Parents press RSU 22 board for action on unsafe McGraw drop-off and pick-up

At the RSU 22 school board meeting, several parents urged the board to take immediate steps to address what they described as an unsafe drop-off and pick-up environment at McGraw Magnet School.

"We're not asking for convenience, we're asking for safety," Zahira Jabbar, a McGraw parent and critical care nurse, told the board, describing regular near-misses, vehicle incidents and "nightmares" about a child being hit. Jabbar said cones, signage and occasional traffic direction have not solved the core problem and asked for a clear timeline for meaningful changes.

Linda Valcourt, who said she has been working with the superintendent's office and staff, described vehicles parked inside guardrails that block sightlines and leave children walking between idling trucks and moving cars. "People were parking in that area, and then you couldn't see the children coming in around the guardrails," Valcourt said, noting the exhaust from idling vehicles can blow toward children.

Other speakers reinforced the safety concerns and urged systematic solutions. "This traffic parking situation has literally come up every single year at a meeting," said Bethany Carter, PTO president at McGraw. Amber McAvoy, who described herself as a disabled parent, said she sometimes cannot find handicap parking during peak times and that relocating buses off-site or increasing parking could reduce inequitable impacts.

Alicia Harmon urged the board to form an ad hoc committee that would include parents, school administrators, staff and traffic or safety experts to evaluate current conditions and recommend short-term and long-term solutions. She suggested options ranging from staging buses off-site during arrival/dismissal to commissioning a professional traffic study and, if needed, redesigning or expanding parking.

Board members acknowledged the repeated nature of the complaints and discussed procedure for formal consideration. A motion to create an ad hoc subcommittee was raised during new business but was challenged on procedural grounds because the item had not been posted in advance; the chair agreed to place the proposal on next month's agenda so the public and board members have notice and an opportunity for fuller discussion.

The board did not adopt any new safety measures during the meeting but agreed to add the topic to next month's agenda for possible formal action or formation of a committee.

The district staff previously indicated there are constraints on parking and bus staging at McGraw, and board members noted potential alternatives such as off-site staging with private partners or reassignment of bus locations, all of which would carry fiscal and logistical tradeoffs and require further study.