Greenville County Schools

Interim Principal: Mr. Charles T. Davis, Jr. SIC Chair: Mr. Richard M. Arboscello

Saturday, March 23, 2013

School Improvement Council’s Role

How do we, as the SIC, support our school in

“Building a Community of Excellence one Student at a Time”?

Building Our StudentsStudent Trends:• BCES has a long history of excellence in education, care and

concern for students and a strong involvement within the community.

• In 2001, we moved into a new facility designed for capacity of 800 students with core facilities for 1,000 students.

• Over the past three years, our student enrollment has significantly increased.

2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013

Enrollment 776 779 870

Safety Concerns

• Due to the increase in student enrollment, we were presented with safety challenges with our dismissal procedures.

• SIC and the school recognized the inefficiency in the afternoon car line and unsafe practices.

Safety Concerns continued…

• There was not a systematic loading of students into cars nor a safe flow of traffic.

• Parents parked in unauthorized locations that were unsafe for students.

Why Focus on Safety?

• According to Safe Kids South Carolina, accidental injury is the number one cause of death among children ages 14 and under in the United States.

• One of the most common causes of accidental injury to children in South Carolina is motor vehicle crashes, which involve children as passengers, pedestrians, and bicyclists.

Topographic View of BCES

Unsafe Loading Zone Unsafe Loading Zone

Before Signage

Our Solutions

The SIC took action to communicate with PTA and school administrators to improve the safety and efficiency of the car line pick-up and drop- off system.

• We increased the safety of walking routes by requesting crossing guards and collaborated with SC Safe Routes to School.

1. Install a post and chain fence around the driveway as a protective

barrier for students and parents.

2. Plant hedge bushes along the perimeter of the school to prevent

cars from driving onto the sidewalk.

3. Partner with surrounding businesses and a neighboring church to

alleviate unauthorized off campus pick-up of children.

4. Place signage such as “No Parking” to discourage unauthorized

parking.

5. Modify car line drop-off procedures and routes.

Added Signage

Added Signage

Now We are Safer

• Students are loaded into groups of cars twenty at a time.

• No movement is allowed by cars during loading. Groups are released when all students have loaded safely.

• Each family has an identification number that is displayed in the front windshield of the car and is visible to staff members.

• No students are released without a car number card.

Now We are Safer continued…• Parents now understand that they are not to

walk to the building to pick-up a child if they are a car rider.

• The mounted signage displayed in unauthorized locations has stopped parents from parking off campus.

• Walkers are escorted by teachers and crossing guards. Traffic flow wait time has decreased.

• SIC sponsors New Student Orientations to communicate dismissal safety procedures.

Feedback from the Community

• The School Report Card survey showed the following results:

Teachers Students Parents

Satisfied with the social and physical environment

100% 95.4% 92.4%

Keeping Our Students Safe

2012-2013 Safety Patrols