Traffic and General Reminders
Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools - Elementary
315 McFarland Blvd. East
Tuscaloosa, AL 35404
205-759-3655
August 5, 2024
Dear Parents,
We are looking forward to an exciting year, and it will be good to see our students back on campus! As we prepare for the first day of school, I need your help. Please read the instructions and reminders for a successful school year:
1. You may enter the campus from Campus Drive or Julia Tutwiler Drive. Please be mindful of the arrows that are painted on the drive as they will help assist with traffic flow.
2. Car drop-off and car pick-up will be in front of the school ONLY. Teachers will direct you through the car line. Students may only get out of cars on the right side and step onto the sidewalk under the awning. Please do not load or unload except in the sidewalk and awning area. In the afternoons, parents need to have a sign with their child’s last name visible in the front window.
3. If you plan to walk your child to the front door, you will need to park your car in the parking lot and walk your student using the center cross walk. All children must be assisted by an adult if walking from the parking area. Do not drop off your child in the parking lot or on the side of the buildings. Safety, Safety, Safety.
4. Bus zones will be at the Tuscaloosa Magnet School (TMS) side of the building (south side near University Church of Christ) for TMS students. Please do not enter the bus zones.
5. Doors will open each morning at 7:30 a.m. TMS-E students who are eating breakfast will go directly to the cafeteria and then to the gym. All other TMS-E students will go directly to the gym.
6. Upon entering the school building every visitor must come to the school office and sign in.
7. As we make the transition of moving cars safely through the parking lot, we ask for your patience as we direct cars from 2 schools through the front drive.
8. Please REFRAIN from CELL PHONE use when in the carpool lane. It is important to be completely aware of ALL students. Safety, Safety, Safety.
9. If you need to make any changes to your child's usual transportation arrangements, please send a note or email to your child's teacher in advance. If there's a last-minute change on the day of, we request that you call the school directly to inform us of the change. Please note that our teachers may not be able to check emails or messages during the school day, so calling the school ensures that we can accommodate your request promptly. Students are only allowed to ride the bus to which they are assigned. Riding on another bus with a friend is not permitted, per TCS policy.
10. School starts at 7:55 a.m. and ends at 2:40 p.m.
Please know that we are doing everything we can to make this a smooth transition for all students and parents. We understand that there will be some congestion with traffic and confusion that goes along with merging 2 schools. We appreciate you working with us. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns. We hope that after the first week or so that everything will run as smoothly as possible! It is going to be a GREAT year!
Sincerely,
Preeti Nichani, Principal, Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools - Elementary