Getting Safely to School & Home

The care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people is a central and fundamental responsibility of Catholic education.

Below we have important information in regards to ensuring we minimise risk and ensure that students arrive at school and return home safely.  

Kiss & Go

There are ‘No Parking’ signs on 12th Street in front of Sacred Heart and this is known as the ‘Kiss and Go’ zone. This zone is used for morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. The idea is that cars form a moving procession coming from the 11th Street end of Olive Grove, into 12th Street and into the Kiss and Go zone. Cars are parked for a maximum of two minutes to drop-off or pick-up children and then drive down 12th Street towards Deakin Avenue (no u-turns).

Entry into the Kiss and Go area via Walnut Avenue and 12th Street is strictly prohibited. The Kiss and Go can only be entered via Olive Grove. There is to be no parking or stopping on either side of Olive Grove as this will be part of the moving ‘pick-up & drop-off’ line. Under no circumstances are students to be picked up or dropped off in Olive Grove. Those students being picked up at the end of the school day from the Kiss and Go area assemble in front of the school on 12th Street and are directed to leave when their vehicle is in this area, via the supervised Kiss and Go gate.

Alternative 'Drop Off' Arrangements

Some children walk, or ride bikes or scooters to school, and they are asked to enter via either the 12th Street entrance or the Tamarisk Grove entrance at the back of the oval. 

Parents may choose to accompany their children into the school grounds in the morning. If you choose to do so, please join us in fostering independence, by encouraging your child to undertake his/her morning routine (changing library books, greeting friends and teachers, putting lunch orders in, etc.) with as little help as possible.

Alternative 'Pick Up' Arrangements

You are more than welcome to come into school to pick your child up from his/her classroom. This is a great way to meet other parents, informally chat to the teachers and ensure your child has everything organised at the end of the school day. If you do so, please park appropriately and make sure you are outside the classroom by the 3.10 bell, otherwise your child will be sent to wait in the supervised Kiss and Go area.

Use School Crossings

Students need to use the school crossing on Twelfth Street and Eleventh Street if walking home to avoid the need to cross heavily trafficked roads safely.  Both of these crossings are supervised by a School Crossing Supervisor. Please ensure we follow the directions of this person.

Buses

Several of our students catch buses home from the St. Joseph’s bus stop on 11th Street. Each day a teacher gathers these children together and accompanies them to the bus stop to supervise until they are all safely on the bus.

Walking Home or Alternative Pick Up Places

You may wish for your children to walk home, or to your place of work after school. If so, we ask that you provide written permission to the school, stating that you authorise your children to leave the school unaccompanied by an adult. These children must leave either through the main 12th Street gate OR walk with the 11th Street bus group through Tamarisk Grove.

For safety reasons, we strongly discourage families from making arrangements whereby children leave school at the end of the day and go and wait at an unsupervised public pick-up location (e.g. on Walnut Avenue or St Joseph’s College).

Ideal Drop Off & Pick Up Time

Ideal ‘Drop Off’ Time: 8.25 - 8.40 This allows children time to get themselves oriented to the school day. Students should not be dropped at school earlier than 8.15am.

Ideal ‘Pick Up’ Time: 3.10 - 3.25 We appreciate that from time to time you may run late when picking up your child at the end of the day. However, if this is a regular occurrence, or the pick-up can’t occur by 3.30, you are kindly asked to enrol your child/ren in After School Care.