School’s back in session—so be careful!

One of the few time of the year is as eagerly anticipated as the start of a school year.

August means back to school across the High Plains as students are returning to classrooms at elementary, secondary, vocational, and collegiate levels. Learning is a staple of the heartland.

While the national media will profile the challenges of West Coast and East Coast institutions, we have been blessed with visionaries. In the 19th and early 20th centuries our ancestors put together a plan that provided for public school system with a mandate to educate all students and provided a base for them to attend a land-grant university system.

Historical societies are fascinating places where visitors can learn about the K-12 experience through the perspective of a one-room schoolhouse that were the attendance centers in townships across the prairie. The rural kids in all levels would learn from a teacher who taught many grade levels.

In a far different time, families, as an example, shared responsibilities to make sure the building would stay warm in the winter.

Today, students are blessed with modern amenities including central air and heat and internet in their school buildings. They can take fine arts, band, vocational programs, and participate in extracurricuar activites, to go along with reading, writing and arithmetic.

Students have opportunities to learn about the nation’s history and gain an appreciation of what it is like to grow up in America and the challenges that make us what we are today.

Through all the changes we must never lose sight that education is an asset that belongs to all of us. For our rural communities and states to grow it takes a commitment from students, parents, educators, taxpayers, and patrons. That also includes watching out for unexpected conditions—particularly now.

Back-to-school transportation affects not only students and parents, but also other motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians using the roads, according to Shawn Steward, public affairs manager for the American Automobile Association of Kansas.

“This time of year is particularly dangerous. Young, inexperienced drivers heading to high school, school buses, commuters, parents doing drop-offs, and pedestrians and bicyclists are all sharing the road,” Steward said. “While traffic patterns may change, the responsibility for keeping students safe does not. It’s important that all drivers, as well as students, remain alert and follow basic precautions for a safe return back to school.”

AAA advises all drivers to be mindful of changes in traffic in and around school zones.

School bus safety should be a top priority, with students, parents, teachers, administrators, transportation personnel and the motoring public all playing important roles in keeping children safe while on or around a school bus.

Steward said too often, motorists are in a hurry or driving distracted and drive around a school bus, despite the bus displaying a stop arm and flashing lights. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, all 50 states have a law that makes it illegal to pass a school bus with its red flashing lights on and its stop-arm extended.

AAA offers the following tips as the new school year gets underway:

• Always stop for school buses – Flashing yellow lights on a school bus indicate it is preparing to stop to load or unload children and motorists should slow down and prepare to stop as well. Red flashing lights and extended stop arm indicate the bus has stopped and children are getting on or off. Motorists are requiredto stop their vehicles and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop arm is withdrawn and the bus begins moving before they can start driving again.
• Obey traffic signs and signals – Unfortunately, many motorists violate stop signs in school zones and residential neighborhoods, with many failing to come to a complete stop, rolling through a stop sign or not slowing down at all. Motorists are also running red stoplights, putting pedestrians and other motorists at risk.
• Keep track of time – Be aware of the time of day you’re on the road and how that coincides with the school day. Not surprisingly, more school-age pedestrians are killed from 7 to 8 a.m. and from 3 to 4 p.m. than any other hours of the day.
• Slow down – Whether in a school zone or residential neighborhood, drivers should keep their speed low and be prepared to stop quickly for increased vehicle or pedestrian traffic.
• Come to a complete stop – Always come to a complete stop, checking carefully for children on sidewalks and in crosswalks before proceeding.
• Eliminate distractions – Research shows that taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds doubles your chances of crashing. Children can be quick, crossing the road unexpectedly or emerging suddenly between two parked cars. Reduce risk by not using your cell phone while driving.

Please do your part so that education remains a foundation for the future.

Dave Bergmeier can be reached at 620-227-1822 or [email protected].