Laurelwood Elementary School Home
Traffic and Parking

LAURELWOOD TRAFFIC PATTERNS AND RULES

Laurelwood School was designed for an attendance area less than half its present size at a time when most students walked to school. The now large attendance area and parent concerns for safety have prompted an explosion in the number of students coming to school by car. The streets around the school were not designed for the level of traffic we experience on school day mornings and afternoons. We have worked with both the Santa Clara and Sunnyvale Police Departments to come up with plans to ensure student safety and to facilitate the flow of traffic. Your knowledge and cooperation is essential. Many of our rules are based on traffic laws; violations have resulted in police department citations. Please follow the directions of staff and parent volunteers.

General Practices (which apply to all city streets):

  • All passengers in the car must wear seat belts; every child in the car must be harnessed in approved harness systems. Violators will be cited.
  • The speed limit around the school is 25 miles per hour or less, depending on what is a safe speed. Violators will be cited.
  • Cars may not cross the double yellow lines to pass other cars. Violators will be cited.
  • Cars must stop at the yellow line that is a few feet in front of the crosswalk. Violators will be cited.
  • Cars may not cross the yellow line if any person has even a toe in the crosswalk; cars may not proceed until the safety patrol students are on the sidewalk. Violators will be cited.

Morning Arrival Procedures:

  • Students may not be dropped off before 7:55. Parents may wait in the parking lot in the Drop-off Lane or in front of the school until 7:55, but must stay in and with their cars. Please do not use parking spaces marked "staff" to wait.
  • If you need to leave your car, you must park your car in a legal parking place; legal spaces do not include those marked for "staff", the space at the end of the row of parked cars, or the space by the dumpster.  Be sure not to park in any red zones or in our neighbors' driveways for drop off.  When parking in front of our neighbors' houses, please be sure that you do not obstruct any driveways in any matter, for any length of time.
  • The parking lot is chained closed from 7:55-8:15. Students need to dropped off at the curb after 7:55.
  • Drop-off areas include the front of the school (with the Morning Greeters and Safety Patrol) and the gate on Kensington Drive at the far end of the playground; the Kensington gate has a teacher on duty after 8:00 a.m.

Using the Morning Greeters:

  • Approach the school from Inverness on Teal heading north toward Dunford. Follow the directions of the Morning Greeters.
  • Pull up as far as you can to the cone before the crosswalk line.
  • Drop off your children only when you are stopped and at the curb.
  • Do not drop children off when in the traffic lane and/or double-parked or while you are waiting to move forward to the front of the school on Teal.
  • Have your children ready to unbuckle their seat restraints and leave the car immediately when the door opens.
  • Pull out behind the car in front of you; do not cut out ahead of the car in front of you.
  • Watch the crosswalk for pedestrians and the Safety Patrol when leaving.

After-School Guidelines:

  • For the safety of all, the parking lot is chained closed for pick up at the end of each school day.
  • Use the Drop-Off/pick up lane at the curb in front of the school. Stay in your car; your children will find you at the curb.  As this is a no-parking zone, if your student is not immediately present to get in your car, you need to pull away from the curb and drive around the block until they are present and ready to get in to your car.
  • Pull your vehicle as far forward as possible and continue to pull forward as cars move forward. This relieves back-up traffic in the street and allows more children access to their rides.
  • If you need to walk in, park in a legal space and walk in. Legal spaces are not those marked for staff, the space at the end of the row, or the space by the dumpster. Use sidewalks when possible; avoid walking through the parking lot.
  • Do not double-park or to stop in the middle of the parking lot or street to wait for your child. Wait in line with your car in the pick up lane or park legally along the street. Be sure not to park in any red zones or in our neighbors' driveways.  When parking in front of our neighbors' houses, please be sure that you do not obstruct any driveways in any matter, for any length of time.
  • Remind your child to wait until you reach the curb; students may not walk through the parking lot unless accompanied by an adult.
  • Keep the sidewalks clear when entering and exiting. Watch for children.
  • Report all vehicle bumps and scratches (or more) to the office immediately.

Thank you for helping making our streets and sidewalks safer for our children.