• Your child’s safety is vitally important to us. We encourage students and families to walk and ride bikes to school.  We have such an amazing facility that was built with a green focus, and what better way to teach sustainability and environmental awareness, than walking or riding a bike, scooter or skateboard to school?  Plus, it’s a great way to spend time with your child.  

    We understand this is a great deal of information. Thank you for reading this thoroughly in order to keep our school community safe. Remember that the instructional day begins at 8:40am and ends at 3:00pm for all grades.

    Biking to/from School Procedures

    If your child is biking to school, please talk to them about the following, and remind them throughout the school year:  

    • All students riding a bike, scooter or skateboard must walk their bike, etc. across crosswalks and walk their bike, etc. once they reach school grounds. Students are not permitted to ride in the parking lots or on school property in order to keep all students safe and avoid collisions.

      • If arriving/departing from the main entrance near Pacific Highlands Ranch Parkway, students must get off of their bikes, etc and walk in while in the first parking lot. 

      • If arriving/departing from the back entrance near Sunflower Crest, students must get off of their bikes, etc and walk in when they reach the schools’ gates. Students are not permitted to ride their bike on the sidewalk inside the gates (between the playgrounds and the field).

    • All students riding a bike, scooter or skateboard must wear a helmet. 

    Walking to/from School Procedures

    • For those walking to school, please talk to your child about walking on sidewalks and crossing the street at crosswalks only. For those entering school at the front entrance, we encourage students and families to walk to the traffic light at Blazing Star Lane and Pacific Highlands Ranch Parkway so they can cross at the crosswalk. The section of Pacific Highlands Ranch Parkway and Blue Dawn Trail where PHR Parkway merges into one lane is a very busy intersection. We encourage you and your child to use the Blazing Star traffic light crosswalk to safely cross the street.  Solana Ranch staff is stationed at this intersection to monitor crossing and encourage crosswalk use.  Safety is our priority.

    • Please use marked crosswalks ONLY to ensure safety.

    This year, we will be making one important update to our safety protocols: We will be locking the gate door between the parking lot and Solana Ranch Park during drop-off and pick-up only. We are implementing this change in order to keep pedestrians safe. As always, we encourage families to use designated crosswalks. Families entering and exiting the main entrance to Solana Ranch should walk along Pacific Highlands Ranch Pkwy to the traffic light, utilizing the sidewalks and crosswalks. This will ensure the safety of our students and families, and we appreciate your support. Please note that the gate will be unlocked for community park and parking lot access during the school day and weekends. 

    Car Drop-off and Pick-up Procedures

    For those who drive to and from school, please be aware of students who are walking, biking to ensure all student and family safety as they arrive and leave school:

    • Do not park or block the bike lanes on Pacific Highlands Ranch Parkway, as this poses potential safety concerns. 

    • You are able to park on the side streets in the neighborhood and walk to pick up your child, which would help avoid backups at the traffic light at Pacific Highlands Ranch Parkway. 

    The supervised drop-off area will be in the parking lot (with the solar panels) entered from the Blazing Star entrance. All drivers MUST follow the Drop-Off/Pick-Up Procedures described below. The success and efficiency of this procedure depends on the cooperation of all drivers. We appreciate your cooperation, patience, and vigilance.

    Morning Arrival: Car Drop-off Procedure

    If you are using the main car drop-off zone, we ask that you:

    • Enter the parking lot from the Blazing Star Lane/Pacific Highlands Ranch intersection. Do not use the smaller school parking lot (directly in front of the main entrance to the school) for morning arrival or dismissal. This will be utilized by staff, 15-minute visitors, before and after-school program vehicles, buses, etc. 

    • Children will exit the vehicle in the unloading area only. Please pull all the way forward before exiting.  Our morning greeter will help the children departing the vehicle. Children should exit the vehicle on the passenger side. Please have your child ready to go with their back-pack in the car and not in the trunk.  Parents should not have to get out of the car during this process.  Once the car door is closed, please leave promptly.

    • We encourage parents to use the main drop-off rather than Sunflower Crest.  If drivers are using the Sunflower Crest entrance, please note that the side closest to the school is a 3 minute loading and unloading zone only.  Drivers must not leave their vehicle. Students 1st-6th grade will have to walk to their lines on their own from the Sunflower Crest gate. Kindergarten students need to be walked by a parent or older sibling (4th grade or up) directly to the Kindergarten gate, not via Sunflower Crest Gate.  

    • Please be vigilant and aware of children and families who will be walking to school in order to keep all of our students safe. 

    Afternoon Dismissal: Car Pick-Up Procedure (Drive-In, Pick-up, Depart)

    At the end of the school day, staff will supervise the front parking lot. Students will meet in the lunch shelter in our drop-off zone. We will have one staff member calling out names and one staff member checking with cars to identify children being picked up. Students will get in the cars from the front of the line.

    • Drive-in at Blazing Star Lane/Pacific Highlands Ranch intersection only: Pull as far forward as you are able.

    • Pick-up: Your child will be waiting for you in the covered lunch area and will be called upon your arrival.  An adult greeter will help your child enter the car on the curb side (passenger side) only.  

    • Departure: Once the car door is closed, please leave promptly.  Thank you for remembering to drive slowly and carefully when exiting the school parking lot.  

    • When exiting, you can can choose to:

      • Exit from the parking lot to turn right only onto Pacific Highlands Ranch Parkway (please note this driveway is an EXIT ONLY).

      • Circle around the parking lot to go to the traffic light and go straight onto Blazing Star Lane OR turn left on Pacific Highlands Ranch Parkway.

    • Please be vigilant and aware of children and families who will be walking home in order to keep all of our students safe. 

    We understand the amount of traffic that is generated at both pick-up and drop- off times, as well as having additional schools in our surrounding area, impacts traffic and our surrounding roadways. Please note that during our pick up and drop off times, there are students and families that are riding bikes along Pacific Highlands Ranch Parkway.  They have the right of way in the designated bike lanes. It is essential that cars do not block access to the designated lanes and consider the intent for the bike lanes and overall safety for bicyclists.

    Before the first day of school, please be sure your child knows:

    • if they are being picked up via car and at which exit you intend to meet: The main pickup in the parking lot or at the back gate at Sunflower Crest. 

    • If they are going to be walking or biking home. Please ensure they know a safe path home. We encourage students and families to walk/bike home together. 

    • If they are attending after school care such as CDC. 

    We appreciate your support as we hold our students’ safety as our highest priority. 

    Thank you, 

    Angela Tremble, Principal

    Jen Price, Assistant Principal