I love the Drop Off Zone! How nerdy is that?
I race out at 3.00pm every afternoon I can. Sometimes Sandy (Mrs Cathcart) will say, 'I'll do it for you'. But I never let her.
It's the one time of the day that I get to spend time with the same group of children. I love that they greet me when I get there. Some of them are carrying books and we chat about stories and authors. Others are proudly carrying art works they have created that day and they love to show me. I help them put stuff in their bags and we talk about what's in their homework folders.
We often have to huddle together under umbrellas and I have a special pair of gum boots for those days. Too many pairs of shoes have been ruined on wet days! Or I have to insist everyone put their hat on because we are baking in the sun for 15 minutes. The children are always good natured about whatever happens.
Kids yell goodbye as they climb into their cars, Mums and Dads wave, some older past students slink low in front seats trying not to be seen, and when there is a dog in the front seat we say 'how cute!' One past parent used to bring their cat and I got to cuddle him on more than one occasion. I often have a quick chat with a parent or two - Did you get my email? Your child has settled well into our school? Can you come and see me about your little bloke who is starting school next year?
The boys and I often pass comment on the cars and we love it when the Butterworth's drive their Cadillac in. We can smell the gasoline from a mile away! This week we saw a car with a self-closing boot. 'Awesome', we all said together and then laughed.
Everyone waits in line politely and kids like it when the gate is open and they can run up the path when their parent's car pulls in along the kerb. Kids watch the road and yell ' I can see my mum - she's gonna be on the roundabout soon'.
Children know not to chase their balls when one escapes across the road and sometimes I have to weave between the traffic to retrieve a lost item. And there is always something interesting left behind - a swimming bag, a diorama, a toy - yesterday we found just one Haviana thong. And we all had a laugh about how someone could have left only one thong behind.
Recently at a community meeting, representatives from the Council, the Police and the Department of Transport commented on how everyone waits patiently in the line all around the two roundabouts and through the school car park. Sure - we have the odd cranky person who doesn't want to keep moving when their children are not in the green space but in the main we are a very well behaved community! (Thanks for that, everyone)
At this same meeting a suggestion was made to get rid of the Drop Off Zone. My heart sank. Really! Are they joking! I hope so because I love the Drop Off Zone. It usually ends my day with smiles and hugs from the kids I love. And when the last child is packed safely into a car, I wander back to the office to finish the day.
