Message from Principal Rojo, January 13, 2025

Dear Apollo families,

I’m writing today to ask for your partnership and your patience as we work together to solve some of the traffic challenges that have been increasing for our families, neighbors and other drivers passing through the area.

While our team doesn’t have the exact formula for the solution yet, I want to emphasize that we are aware of this problem and working to resolve it. I also want to let you know that we’re grateful for the grace you have shown us in the midst of this challenge.

Here’s what you can expect from the Apollo staff team:

• Our continued commitment to the safety of each of our students.
• A welcoming smile at drop-off and a sincere farewell at dismissal.
• Our ongoing work to improve the current and future process and flow of buses and vehicles at our school.

I would love to have help from families with:

• Asking your student(s) to ride the bus when possible. Fewer guardian vehicles on the roads means less roadway congestion and a more efficient bus system and a better use of taxpayer dollars.
• Patience with our staff and students; and with one another. Please do not drive around the line of other guardians who are waiting. This is not safe and also causes other families to feel very frustrated.
• If you must drop off or pick up your student yourself, please follow the drop-off and pick-up procedures and map.

I sincerely appreciate your help as we work together on this situation. I have loved getting to know your incredible students and look forward to the rest of the school year together. Below, please find the resources and procedures that we shared earlier this school year.

In partnership,

 

Julie Rojo
Principal

 

Apollo Pick-up and Drop-off Procedures

Apollo Pick-Up and Drop-off Map

 

Before School Procedures

Please refer to the map linked above for designated areas for: Buses, Walkers, Parent Drop Off

Procedures for Parent Drop-Off

• Vehicles must stay in ONE line from Nile all the way to the parking lot- do not cut the line pulled to the right of the road.
• Pull all the way to the front.
• Drivers MUST stay in their vehicle while dropping off.
• Signal when leaving, Drive SLOWLY, Students should ONLY exit from the curbside of the vehicle. If you need more time, please feel free to park in a designated parking area.
• If you are a carpool, make sure that all kids are ready to get out of the car when you pull up.
• If your child is having a difficult morning and does not want to get out of car, please park your car in a designated parking spot.
• You may not drop off your child until you are inside the orange cones. Your child should be ready to get out of the car when you pull up to drop-off section (backpacks ready to go), please be as efficient as possible.
• Students enter the building (doors will be unlocked at 9 a.m.) from the side or back doors  Doors will lock at 9:15 a.m., if you drop off after 9:15 a.m., please drive to the main parking lot and drop your child off at the front of the school.
• Students stand outside their classroom doors inside the building until teachers welcome them in at 9:10 a.m.
• Students can also get breakfast from the cafeteria starting at 9 a.m.

Procedures for Walkers and/or Bike Riders in the morning

• Playground gate will open at 9 a.m.
• Playground gate will lock at 9:15 a.m.
• Students can enter the building (doors will be unlocked at 9 a.m.) from the back doors under the playground covering, the east side doors or west side doors of the building.
• Students then stand outside their classroom doors inside the building until teachers welcome them in at 9:10 a.m.
• Students can also get breakfast from the cafeteria starting at 9 a.m.

Procedures for Bus Riders in the morning

• Bus will drop off students in front of the school.
• Students enter the building (doors will be unlocked at 9 a.m.) from the front doors of the building.
• Students then stand outside their classroom doors inside the building until teachers welcome them in at 9:10 a.m.
• Students can also get breakfast from the multipurpose room starting at 9 a.m.

After School Procedures

Please refer to the map shared above for designated areas for:

Buses/Walkers/Parent Drop Off

Procedures for Parent Pick-Up

• Vehicles must stay in ONE line from Nile all the way to the parking lot- do not cut the line pulled to the right of the road.
• IF YOU ARE PARKING, you must stay in the car line until you enter the parking lot and pull into a parking space- THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY INTO THE PARKING LOT, DO NOT PASS THE LINE OF CARS!
• Pull all the way to the front.
• Drivers MUST stay in their vehicle while picking up, Signal when leaving, Drive SLOWLY.
• Students should ONLY enter from the curbside of the vehicle.
• If you need more time to load your child into the car, please park in a designated parking area and walk over to pick up your child.
• If you are a carpool, make sure that all kids get into the car from the curbside.
• Once your child gets into the car and is safe, please pull away from the curb using your turn signal and looking for traffic also pulling away.
• Remind your child to be on the lookout for you and to move all the way to the front of the pick-up line to get into the car.
• When exiting, DRIVE SLOWLY. YIELD to buses pulling out of the parking lot.

Procedures for Walkers and/or Bike Riders in the afternoon

• Playground gate will open at 3:40 p.m.
• Parents picking up TK and Kindergarten walkers may meet students at the covered area.
• Students will exit the building from the back doors or the east-side doors of the building.
• Students walk out the back gate and exit campus.

Procedures for Bus Riders in the afternoon

• Bus will pick up students in front of the school.
• Students stand in line behind the cone that designates their bus route number.
• When the bus arrives, students will board the bus in a single-file line.
• Buses will be directed to pull out once all students have boarded.

Traffic exiting needs to yield to the buses exiting the parking lot.

Thank you for helping us make Apollo a safe place. Our priority is the safety of your children, and you are part of the team to make that happen!