Have a great second week at school!

Hello students and parents,Wanted to take a minute to wish you a great week at school this week.
As we prepare for to get busy with school work, remember these several safety points.

• Cell phones should be off in school zones unless you have a hands free device
  
• We have new drivers around CHS - slow down and be calm
  
• All visitors are expected to check in through the front office
  
• No one should prop open any door and allow access to unauthorized people
  
• Have fun at school

As always I am available if you need me. You can come to the assistant principal's office and ask for me.

My direct line is (817)949-5601.

Have a great year,SRO Smith

TRAFFIC CHANGE!!!

Good Evening, I got my official call from the Southlake City Connect information release. Just wanted to let everyone know that the traffic around 800 N White Chapel will be changed again.

The changes will be in place on Tuesday September 8, 2009 when you arrive for school.

If you want to click the map image you can see a larger version on your screen.

The traffic is now back to two way around the school with designated drop off and pick up zones.

PLEASE NOTICE THAT THE SOUTH DRIVEWAY IS NO LONGER A DROP OFF AND PICK UP ZONE.

I wanted to try to get you as much information as I could before the holiday weekend. Upon your return to school please be aware of students, staff and each other as you move around the driveways and parking lots.

Have a great Labor Day weekend.

SRO Smith

Patience

Thanks for your patience and continued following of my blog updates. I have been told that there are traffic changes coming. I know that you want specifics. When I have them you will have them. Thanks for your patience so far and your continued calmness as we get this thing called traffic right.

As always email me at smithal@cisdmail.com if you have any comment, concerns or compliments.

SRO Allen Smith

New Links and Information for Students and Parents

Good afternoon,

The end of the first week of school is here. I know that there have been some challenges in several areas, the most challenging obviously being our traffic.

Just so you are aware, there are several things happening soon regarding the consideration of the traffic flow. I know that sounds very generic, and I agree, but I do not know all the details of the plans. I want to make sure that you know we are working.

If you have any input please email me or comment on this post. My email is smithal@cisdmail.com. I will try to answer you and I will forward your thoughts to the appropriate persons and departments.

I have added six new links on this blog on the right under "Links Under the Badge". I received these links in a drug recognition class that I attended in August. There is alot of helpful information for students and parents regarding different types of drugs and drug abuse. Specifically prescription drug info and pill identifier will be helpful to parents if you need to identify a pill. Feel free to explore the links and call me if you need anything. My number is (817) 949-5601.

Also the link for Rachel's challenge is a valuable tool for you to know what your students are already hearing here at Carroll High School about creating an environment where all kids can help to "start a chain reaction". Please take the time to check out Rachel's Challenge and watch the video.

Thanks for helping to make CHS the best environment for learning.

SRO Allen Smith

Good Morning!

Welcome to your third day of school at CHS. Please continue to comment here or email me at smithal@cisdmail.com your concerns about traffic flow and safety issues at CHS.

Students remember that you need to make sure and have your parking pass displayed on your vehicle and park only in the north parking lot, which is designated student parking.

Please pay close attention to your surroundings while exiting the school property. In the morning and afternoon our school crossing guard is responsible for children crossing White Chapel. When the crossing guard displays her hand held stop sign, you must stop and not proceed until the students and crossing guard have cleared the intersection.

Thanks for all of your continued cooperation.

SRO Allen Smith

First day complete!

Thanks to all who had constructive feedback today about the traffic flow. We will have to give it a while to see how it all works out. If you have some feedback that you want me to relay to the city staff, then reply here or send me an email at smithal@cisdmail.com. This way I can keep all of your comments in one place.

The things I suggest now are:

• Carpool
• Use CISD Transportation
• Leave very early
• When dropping off in the morning move around the school, not every one needs to stop in the lane near the gym entrance, move all the way around the school and drop off on the north side

It appears to me that the one thing that will solve most of our problems on White Chapel is extra lanes. That will not be complete for at least another year.

Until then we will have to work together.

Thanks, SRO Smith

Welcome Back 2009-2010 at Carroll High School

As we prepare for the 2009-2010 school year I wanted to bring up a few items that are a concern each year.

First and usually of great concern is our parking and driving around the campus. Just a few points to make sure everyone is on the same page.

Parents please DO NOT use the front circle drive to drop off/pick up your student. Parents please DO use the right lane nearest the building to drop off /pick up around the building. Please use the left lane to drive all the way around the building because we are one way traffic now. BUSES ONLY are permitted in the east drive.

Student parking is the north lot and students MUST purchase a parking pass from CISD administration building.

The front circle is reserved for VISITORS ONLY.

No students are allowed to park in the front circle, even if you are travelling from the senior high for a class.

There are minimal handicap parking spots. If you park in the handicap parking without the proper placard or block a handicap access ramp you will be issued a citation.

Teacher parking is on the west side of the building and the south side of the building. No students are permitted in teacher parking.

The band utilizes the parking lot for practice, please vacate the student parking lot by 3:45 p.m.

Please leave early for school. The parking and driving areas will be crowded. Utilize CISD transportation.

Our crossing guard is committed to the safety of the children from our school and both Durham campuses. Please be respectful and very observant. Intentional disregard for the crossing guard will not be tolerated.

Please check back regularly for updates and links to important information for students and parents.

Thanks,

SRO Allen Smith

New Traffic Pattern at Carroll High School

Please watch this slideshow regarding the new traffic pattern. Press the arrow in the center of the screen to wathc the slideshow. The slides will automatically advance and make sure you have your volume at a comfortable level.

April S.P.A.R.K. meeting date announced

Hold the date for our April Meeting, Tuesday April 28th at 7pm in Town Hall ( 3rd floor)

The Gordie Foundation will present "HAZE" Please see www.gordie.org

Gordie Bailey was 18, a freshman at the University of Colorado. He was a star athlete in High School who had just made the Lacrosse team at the University of Colorado. Gordie died of alcohol poisoning during a fraternity hazing ceremony .

Teach your teens the skills to navigate the dangers of alcohol, binge drinking, peer pressure and hazing.

Check out more links

I had the pleasure of answering a few questions at last months S.P.A.R.K. meeting. Thanks to all of those who showed up and heard the story of Jane Nauman. Jane is obviously blessed with an opportunity to help people through the trials that she has gone through as a parent.

I also got to meet Christie Houtman with Southlake Moms and she will be listing this blog page soon on her website. Check the links and go over to www.southlakemoms.com and look around. There you will have the ability to get connected with other Southlake parents and share information. Christie also will be getting information out about S.P.A.R.K.

Thanks for the opportunity to serve.

"GAME OVER" 2009 comes to Carroll High School

Every two years Carroll High School has the privilege of producing the anti drinking and driving campaign known as "GAME OVER". This year's event will be held on May 21 and 22, 2009. "GAME OVER" is a two part program aimed at our ninth and tenth graders and the prevention of alcohol/drug related incidents. Students who wish to volunteer for "GAME OVER" are requested to stop by the Assistant Principal's office and sign up at Mrs. Duhon's desk. I have also included a link to the forms, see links under the badge on the right side of the main page, that need to be completed for each student to participate. Please stop by and sign up as soon as possible. We will need students to produce a video, act in the video, represent the "living dead" on May 21, 2009 at school as well as assist with the program in other ways. Please have your student stop by the Assistant Principal's office. If you have questions you can email School Resource Officer Smith at smithal@cisdmail.com or call at (817)949-5601. Feel free to let others in the community know about this event as well as other parents who would like to involve their CHS students. Thanks.

Welcome back 2008-2009!!!!!

As we prepare for the 2008-2009 school year I wanted to bring up a few items that are a concern each year.

First and usually of great concern is our parking around the campus. Just a few points to make sure everyone is on the same page.

1. Student parking is the north lot and students MUST purchase a parking pass from CISD administration building.
2. The front circle is reserved for VISITORS ONLY. No students are allowed to park in the front circle, even if you are travelling from the senior high for a class.
3. There are minimal handicap parking spots. If you park in the handicap parking without the proper placard or block a handicap access ramp you will be issued a citation.
4. Teacher parking is on the west side of the building and the south side of the building. No students are permitted in teacher parking.
5. The band utilizes the parking lot for practice, please vacate the student parking lot by 3:45 p.m.

Please leave early for school. The parking and driving areas will be crowded. Utilize CISD transportation.

Our crossing guard is committed to the safety of the children from our school and both Durham campuses. Please be respectful and very observant. Intentional disregard for the crossing guard will not be tolerated.

Please check back regularly for updates and links to important information for students and parents.

Thanks,

SRO Allen Smith

OUR HANDICAP PARKING SPACE AT CARROLL HIGH

Recently I have received several reports of parents with valid Disabled Parking Placards or License Plates not being able to access our marked Handicap Parking in front of CHS. After I responded out front and spoke with several people, my belief is that this is mostly caused by people "standing" (legal term I will explain later in this post) their vehicle in the handicap spot. I believe that most people who are standing their vehicle in the handicap spot are legitimately waiting to pick up or drop off their student. Unfortunately this also seems to happen when our parents and students that need access to that parking spot are waiting also.

Simply put, for mere courtesy sake if you are not disabled in some way which would legally allow you to occupy the Handicap Parking please do not use that place to pull up and pick up your student. I know it is convenient and close to the front door, and it is that way for a reason, please continue on around the front drive and ask your student to walk a few feet further.

And now for the legal stuff:
For those of you that stuck with me and are still reading if you want to know the legal specifics behind this post here they are:
Texas Transportation Code defines parking and standing as the following:
§ 541.401. MISCELLANEOUS TERMS
(6) "Park[0]" or "parking" means to stand[0] an occupied or unoccupied vehicle, other than temporarily while loading or unloading merchandise or passengers.
(9) "Stand[0]" or "standing" means to halt an occupied or unoccupied vehicle, other than temporarily while receiving or discharging passengers.

Obviously the same things, City of Southlake Ordinance Ch 18 Article V Section 151 goes even further and states that the loading and unloading of passengers must be in an "expeditious manner".

Texas Transportation Code 681.011 and City of Southlake Ordinance Ch 18:

prohibits Standing or Parking in a designated Handicap Parking spot without the correct plate or placard, blocking access or curb ramp or any other architectural improvement designed to assist the disabled.

These laws and ordinances also prohibit anyone with a valid plate or placard from parking or standing in those designated places unless they themselves are disabled or they are transporting a disabled person with them. Basically taking advantage of the plate or placard without having in the vehicle the person that the special designation benefits.

All of these offenses could result in a citation with up to a $500.00 fine.

CROSSING GUARD !!!!!

At CHS we have a crossing guard who assists our students and all Durham students in crossing White Chapel. Recently we have had problems with drivers not abiding by the law when it comes to our crossing guard.

Crossing guards and police officers are two of the very few that are able to stop and or direct traffic.

According to Texas Transportation Code Sec. 542.501 Obedience required to Police Officers and to School Crossing Guards.

A person may not willfully fail or refuse to comply with a lawful order or direction of :
A Police Officer, or
a school crossing guard,
who is performing crossing guard duties in a school crosswalk to stop and yield to a pedestrian.

Please comply with the direction of our crossing guard. While she is in the intersection with her STOP SIGN displayed, no one should proceed into or through the intersection. This includes turning right from the school onto southbound N. White Chapel.

You may not be able to see why she is stopping traffic.

Please respond with any questions and thanks for your cooperation and your avoidance of a citation.

Happy New Year.
SRO Allen Smith

CrimeStoppers

Hello,
This post will help you be able to navigate to CrimeStoppers. The Campus CrimeStopper Program has been a very valuable tool in the anonymous reporting of crimes. The program has been updated this year and it is more accessible via Internet and phone. The program has worked very well and now has the methods in place to better protect a student's identity.
If you have information that needs to be reported regarding campus safety you always can contact me at Carroll High School, but if you choose to remain anonymous CrimeStoppers has direct contacts for myself and the Assistant Principals at CHS. You may report a tip by calling 817-469-TIPS (8477) or visiting the CrimeStoppers website posted in the, LINKS UNDER THE BADGE section of my page.

ATTENTION PARENTS!!!!!!!!!!!

With the rising concern of drug-abuse among our children today I encourage you to utilize all means available to you, to learn about the red flags, the effects and the dangers of this disturbing problem. I am posting information for you and your student to review. I am posting links to web-sites that have valuable information for you and your family.

Southlake DPS offers assistance to parents via the Parental Assistance Program. This program connects parents with a Southlake police officer who can assist them in drug identification, tips on what to look for and even assistance with confidential searches. If you are in need of this type of help please see the attached link and contact the appropriate officers.

Please consider taking some time to investigate. You can contact me through this forum or the school website if you have any questions.

LOOK FOR LINKS UNDER THE BADGE ON THE FRONT PAGE !

School Resource Officer Allen Smith

Hello CHS students, parents, staff and community,
I have create this blog with the purpose of sharing information relating to Law and Order at CHS. By this, I intend to share with you as much information as I can about the School Resource Officer Program and notable issues that may confront us in the CHS community. Please check back often as I will use this forum to give you information that is beneficial as well as ask the community for help regarding some CrimeStoppers tips.

As I learn to utilize this blog system there will be opportunities for you to contact me and ask questions as well as share information.

Thank you all for your continued support of the School Resource Officer Program and allowing us to serve you by serving your kids.