| Keeping kids safe when they leave the house for | | | | should report it to a staff member. |
| school every day is on every parents mind this time | | | | Emergency drills at school need to be taken seriously. |
| of year, here are some lessons your child needs to | | | | Your child needs to know where to go and what |
| learn, before they head for the classroom. | | | | they should do in the case of an emergency. Many |
| Your child should carry a maximum of 15% of their | | | | schools now practice lockdown drills in addition to fire |
| body weight in their backpacks. Check the pack for | | | | and other emergency drills. Talk to your children |
| unnecessary items, consider having a second set of | | | | about these drills to emphasize how important they |
| supplies at home so pencil cases, crayons, and other | | | | are. |
| supplies do not need to be toted back and forth. | | | | Children who are home alone after school, no matter |
| Children riding the school bus should wait for the bus | | | | for how long, need to follow the rule "Never open |
| on the sidewalk and not approach the bus until the | | | | the door". When they arrive home, all doors should |
| driver has come to a complete stop and has | | | | be locked behind them, and stay locked until a parent |
| extended the stop arm. When getting off the bus | | | | arrives. If someone comes to the door, no matter |
| and crossing the street, stay well in front of the bus | | | | who it is, the door should not be opened. |
| so the driver can see that the child has crossed | | | | School bullying is a serious safety issue that many |
| safely before they close the stop arm and proceed. | | | | parents have difficulty dealing with. If your child tells |
| Many children who have their own cell phone have | | | | you they are being bullied, or about another child that |
| parents' and emergency telephone number | | | | is being bullied get involved. Don't assume that it is |
| programmed as speed dials. While this is an important | | | | just typical playground behavior that will work itself |
| safety precaution always using speed dials mean that | | | | out. Make the school aware of the problem, it they |
| many children do not know their parents contact | | | | do not deal with it request a meeting with the |
| numbers. It is important that children have those | | | | principal and the parents of the bully. If no action is |
| numbers memorized in case their cell phone is not | | | | taken, contact your local police station for advice. |
| available and they need to contact you in an | | | | Children with backpacks and yellow buses on |
| emergency. | | | | neighborhood street corners, autumn is the time to |
| Most schools have implemented a program requiring | | | | get back into the family routines and structure. Make |
| guests to wear a visitors' badge. If your child sees an | | | | basic safety part of that routine. |
| unfamiliar adult in the school without a badge they | | | | |