Dear Lafayette families,
Today, a serious traffic incident occurred near our school involving a Metrobus and a babysitter with a 4 year old. Miraculously, both the caregiver and the young child involved sustained only minor injuries.
We recognize that any event in our community can have an impact on both children and adults alike. In order to support anyone who may have witnessed the accident or been impacted by the accident, our school counselors will be available from 8-9 am Thursday in the Library. Please feel free to join us if you or your child would benefit from some extra support. In class, our teachers are prepared to help ease students’ worries and provide them with additional support and reassurance.
Please note that although the accident was not part of our dismissal procedure today, it highlights the need for all of us to be extra vigilant in the streets around the school and our neighborhood, both as pedestrians and drivers. The school has already initiated a Department of Energy & Environment (DDOE) review to ensure all of our crossing-guard needs, locations and procedures meet the needs of our community. Note that the process can take 30 days or more.
In the meantime parents should:
- Remind you children to look both ways when crossing streets and wait for cars to fully stop before crossing
- Use particular caution when driving near the school during drop off and dismissal
- Avoid unexpected driving maneuvers such as reversing into a crosswalk
- Do not park illegally – including in crosswalks
While traumatic, we are deeply relieved that no one was seriously injured.
In peace,
Dr. B