Greetings:
As our scholars return to school this Fall remember whether children, walk, or take the bus to school, they must take proper safety precautions.
Here are some tips to make sure your child safely travels to school.
Review your family's walking safety rules and practice walking to school with your children.
Walk on the sidewalk, if one is available; when on a street with no sidewalk, walk facing the oncoming traffic
Before you cross the street, stop, and look left, right, and left again to see if cars are coming
Make eye contact with drivers before crossing and always cross streets at crosswalks or intersections
Stay alert and avoid distracted walking, i.e. using mobile phones and/or tablets
Teach your children school bus safety rules and practice with them. Go to the bus stop with your children to teach them the proper way to enter and exit the bus. Teach your children to stand six (6) feet (or three (3) giant steps) away from the curb. If your children must cross the street in front of the bus, teach them to walk on the side of the road/street until they are ten (10) feet ahead of the bus; your children and the bus driver should always be able to see each other.
Choose a backpack for your children carefully; it should have ergonomically designed features to enhance safety and comfort. Ask your children to use both straps when wearing their backpacks to evenly distribute the weight on their shoulders Do not overstuff a backpack; it should not weigh than 5% to 10% of your child's body weight Rolling backpacks should be used cautiously since they can create a trip hazard in crowded school hallways.
Wishing all teachers and students a safe and successful 2022-2023 academic year.
Calvin J. Washington, Sr.,
Chief of Police, Town of Brentwood