I don't think a single school has a perfect drop off solution. As parents we should set good examples for our children and follow the rules the school is enforcing. While I didn't agree with the choice to close the lot, I will follow the rules and use the drop off lane.

Unless you have permission from Sentry or BCCU - I wouldn't rely on using their lots for drop off. It would make for rude neighbors to flood their lots with drop off traffic.

Ride the bus - they get a great drop off lane.
Drop off on a side street near Monroe and use the crossing guard protected cross walk.
Car pool - turn your SUV in the morning clown car... free up space in the drop off lane.

Exactly MarshalRocks. Every school in Janesville has issues with drop off/pick up. Most could use more space. But if everyone followed the procedures in place and the children were prepared to get out of the car as soon as the parent reached the area for drop off, it would go much easier! Today, there was 2 cars parked with no driver in the pick up lane at Franklin even though the signs clearly state you are not to park there between drop off/pick up times. Plus, people were waiting in the outside lane,where signs clearly state not to, for their children making it impossible for those of us in the correct lane for pick up to leave once we had our children.
One guy in the moving lane waiting, picked up a child then sat there revving his engine in his crappy pick up truck thinking he was cool. Geesh..grow up!!

The request to have parents follow the drop-off lane procedure is not a "new rule". I taught at Marshall when Dr. Kuehne was our principal, under Dr. Salerno, and now with Mrs. Taylor. All three, at some point during the year (and it seems like EVERY year), have sent letters home with students asking parents to PLEASE follow the drop-off procedure. Cars dropping off and picking up all over the place are a definite hazard for our kids. Lately, some have been driving all the way up to the back door to deliver their child inches from the entry.
This is for the students' safety. When students are dropped off in the parking lot, it's convenient for the parent not following the requested procedure as they exit around the perimeter, but the child they left behind then has to cross in front of the cars in the drop-off lane that are attempting to exit. The irony is that this slows up the parents who ARE following the procedure. It should be a swift procedure, drop off and go... drop off and go, but instead the students that were dropped off in the parking lot are dodging across in front of the cars trying to exit.
For clarity, Monroe students are dismissed 15 minutes before Marshall's students. There is not nearly the danger involved with those students (much fewer in numbers than our near 1000 enrollment), and those parents are gone by the time we dismiss at 3:15. Also, Marshall opens for students at 7:45 a.m. and school starts at 8. When the weather is too cold, we bring them indoors earlier, for their own safety.
I like the suggestion to drop the children off at Sentry or Blackhawk C.U. That's a very short walk and would alleviate all kinds of problems.
Finally, I'm feeling a little defensive of our new principal. She's a really great leader and doesn't deserve the attack. This is NOT a new procedure she's asking to have followed. She just cares deeply about the safety of your children. There have indeed been some accidents recently. I'd rather see parents up in arms than have a child taken away in an ambulance. No doubt that's what she is thinking too.

The kicker about Marshall is that the elementary school parents ARE allowed to park in the Marshall lot after school! Monroe even has a crossing guard there. The design was not well thought out to begin with so there will always be problems.

I should also add that the middle school opens its doors normally at 7:50 and earlier on the really cold days. If I do get a late start and show up between 7:50-8:00, it is near impossible to get in or out of the drop off zone with all my hair intact and without my blood pressure rising.
Its not easy at any of the schools, from what I have heard. You just got to make the best of a bad situation sometimes and do the best you can.
On a good note, not one day goes by that I don't see a parent smiling and making room for another to get to where they need to go. I see the other ones too that are so angry and stressed they make it worse than it needs to be. We are all there trying to get our kids to school in one piece and hopefully on time. Be kind to others and hopefully they will be kind to you.
One thing I make sure of is that when we are on the way, the kids have their backpacks/lunches or whatever in their hands and ready to go so that way when it is our turn, they can quickly get out and I can get out of the way of others. The worse thing to see is the parent/child that sit talking and trying to get their stuff together for 5 minutes holding up the rest of the line.

Minniemom, I understand what you are saying about having your child wait outside for 30 minutes. But, I leave at 7:25, get to the high school at 7:40 and to the middle school at around 7:50. My times are not the time I arrive, but the time it takes to get there and work my way through the drop off area. Both my kids get out of the car and go directly into the school and are never left to wait outside at either school. During the summer, both my kids want to be at school as early as possible to hang out and chat with their friends before school and that is nice because I can get there and back before the big rush!

I am on my 3rd year at Marshall and has 3 years prior with another child. ALWAYS the principal was outside every morning greeting the children and watching the cross walk, Dr. Salerno did it and Dr. Keene before him. Since the new principal has started this year, the 1st time I ever saw her was on the 1st day of the change. Maybe she needs to be outside daily like all the previous principals and then they would not have to make a change. It is inconvinient and crazy that now they have teachers blocking the doors even in the back so students cannot go in there. If they are worried about safety, now I see parents dropping kids off in the middle of Pontiac Drive as they cannot even get into the drive at Marshall because it is so backed up. And jvl4 life, I'm sure if you go at 7:30 to drop off your kid you can get in and out but I don't expect mine to stand there for 1/2 hour.

I've been with the district at all three levels in the last 14 years and honestly, the drop off/pick up is crazy at all of them! Always has been and probably always will be. I was just hit last week by a lady that had lost her cool waiting in line to drop off at the middle school and the next day, I saw another accident at the high school. A few weeks ago, my child was late to school because of an accident blocking the road by the high school and traffic was backed up.
I just ride with it and get there when I can. We live less than 5 minutes from both the schools we now go to and I leave my house at 7:25 to get them both there on time. If we are running late and don't leave until 7:35, we barely make it by 8. Its just the nature of the beast. I'd have to agree with jvl4life, a little patience will go a long way!

CIM... Some area businesses do not take kindly to their parking lots being used as a drop off zone. The one by my childs school called the police and put signs in the parking lot to stop people from using it.

The change was made at Marshall because a student was hit in the parking lot during drop off last week. That's what I overheard from someone that witnessed it.

(CM) it's not that simple those parking lots are private property not public, That would be like saying anybody could park in your drveway.This wuold create a liability problem sorry.

The parking lots are off limits as drop off/pick up zones at all the schools that my kids have been at. It seems like it is to keep kids from getting hit by people trying to rush through.

If you feel you must drop your kids off at school, drop them off at the Sentry/Blackhawk Credit Union parking lot. Then it is only a short walk for the kids and they don't have to cross any streets. Pretty simple.

MinnieMom-really, 40 minutes? It took me only 5-7 minutes to get through the drop off zone. Let's not exagerate here. I'll repeat myself, give the staff a break. For some, it will be difficult to "train" them. You just need a dose of patience and maybe a cup of joe in the morning!

I can't believe the situation at Marshall. If they would have just done their job at the beginning of the year, none of this would be going on. Marshall did not even notify Monroe of the situation. I am not from Janesville and this district is like nothing I have ever seen.

The parking lot is off limits at my son's elementary school here in town...I would guess it probably is at most of the schools...it's not a designated drop off/pick up zone.

I think right now, they need to worry about the situation at Marshall. The new principal has changed the drop off and pick up procedure and it is pathetic. How many parking spots are in the parking lot? Only teachers are allowed to enter, they will not allow parents to use the parking lot. I have witnessed many parents yelling, flipping each other off, etc. I have called Everets office 3 times, and nothing has changed. It now takes 40 minutes just to go and drop your kid off at school in the a.m. Forget looking 5 years into the future, fix the problems you have now.