Safety at the Schools

I received several emails regarding a possible incident outside of Grandview School yesterday. Does anyone have any information?

Here is a snip from one of the emails.

Maybe the board can authorize something tonight to address this issue. This seems like a safety issue to me.

A student was hit by a car yesterday at her safety post at Grandview Elementary. I do not know all the details, but word is, thankfully, the girl is fine.

If this is a not a wake up call, then what will it take?

Many of us have seen close calls with cars in the school zones, repeatedly. My own daughter was nearly hit at the same spot last year. The issue of traffic safety around our schools remains unresolved, despite the efforts of staff, Mr. May and Mr. Seward.

The borough has not been willing to spend money on flashing lights outside each school zone. We fought just to get minimal signage around the schools. Plastering the smallest, least expensive 15 mile an hour signs along the streets is better than what we had before, but it is inadequate. We need flashing 15 mph signs in front of ALL schools. There is a reason most municipalities do this- people are more likely to notice the lights and will more likely take it seriously. Flashing lights will get the attention of motorists, but this alone will not be sufficient. We need the enforcement of police officers to back it up.

This will cost. But I'm willing to wager that this is one issue this town can agree on. Nobody wants to wait for a tragedy. The weight of losing a child when we could have acted will be much heavier than the weight of a few more tax dollars.

Please urge your borough council representative to take action - install flashing lights and provide police enforcement in our school zones on a regular basis. We don't need to wait for another study or more meetings that hash out the same issues. The issues are clear.

Just do what is standard practice everywhere else. Protect our children's safety.

Sneaker Update

ORIGINAL POST OCTOBER 8: Do you remember the sneaker collection campaign being conducted by the Morrisville High School National Honor Society students? NBC10 stopped back to see how they did.

They reached their goal of 600 pairs of sneakers. Signed. Sealed. Delivered. Congratulations to everyone.

UPDATED OCTOBER 15: Now with video link from WBIR in Knoxville, TN.

Students Collect Sneakers For Needy Overseas
Shoes Will Be Refurbished, Sold To Help Family In Ghana

POSTED: 4:22 pm EDT October 7, 2008
UPDATED: 4:47 pm EDT October 7, 2008

Those old sneakers stuffed in the back of the closet may seem worthless, but students at a Bucks County high school recently asked people not to simply throw the shoes in the trash.

Instead, the students collected the shoes, and shipped them overseas to Ghana, where the sneakers will help a needy family.

During the past month, students at Morrisville High School gathered hundreds of pairs of sneakers from donors, all while learning about Ghana, located in West Africa.

"We got a lot more than we expected," junior Amanda Graf said, standing amidt trash bags stuffed with sneakers.

The shoes will be refurbished and sold in villages, said Elizabeth Glaum-Lathbury, a teacher at Morrisville.

"The money from the sneakers provides funding for … a pretty large family," Glaum-Lathbury said, "and provides them with bikes, bees, rabbits, trees, a water pump, everything they need to become self-sustaining and sufficient."

It takes about 600 pairs of shoes to raise enough money to start a family farm, the teacher said.

It's like pretty much all of us helping just one family rather than everybody else," said senior Chad Demi. "We actually know who the stuff is going to instead of just random people."

Henry Cox picked up the shoe the students had collected and will ship them to Ghana.

"I think it's really great that the youth of our time is not only looking out for themselves," Cox said, "but they're looking out for other people in different countries."

Wishful Thinking

From the BCCT. Wouldn't this be nice in Morrisville?

School board meeting canceled
Posted in Community on Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 at 4:47 pm by Joan Hellyer

The Bristol school board meeting scheduled for Thursday has been canceled because of a lack of agenda items, district officials said.

The board’s next meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 6 in the district’s administration building off Farragut Avenue in the borough. Call 215-781-1010 for more information.

Meeting Reminder

The Policy committee meeting at 6:30 is CANCELLED.

The agenda meeting is at 7:30

EDUCATION
Morrisville School Board: 7:30 p.m., Large Group Instruction Room of the Middle/Senior High School, 550 W. Palmer St. Agenda: Agreement with engineering firm for upgrade services to the high school and surveys of elementary schools, acceptance of grants and donations. 215-736-2681