Carpool Guidelines

To ensure student, parent, and staff safety and an efficient flow of traffic, there are specific procedures for the carpool lane and for students who walk to school at Apex Friendship Middle School. 

General Information:

• Students may enter the building at 7:45am unless their bus route requires them to be dropped off sooner than that. Adult supervision is not available prior to this time for any students who are not riding a bus. We strongly encourage families to arrive as close to 7:45am as possible to reduce wait time in the carpool line.
• Student pick-up and drop-off must take place in designated areas per the procedures listed below. It is unsafe to drop off or pick up students in a different manner other than what is provided below or anywhere other than the AFMS carpool loop.

Morning Drop-off Procedures:

• As you enter our school to pick up or drop off your child, you want to enter where you see our sign: Apex Friendship Middle School. This sign is located off of Humie Olive Road.
• As you drive in, you’ll notice that the carpool lane starts as one lane, develops into two lanes (double stack lane), and ultimately becomes three lanes (triple stack lane) as you get close to the entrance of the school. Cars should use only the far right lane until they reach the triple stack lanes, at which point, all three lanes can be used. Note that visitors may make a left into the parking lot before reaching the triple-stack drop-off point (this parking lot is for visitors only - parents/guardians picking up or dropping off via carpool should not turn into the parking lot).
• A staff member will be near the entrance to the staff parking lot where it goes from two lanes to three lanes. This staff member will direct traffic into open lanes. Vehicles should pull as far forward as possible within the lane into which they are directed. Do not leave gaps within the line.
• Students should remain in their vehicles until they are told to exit their cars by staff members, who will be stationed around the carpool loop. We will not give the direction for students to exit their cars until all lanes have been filled and cars are no longer moving through the lanes. 
• Once all cars are stopped, staff will notify students that they may get out of the car. All students who are in the triple stacked lanes, beyond the staff member who is directing cars into one of the three carpool lanes, may get out of their car, walk directly to the sidewalk, and walk towards the building. 
• Once students have cleared the carpool loop, Officer Arata will direct cars to begin pulling out of the carpool loop one lane at a time. Cars should not change lanes at any point during this process and should wait for the cars in front of them to be directed by Officer Arata to leave the carpool loop. 
• Remember to stay to your right as you exit the carpool loop because there may be two-way parking lot traffic.

Afternoon Pick-up Procedures:

• As you enter our school to pick up or drop off your child, you want to enter where you see our sign: Apex Friendship Middle School. This sign is located off of Humie Olive Road.
• As you drive in, you’ll notice that the carpool lane starts as one lane, develops into two lanes (double stack lane), and ultimately becomes three lanes (triple stack lane) as you get close to the entrance of the school. Cars should use all of these lanes. Note that visitors may make a left into the parking lot before reaching the triple-stack drop-off point (this parking lot is for visitors only - parents/guardians picking up or dropping off via carpool should not turn into the parking lot).
• All vehicles in all three lanes will be stopped at the stop sign directly in front of the school until students are dismissed.
• When students are dismissed, Officer Arata will direct one lane at a time to pull forward and line up against the curb between the fire hydrant (between the spirit rock and the handicap parking spaces near the football field) and the rest of the carpool line. Please be sure to pull all the way up, leaving no gaps between you and the car in front of you.
• Students will be directed to only get into their vehicles when they have pulled up and are against the curb in this pick-up area (they will not be permitted beyond the flag poles to get into a vehicle). Once you have picked up your student, you may pull out and slowly exit the carpool loop.
• This process will be continued, taking turns between which lanes are directed to move forward. Cars should not change lanes during carpool.
• At no time should students walk across lanes of traffic in order to get into their car, nor should they get into a car that is beyond the flagpoles in front of the school. Students should remain on the sidewalk until their vehicle pulls up into the pick-up zone. Students should not be picked-up in any other location other than the carpool loop.
• Please stress to your student(s) that they need to report to carpool promptly following the 3:00pm bell. If cars ahead of you have left but your child still has not yet reported to the carpool area, continue moving forward to allow room for vehicles behind you to pull forward and pick-up their students.
• Please do not talk on cell phones as you pull into the loading area. This jeopardizes the safety of students, staff, and other parents.
• Carpool should be completed by 3:30pm each day. Students may remain on campus after 3:30pm ONLY if they are being supervised by a teacher, coach, or other staff member.

Thank you for following these procedures! You are helping our carpool run safely and efficiently!