Families | Community » Drop off and Pick up Procedures

Drop off and Pick up Procedures

To ensure that drop off and pick up is efficient for all, and most importantly, safe for our students and the students of Lancaster Drive Public School, we ask that you take time to review this information carefully along with the map below.

Please share this information with anyone who will be responsible for dropping off or picking up your child(ren).
 
Map of pick up and drop off.
Supervision begins at 8:50 a.m. Please do not arrive or drop off students prior to this time. Students who are walking or riding should not be on the yard before 8:50 a.m.
 
The speed limit is reduced to 30 km/hour on Lancaster Drive in front of both schools. This will be strongly enforced. Please drive safely.
*NEW - Speed cameras have been installed in this area. Those not abiding by the speed limit will be ticketed.
 
A fenced pedestrian path (between the St. Teresa and Lancaster Drive parking lots) is to be used for walkers entering the school yard from the front of the school and those exiting to take a school bus. Look for the grey area on the diagram in the PDF below. Students who are making use of the path system behind the school can enter from the back of the school and go directly to their designated yard area. Please note that for safety and supervision reasons, parents and guardians are not permitted on the yard at any time. This also applies for dismissal time.
Students are not permitted to cross Lancaster Drive in front of the school at any time. Students who need to cross Lancaster Drive (either before or after school) should do so at the 4-way stop on Lancaster Drive and Limestone Drive where there is a crossing guard. If you are picking up your child, please do not wait across the road in front of the school or daycare. We are asking that families model for students crossing safely at the 4-way stop at all times.
 
Families are asked to park on the side streets and enter through the pedestrian path or through the pathway system at the back of the school. When parking on side streets please only park on one side of the street and ensure that students are not walking on the roadway to access the path system or sidewalk. The map at the bottom of this webpage shows where access points to the pathway system are. 
There is no parking in the St. Teresa, Children's Place Daycare or the Lancaster Drive parking lots. Students are not allowed in the parking lots at any time even if accompanied by an adult. Students will NOT be permitted to enter/exit the school yard through the daycare side parking lot.
 
Please do not park or stop in bus loading zones. These are located in front of the daycare and both schools and are clearly marked with signs.
 
There are some 5 minute drop off zones on the road (red areas with signs) in front of east side of Lancaster Drive school. Please approach from the west and park safely against the curb before letting students out. Students should not be dropped off on Lancaster Drive in front of the school unless in these areas.  
 
To access the six spots in the driveway in front of the school you will now require a Special Circumstance Parking Pass. These spaces are designated for use by students and/or their families that have mobility or health conditions that would prevent them from accessing other parking locations that require walking.

To apply for a pass, please email the school at [email protected] with the following information:
 
Parent/Guardian name:
 
Student(s) name:
 
Student(s) grade and teacher:
 
Licence Plate # for vehicle(s):
 
Reason(s) for requiring a pass:
 
Applications are reviewed by our Traffic Committee. Once you receive your pass, display it on the driver's side dash when you arrive at the school so that it is visible to staff. Please do not arrive prior to 8:50 a.m. or 3:35 p.m. as this area will be blocked off until supervision begins. 
 

Vehicles should never enter the school driveway during drop off and pick up times when traffic volume is high (8:50-9:15 and 3:20-3:50). If you are picking up your child outside that time, you can use the marked parking spots in the front of the school. Please sign your student out in the office and exit through the front doors. All traffic must exit through the exit on the east side of Lancaster Drive School. Please drive slowly and be cautious when crossing the pedestrian pathway between the 2 schools. If you are picking your child up during the times outlined above, please park on one of the designated side streets. We have had numerous complaints about parents/guardians parking in the Lancaster Drive parking lot. Both school parking lots are for staff only.

To ease traffic congestion in the area, we ask that you explore other ways to get your child to school other than driving each day. Or, if you do drive, consider a safe drop off location away from the school where you can drop your child and have them walk the rest of the way. We have worked with the City of Kingston to establish Safe Active Transportation Routes. You will notice these wayfinding signs throughout the neighborhood which let you know how far you are from the school whether you are biking, rolling, or walking to school.

The City of Kingston has also placed meet-up location signs throughout the school community as part of a Walking Bus program. This would be a parent led intuitive and an example of a walking bus program would involve parents working together to schedule suitable times to meet at a given 'meet-up location' and walk to school together as a group (typically led by one or two parents). Please see the attached for a map of the various meet-up locations.
There are many great places to park or drop off that allow for a safe route to school.

For example:
 
  • There are 5-minute drop off spots on the road in front of the east side of Lancaster school (Red areas with designated signs). Please approach from the west and park against the curb. Students should exit the vehicle on the sidewalk side and walk to the pedestrian path between the two schools. Please do not enter the parking areas directly in front of the school or the parking lot.
 
  • Dunham Street path entrance: Students can access the path and then a short walk to the back of the school. Please only park on the sidewalk side of Dunham.
 
  • Woodside Drive path entrances: There are 2 entrances from Woodside Drive that allow for a short walk down the path to the back of the school. Please only park on the path entrance side (going west on Woodside Dr.)
 
  • Irving Court (off of Keenan Drive): Path entrance with a short walk to the school. Please only park on the path side of Irving Court.
 
  • Limestone Drive path entrance: Short walk to the school. Please only park on the sidewalk side of Limestone Drive.
 
  • Lancaster Drive east of the 4-way stop (older students): Park on the sidewalk side of Lancaster Drive (going east). Students can walk along the sidewalk, cross Limestone with the crossing guard and continue on the sidewalk to the school and up the pedestrian path.
 
  • Chancery Street path entrance: Short walk down the path to the school. Park on the sidewalk side of Chancery St. heading east.
 
  • Bridle Path Crescent path entrance: Park on the sidewalk side. Short walk to the back of the school.
Please remember to be patient and kind with our staff who are enforcing entry and dismissal routines in order to keep students safe. We are working closely with Kingston Police and By-Law officials for those not following set guidelines.
 

Community members are welcome to report any parking violations or unsafe driver behaviour that you observe during drop off and pick up times to the City of Kingston: https://mycity.cityofkingston.ca/app/ask/c/2598. Please record the license plate of the offending vehicle for the report.

Please remember that safe student travel starts with you! 

We thank you for your role in ensuring the safety of our students. Please contact us should you have any questions.