Every single Waimairi School parent would say that the safety of children is paramount in their thoughts and actions. If you saw a loose nail on the adventure playground, an adult acting suspiciously near the school or a frayed electrical cord in a classroom you would be straight on the phone, email or into the office to see me directly. All parents value child safety.
But there is a real, identified and repeated risk to the precious children of our school that is created by the very people who care the most about child safety, parents.
By driving your car into Tillman Avenue to drop off and collect children you are increasing the risk of harm to children. Do your actions match your concerns for child safety?
It is my job as Principal to conduct risk assessments and address any realistic risks to our children. I do this for the adventure playground, our fire alarms, our electrical equipment, the loose mats and carpets in the classrooms but the biggest and most realistic danger our children face at the moment is moving vehicles in the area of Tillman Avenue.
As the Christmas season approaches I am asking you all a blunt (and perhaps controversial) question. “What will you say to the Coroner's Court when you are asked to account for the death of a child?”
“I didn’t want to walk for 5 minutes so that is why I was turning my car around at the end of Tillman Ave at the very moment 400 children were swarming around it as they left the school”
“I don’t have time to walk to school to get my kids”
“I had a reason to be maneuvering a car amongst 5 year olds who can’t be seen over my bonnet”
PLEASE stop the Tillman Ave traffic chaos before our school is blighted by tragedy.
The staff are going to do their part by not moving vehicles in the area between 3:00 and 3:15 pm. What will you do?
The risk assessment has been done, the risk is real, please help mitigate it. Looking forward to your comments (and actions).
Tuesday, December 2, 2008 - 02:01 PM
Anonymous
Now to get computerphobes like me to check into you blogsite regularly. This message needs more prominence! Good on you and your staff for putting our Waimairi children FIRST.
Jackie Pithie
Thursday, December 11, 2008 - 10:32 PM
Anonymous
Totally agree. Is it not possible to get the City Council to have a no parking zone between the hours of 8.30 - 9.00 amd 3.00 - 3.15?
Susan Tansey
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