Drivers Asked to Slow Down as Kids Return to School

August 26, 2024
Students, teachers, and staff returned to school for the first day of the 2024-2025 academic year! Excitement filled the air as familiar faces reconnected and new ones were warmly welcomed into the school community. The day was a blend of enthusiasm, curiosity, and optimism for what lies ahead in the coming months.
I wish everyone a successful school year! I will be going around the 75th district visiting all of our schools and welcoming our children to the classroom. Good luck to everyone!
With a new school year, comes an important reminder to look out for students of all ages who will be walking to and from the bus stop. Some of our little ones may not always be looking both ways before crossing the street. Please SLOW DOWN and give those kids extra room on the roads! Their lives depend on it. We all want our students and schools to have great starts to the school year, and that starts with getting to and from school safely.

School bus guidelines:

  • On a standard road (one lane going in each direction) if a school bus is stopped with flashers on and stop arm is extended, all vehicles in both lanes must stop.
  • On a multi-lane road where there is a divider/median, vehicles traveling in the same direction as the bus must stop. Vehicles on the other side of the median travelling in the opposite direction are not required to stop but should be aware and use caution.
  • On multi-lane roads where there is not a divider, all vehicles travelling in either direction must stop.
  • At an intersection where a school bus has stopped to collect or discharge students, all vehicles must stop until the flashing lights have been turned off and the stop arm is no longer extended.
  • No vehicle should ever pass or attempt to go around a stopped school bus that has their flashing lights on and stop sign arm extended.
Kids can be unpredictable and bus stops might not be obvious. Please use caution when driving near school buses. Thank you for doing your part to keep our kids safe! CLICK HERE for more school bus safety tips for drivers, parents, and children.