Memorial Messenger - Important Arrival and Dismissal Information

Dear Memorial School Families,

As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we are excited to welcome our students and families back to school! As part of our continued commitment to creating a safe, welcoming, and efficient arrival and dismissal experience, we will be introducing some new traffic routines and structures around the school.

Throughout the summer, we have been working closely with Emerson Police Chief Savino, Mayor DiPaola and the Town Council, and district administration to thoughtfully develop this plan. Our shared goal has been to prioritize the safety of our students, families, staff, and community members while also creating a more organized and efficient arrival and dismissal process.

We know that changes to arrival and dismissal routines can take some time to get used to, and we greatly appreciate your patience, flexibility, and partnership as we work together to make these routines successful for everyone.

New Traffic and Drop-Off Procedures Pending Town Ordinance Adoption

To help improve traffic flow and, most importantly, keep our students and families safe:

• Chestnut Avenue, Overlook Avenue, and Crest Road will become one-way streets during the school day (7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.). Signage will be posted on the Crest Road and Overlook Avenue entrances near Parker Drive.

• The “Drop and Go” area on Chestnut Street is marked by signs and will be outlined with cones.  It is available to all K-3 students. 

  • A designated “Drop and Go” lane will be painted on Chestnut Avenue for parents to wait in line as they approach the sidewalk where students can exit the car.  

  • The “Drop and Go” line will begin at 8:30 am each morning as that is the time that our doors will open for students to enter the school.

  • Parking is not permitted in any part of the “Drop and Go” area or the car line that approaches the “Drop and Go” area. 

  • Please have students ready to exit directly onto the sidewalk. Parents are to remain in their cars.

• Pre-Kindergarten students in Ms. Gerhold or Ms. Whalen’s classes will enter through the main entrance. Mrs. Scola’s class will enter through Door 14.  Ms. Dabal’s class will enter through Door 9.

• The existing crosswalk on Chestnut Avenue, located between Crest Road and Overlook Avenue, will remain in place and continue to provide a safe crossing point for our school community. If you are parking on surrounding streets, please cross Chestnut Street ONLY at the crosswalk with the assistance of the crossing guard.

• Accessible parking spaces will be designated with a blue curb on Chestnut Avenue, where it turns onto Overlook Avenue. 

• The district will have additional staff members stationed on Chestnut Avenue each morning to welcome and assist students and families, support safe movement through the area, and help keep the drop-off process moving efficiently.

• School starts promptly at 8:40 am.  All doors will close at that time for teachers and staff to begin instruction.  If you arrive after 8:40 am, you will need to sign your child in at the Main Office.

These plans were created in coordination with the Mayor and Town Council, Chief Savino and the Emerson Police Department, and school and district administration.  These plans will be implemented pending approval of a town ordinance by the Town Council.

Our goal is to make arrival and dismissal as safe, predictable, and stress-free as possible for our students, families, and staff. Your cooperation, particularly with following traffic patterns, remaining in vehicles during drop-off, and following the direction of staff, will be an important part of making these changes work smoothly.

We are grateful for the continued partnership of our families, the Emerson Police Department, Mayor DiPaola, and our district administration as we work together to support the safety and well-being of our entire school community.

Thank you for your patience, partnership, and understanding as we implement these new routines. We look forward to welcoming everyone back and starting a wonderful new school year together!