Centennial Community:
The first week of the new school year is in the bag! This has been a fantastic transition week for me personally, and I hope it has been for you and your children, as well. Yesterday, we practiced that building evacuation drill I wrote to you about on Wednesday evening. It went fairly well. There were a few kinks we have worked out, and that’s exactly why we practice. Next Wednesday, September 12th, we will practice a Lock Down Drill. It’s important for us to inform you about this one, in particular, since we will be running the drill in coordination with the HCPD. A number of officers will report to campus and assist us with executing the exercise. Therefore, you can expect to see a number of police vehicles in our bus loop on Wednesday.
In the past four days, I’ve received a few requests regarding students who opt to bike to school. One request was for the school to add bike racks. We have a number of these, but they are obscured by a privacy wall in the front of the building. If your student needs help locating the bike rack, direct them to any staff member in the front office or to one of our security or custodial team members.
Another request came in the form of a student concern regarding her own safety as well as that of her peers. She wrote to me to express her concern that some of the folks who drive to or past our school building are not observing state laws regarding pedestrian crosswalks. So, here’s a rundown of some of the more salient traffic regulations*:
DRIVERS:
A driver of a vehicle must come to a complete stop when a pedestrian is crossing the roadway in a crosswalk.
Vehicles facing a green signal, including any vehicle turning right or left, must yield right-of-way to any pedestrian lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk.
Passing a vehicle stopped for a pedestrian is illegal.
The driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian, shall warn any pedestrian by sounding a horn, and shall exercise proper precaution on observing any confused or incapacitated pedestrians.
The driver of a vehicle shall drive at an appropriate reduced speed when any special danger exists as to pedestrians.
PEDESTRIANS (walkers or bikers):
A pedestrian facing a steady red traffic signal may not enter the roadway.
A pedestrian may not start to cross the roadway in the direction of a solid “don’t walk” or “upraised hand” signal. [There’s a $50 fine for that!]
In an intersection where a traffic control signal is in operation, a pedestrian may cross only in a marked crosswalk.
Finally, at our Back to School Night event, we shared a short video from HC Drug Free that sparked some conversation around the topic of juuling. Next week, I’ll write a bit more of the topic. In the meantime, I promised I’d share some additional resources to help you begin to educate yourselves. Here are a few links you might find helpful:
Vox: Juul, the vape device teens are getting hooked on, explained - 5/1/18* (Highly recommended read.)
NPR: Teenagers Embrace Juul - 12/4/17
NYT: F.D.A. Cracks Down on ‘Juuling’ Among Teenagers - 4/28/18
Science News for Students: Concerns explode over new health risks of vaping. Researchers link e-cigs to wounds that won’t heal and ‘smoker’s cough’ in teens - 4/25/17
Thank you to all who attended the various events of the last few weeks. From our first football game of the season to our BTSN Gallery Walks and beyond, we’ve enjoyed seeing you!
All the best for a relaxing three day weekend!
Cindy Dillon