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Brookhaven
Valet Program
Frequently
Asked Questions
What is Brookhaven’s “Valet Program?”
The Valet Program is a convenient
student drop-off and pick-up program that operates each
school morning and afternoon. A group of dedicated
upper-grade Student Valets, parent volunteers, and staff
members provide this as a service to you. The goal of this
program is to reduce traffic congestion and promote the
safety of all students and their families.
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How does Brookhaven’s Valet morning drop-off
program work?
Cars enter the Valet system in two
lanes from the north driveway on Brookhaven Avenue. An
adult volunteer or staff member signals vehicles to stop at
the “Wait” area. Then, 9 vehicles at a time are merged into
a single lane and sent to an assigned numbered station (1
through 9). When they arrive at the station, a Student
Valet signals them to stop, opens the car door, assists with
student unloading, and closes the door. The car then exits
the system at the south driveway, making a right turn only
back onto Brookhaven Avenue. When all 9 cars have left the
Valet system, the next “batch” of 9 cars is sent.
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How does Brookhaven’s Valet afternoon pick-up
program work?
In the afternoon, cars enter and move
through the Valet system just as they do in the morning.
However, each vehicle should have the last name(s) of the
child or children to be picked up clearly displayed on the
dashboard or visor of the vehicle. Students wait in the
Multipurpose Room where they are supervised by staff
members.
An adult volunteer or staff member uses
a walkie-talkie to notify the adult in the MPR the name of
the student and which number station they should be sent
to. That information is then announced to the waiting
students. When you arrive at your assigned number station,
your child should be ready and waiting to be picked up. As
in the morning, a Student Valet helps by opening your door,
assisting students into the car, and closing the door.
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What times does the Valet service operate?
In the morning, our Student Valets are
typically on-the-job and ready to assist you by 7:40am. In
the afternoons, cars begin to move through the system at
approximately 2:20pm. Our Valet program finishes at 2:35pm
or when the steady flow of cars entering the system has
stopped.
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What should I do to help the Valet program
run quickly, smoothly, and safely?
Your cooperation is key to keeping our
Valet program operating at its best!
Most importantly, leave for school in
plenty of time to avoid a hectic and stressful morning.
When dropping off students, please have all backpacks, lunch
money, and school projects stored in the passenger
compartment of your vehicle and never in the trunk. Say your
“goodbyes” and make after school plans with your child
BEFORE you pull up to your assigned number station for
unloading.
If you use our afternoon Valet pick-up
service, please regularly remind your child that they should
walk from their classroom directly to the Multipurpose
Room. Students should be loaded and seated in the vehicle
as quickly as possible so that traffic can begin moving
again.
For the safety of our Student Valets,
please drive SLOWLY and refrain from using cell phones while
moving through our Valet system. Always make eye contact
with our Student Valets to ensure that you are
communicating, and pull close to the curb. Our Student
Valets are not allowed to step off the curb to open a car
door. Please make sure that all students are clear of your
vehicle before pulling away from the number station.
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Does the Valet program operate on rainy
days?
YES! Our Valets, Parent Volunteers and
staff members are out in the parking lot regardless of the
weather. The Valet system can get overloaded on these days,
however, so please allow extra time for drop-off and pick-up
and be as patient as possible. Remember that the Valet
workers are braving the elements so that you and your child
stay as dry and comfortable as possible.
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If I need to park my car, where can I do that
when the Valet program is in operation?
The Parent/Visitor lot is always
available for parking. While our Valet service is
operating, the lot must be entered from and exited to
Bastanchury Avenue only. The temporary green curb parking
at the front of the school is not available from 7:30am –
8:15am and 2:00pm – 2:45pm. There is street parking on
Brookhaven Avenue and in the surrounding neighborhoods, but
please do not park or stop at a designated red curb. The
Staff parking lot should NEVER be used to drop off or pick
up students.
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What if my child isn’t there for pick-up when
I pull up to my assigned number?
When this occurs, you will most likely
be asked to exit the valet system and re-enter for another
attempt at pickup. Almost always, your child has simply
been delayed in getting to the Multipurpose Room and will be
waiting for you when you arrive at a number station the next
time. We greatly appreciate your cooperation in these
circumstances, as this is critical to keeping our valet
system flowing smoothly.
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If there isn’t room in my car for my child’s
project or large musical instrument, can I store them in the
trunk when using the Valet system?
In order to utilize our Valet Service,
student belongings must be kept readily available with your
child in the passenger portion of your vehicle. For safety
reasons, students and Student Valets may not step off the
curb, and drivers should stay behind the wheel of their
vehicle to expedite the process. Parent Volunteers are
available to assist when students need additional help
exiting or entering the vehicle, but on days where your
child has a large project or musical instrument that is
unable to be stored in the passenger compartment, please
park your car and assist your child outside of our Valet
system.
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Is the Valet service the fastest way to pick
my child up after school?
While our Valet service is a very safe
and convenient method of picking up your child, it may not
always be the quickest. Our program does not begin
operating until approximately 2:20pm in order to allow all
students and staff members to make their way from the
classrooms to the Multipurpose Room. This prevents the
delay to the entire system that occurs when a student is not
at a number station to be picked up when their car pulls up
to that number. So if your child has a 2:30 dentist
appointment across town, you may do better to arrive early,
park your car, and pick up your child outside of our Valet
system.
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How can I help with the Valet program?
Our Valet program requires a team of
over 40 adults to operate throughout the year! If you can
spare 30 minutes of your time each week, either before or
after school, please email
Elaine Yin or call at 996-8255.
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