ROYAL OAK SCHOOL COUNCIL NEWS
When Candis M. started volunteering at Royal Oak School five years ago it was because she saw a need. On busy school mornings and afternoons, she noticed cars parking on crosswalks, at corners near stop signs and even stopping in the middle of streets to let children out – all real dangers that reduce visibility of young children still learning how to safely cross the road.
“I have a child in grade 4 at ROS. When my child first started school in 2021, I was frustrated with the lack of awareness around traffic and pedestrian safety during drop-off and pick-up. I felt that something needed to change before a child was injured.”
Because children at ROS are too young to carry out safety patrol duties, Candis realized parent/guardian volunteers were needed to help create change. Some of the ways Candis and others decided to help – they made signs and safety reminder cards to place on windshields, asked for the support of a community resource officer to monitor traffic safety, wore safety vests and coordinated traffic flow at the Hug & Go drop-off zone, and contacted the city about traffic signage needs near ROS.
In 2025-26, Candis and a team of new parent volunteers saw another need. Crosswalk visibility and vehicles not yielding to ROS students and their families crossing the road was still an issue. Together, the team came up with a plan to use pylons to help improve pedestrian safety and give a visual reminder to help remind drivers to slow down.
“I am very proud of how far we have come. People are more aware of parking and how to navigate the school area. But to have a continued presence in the mornings and to keep going with the crosswalk pylons, we need more help,” says Candis.
Anyone who is interested in helping the ROS Safety Team for the 2026-27 school year can email ROSvolunteers@gmail.com. Each week, volunteers put out pylons and signage around three crosswalks at ROS. The commitment is flexible (E.g. pylons can be taken down/set-up outside of school hours) and police intervention checks are not required. Anyone who is available to help with Hug & Go traffic flow in the mornings is also welcome to join the team.
“My motivation is the kids,” says Candis. “Every child has the right to be able to get to and from school safely. If taking a little extra time and being more aware can prevent an accident, then I believe it’s absolutely worth it.”
- Slow down. The max speed in a school zone is 30km/hr. Zones are in effect from 7:30am to 9:00pm every day of the year.
- Pay attention. Watch for children entering roads, crosswalks, and pathways.
- No passing of vehicles or cyclists in school zones.
- Leave at least 5 metres (about one car length) between your vehicle and any crosswalk, intersection, or stop sign.
- And remember, U-turns reduce visibility in school zones and are illegal where signs exist.
Upcoming Events
Sun-Oka Farm Apple Yumraiser | Orders Due Oct 6
Support ROS students by buying a box of freshly picked BC apples (Honeycrisp or Ambrosia).
ROS Council Meeting | Oct 7 (6:30pm)
All parents and guardians are welcome to drop-in!
Healthy Hunger Deadlines | October
Saucy Bread Co. Fun Snack (Oct 16) & Panago Fun Lunch (Oct 27)
ROS Casino Fundraiser (December 1 & 2, 2026) Help us with ROS’ biggest fundraiser! Each volunteer shift contributes approx. $2,000 to ROS students!
Volunteers receive a free meal at Cowboys Casino. Email ROSvolunteers@gmail.com for open volunteer shifts. All community members welcome!