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2 THE NEW TANNER THURSDAY, APRI 26, 2012 MSB parents and students schooled on safety Efforts to improve student safety includes education and enforcement On the day all McKenzie-Smith Bennett students got a traffic safety refresher from police ­ a blitz sparked by three separate traffic accidents involving MSB students in recent weeks ­ school Principal Sharon French was met with a "very scary and dangerous" scene on her arrival at school early Monday morning. "I looked down Acton Boulevard and I could see a young man ­ he was a teenager ­ and he was on one of those great long boards, and he was having a great time with his Doberman Pinscher pulling him on a long leash, and he was roaring right up the road..." French said, inviting kids in a Grade four and five class to tell her what safety rules the teen was breaking, including not wearing any safety gear. French said the three accidents are three too many. "We want to think about what we can learn, and what we can do for boys and girls to stay safe, and remind the adults in our community what they can do to make sure we are safe," French who in his school days was a class crossing guard at the then M.Z. Bennett School, said most of the problems are caused by "parents' parking habits" and while he understands that parents of Junior and Senior Kindergarten classes want to get their kids as close to the school entrance as possible, it causes congestion that is unsafe. "This road is engineered as far as we're ever going to be able to get. It's going to be up to the school board to look at (if) they have enough parking spots in the north and south lot ­ which I don't think they do ­ and they're going to have to figure out a way to do that," Somerville said, adding there are also concerns with the buses using Acton Boulevard after kids are dropped off. He thinks they should head west on Mill Street and not come straight up the busy Acton Boulevard." USE YOUR SUPER POWERS: After three McKenzie-Smith Bennett students were injured in separate traffic accidents in recent weeks, school officials invited Halton Police Constable Laurel Barnett to visit each class on Monday to remind them to use their eyes and ears to Stop, Look and Listen ­ Frances Niblock photo said as she introduced Halton Constable Laurel Barnett to the class. Barnett quickly engaged the students in a straw poll over which action hero was the strongest ­ Batman, Spiderman, Green Hornet, Superman ­ and then asked the class who would win a battle between a car and child. She played two age-appropriate DVDs urging students to use their super powers ­ sight and hearing ­ to Stop, Look and Listen when crossing roads. "Some drivers don't follow the rules ­ you expect all drivers to follow the rules, but we know they don't, so you must be very careful," French said. Out on Acton Boulevard before the morning bell rang each day this week, uniformed bylaw enforcement officer Alberto Recinos had to wave away numerous vehicles driven by parents attempting to stop or park illegally to let off their children. Last week three tickets ­ $50 each ­ were issued to parents for parking bylaw violations. At press time, three more tickets had been issued. The school, school board and Town are attempting to improve student safety in the area with education, enforcement and physical changes which may include expanding the north end parking lot with a Kiss & Go area, downplaying the unguarded crossing into the Bovis subdivision, and adjusting bus routes. Regional/Acton Councillor Clark Somerville, DE MELO CHIROPRACTIC & WELLNESS CENTRE Dr. Dave de Melo, Chiropractor Dr. Jim Giancoulas, Chiropractor Amy Spiers, Massage Therapist · SAFE, GENTLE CHIROPRACTIC CARE · COMPUTER GENERATED SPINAL ANALYSIS · EMERGENCIES & WORKERS COMP ACCEPTED · NEW PATIENTS WELCOME ENFORCEMENT CONTINUES: After three McKenzie- Smith Bennett School students were injured in separate accidents when they were hit by vehicles, the Town stepped up enforcement of No Parking and Stopping bylaws on Acton Boulevard. On Monday, Bylaw office Albert Recinos (left) repeatedly had to tell parents, attempting to drop off their kids, to move on. ­ Frances Niblock photo Remember to always STOP LOOK & LISTEN 25 Main Street North, Acton Across from Giant Tiger Plaza No Referral Necessary www.actonhead2toe.com (519) 853-3460 EVENING APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE