Long Lines Stress Parents, Students, Staff

Have you ever been dropping your kid off in the morning and ended up waiting for what feels like forever? You are tired, and your kid is complaining about how they’re going to be late? Ryan Stafford, Principal of Woodrow Wilson High School has information on how this will be fixed going forward, including both short-term and long-term changes.

Beginning with the short-term fixes, Mr. Stafford has two teachers standing outside forming a drop-off “zone.” The reason for this zone is to get more people out at one time. This zone allows for at least seven or more students to exit their cars. He added that parents who are dropping off should make sure they arrive by 6:50 a.m. – 7 a.m. This helps to beat the lengthy, last-minute line forming at 7:10. Mr. Stafford said “often times people can’t see when the bypass is backed up, and also Stanaford (Rd.), so those are both points of preference.” He also mentioned the extensive line the first two weeks is normal when working out all the traffic issues and it typically calms down soon after.

Following through with long-term fixes, Mr. Stafford plans to divide roads. His idea is to make a separate road/circle for students who ride the bus, a separate circle for parent drop-off and a separate circle for students with special needs. There will also be a separate line for student drivers. Administration is targeting 2024 as an end date for all the work to be done. Until then, Mr. Stafford said, “When our school was built in the 1960s, the majority of our school rode those big yellow school buses. So, the long-term fix would be getting more kids to ride the bus.”

Woodrow is also working on fixing the second bell to be five to six minutes later than the first, hoping to minimize the congestion caused by  2nd bell parent pick-up and student drivers.

In conclusion, Mr. Stafford wants to make sure all students and parents are getting on and off the bypass safely and efficiently.