BAINBRIDGE, Ga. (WTXL) - This is the final weekend before school starts for many children in south Georgia.
Decatur County students will be back in class on Monday.
The classrooms are set up, school supplies purchased, and teachers are eager to meet new students. With the first days of school just around the corner, many will likely see increased traffic near school campuses.
"Be mindful of the crowd and be patient because a lot of parents are going to drop their kids off the first few days of school. That's understandable and we look forward to that," said Tim Cochran, Superintendent of Decatur County Schools. "Just be mindful of the lines and of the crowd. We're going to get people moved in and out as fast as possible."
Those driving to work Monday morning in Decatur County will likely see more traffic as well.
School buses will be back on the roads transporting children. Drivers, you want to make sure that you keep both eyes on the road and be aware of your surroundings.
"Drivers need to be patient. They need to make sure they're not distracted by cell phones," said Frank Green, Chief of Police for Bainbridge Public Safety. "They need to wait until they have a clear passing lane to pass a school bus and realize that that school bus is carrying children and children are very important."
Also, remind your children to do their part. Students should sit on the bus, facing forward, and keep the noise level to a minimum so the driver does not get distracted. And keep in mind, for students, safety starts before they step onto the bus.
"Get to the school bus stop early and stay away from the road as we stated before," said Green. "Wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before they attempt to get on or off the bus when it's traveling."
Friendly bus drivers and school staff are excited to help students transition into a new year.
"First days of school, a lot of our kids don't know us, so we're meeting and greeting our kids. If they have any questions, we're answering any questions they may have, safety or even getting to class on time," said Anthony Stubbs, Decatur County School Resource Officer. "That's a lot of what we're doing in the school system."
The safety of the students doesn't fall on one person, instead, it's a number of people who do what they can to keep them from harm.
For a full list of school openings in our Florida and Georgia areas, click here.
