Dear Parents and Guardians,

As we work together to ensure a safe and efficient environment for our students during arrival and dismissal times, I want to remind you of the established pick-up and drop-off procedures. Recently, we have noticed some safety concerns arising from parents picking up children in unapproved locations and students crossing the parking lot unsafely.

To ensure the safety of all our students and community members, please adhere to the following procedures which can be found in our Student and Parent/Guardian Handbook, available on the Shaler Area Middle School website:

Arrival Procedures:

– Drop-off is on the stadium side of the school. Please pull through the car lane cones for drop-off.

– Ensure your vehicle remains in the car lane and pull up to drop students off. Be cautious of all traffic and students crossing. Students always have the right-of-way.

– 7th-grade students report to the cafeteria, and 8th-grade students report to Gym A upon entry.

Parking at Dismissal:

– Please refrain from picking up children in the library parking lot or in the shopping center parking lot. This is a vital safety measure to protect all children and community members.  This also ensures timely dismissal and traffic patterns since there is typically a police officer who directs and releases traffic onto Mt. Royal.

Dismissal Procedure:

– If picking up your child at the end of the school day, please line up in the upper parking lot next to the stadium.

– Students will exit the building, proceed to the Shopping Center side, and wait on the sidewalk for their ride.

– Cars will move from the upper parking lot and park parallel to the sidewalk along the curb.

– Shaler Police will release cars onto Mt. Royal.  Our security guard and staff will direct traffic flow. Please do not block the intersection, as buses have the right of way at dismissal time.

– Bus riders will go to Gym A for dismissal.

It is crucial that all parents and guardians adhere to these procedures to maintain a safe environment for everyone. Your cooperation and attention to these guidelines are greatly appreciated.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the main office.

Thank you for your understanding and support in this matter.