We, the undersigned parents, guardians, and community members, are calling on Our Lady of Grace Catholic Elementary School and the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board to immediately address the growing safety and accessibility concerns surrounding student drop-off and pick-up procedures for children who do not take the bus.

Currently, there is no Kiss and Ride program or designated parent drop-off/pick-up area at the school. The school parking lot is reserved exclusively for staff, while nearby roads are now subject to “No Parking” restrictions during the school year from September 1 to June 30 between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. As a result, parents and guardians are left with no safe, legal, or practical way to bring their children to school or pick them up at the end of the day.

This situation creates unnecessary safety risks for students and families, including:

• Children walking through unsafe or congested traffic areas
• Parents stopping illegally or unsafely due to lack of options
• Increased risk during winter weather and poor road conditions
• Traffic congestion and confusion around school property
• Stress and hardship for working families, families with younger siblings, and parents with mobility concerns

We are requesting that the school and school board work with the Township of Essa and community stakeholders to implement practical and safe solutions, including but not limited to:

• Establishing a supervised Kiss and Ride program
• Creating designated short-term parent drop-off and pick-up zones
• Revising parking restrictions near the school where appropriate
• Exploring staggered entry/dismissal times or adjusted school hours to safely accommodate traffic flow
• Identifying alternative safe loading/unloading areas for families

A properly planned Kiss and Ride program provides many important benefits:

• Improves student safety during arrival and dismissal
• Reduces traffic congestion and unsafe roadside stopping
• Creates a more organized and efficient flow of vehicles
• Supports families with young children, disabilities, or time constraints
• Encourages better cooperation between the school, parents, and municipality
• Enhances emergency access and overall community safety around the school

Every child deserves a safe way to get to and from school. We urge school officials and local authorities to act quickly to develop a fair, safe, and practical solution for the families of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Elementary School. By signing this petition, you are supporting safer school access for all students and families.