Strategic Planning process:
  • Gathering information through surveys, focus groups 
  • Collecting documents and materials 
  • Formation of the initial stakeholder group 
4. Promoting and practicing positive communication within the ISD community. 

Here is wishing you a refreshing weekend and a good start to the coming week.

Sincerely,

Paul Olson

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