School Safety Tips

RRISD will reach an enrollment of more than 40,000 students this school year on 41 campuses. When schools opened there was also an increase in foot and vehicle traffic around campuses and district officials urge all drivers to be aware of all school zones and crosswalks. Here are some tips that will help keep children safe on their way to and from school. 
 
Walking to School
Pedestrian injuries are the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 5-14. Experts recommend that children under age 10 never cross the street alone. Safety tips for parents include:
 
 · Choose the safest route between home and school and practice it with children until they can demonstrate traffic safety awareness. The same route should be used every day. Shortcuts should be avoided.

 · Teach children to obey and recognize traffic signals and pavement markings. A flashing "walk" sign is not an automatic "go" signal but rather a sign to check for traffic in both directions before crossing.
 
 · Teach children to cross streets only at a corner or crosswalk and to walk, NOT RUN, across intersections.
 
 · Emphasize that children should not enter streets from between parked cars or from behind shrubbery. Such darting results in the majority of child pedestrian deaths.
 
 · Act as good role models, both as pedestrians and as drivers. 
 
Riding the School Bus
Bus travel is one of the safest ways to travel to and from school, but injuries can occur.
 
Some safety tips for riding the bus are:
 
 · Have children arrive at the bus stop at least five minutes before the scheduled arrival of the bus. Children should stay out of the street and wait quietly—no horseplay.
 
 · Remind children to remain seated on the bus at all times and not to shout or distract the driver. They should keep their heads and arms inside the bus at all times.
 
 · Wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before getting on or off. Children should be taught that the driver has a "blind spot"—the area about 10 feet in front of the bus—and that they should not walk in front of the bus after getting off. 
 
Riding Bikes to School
Bike riding is a favorite mode of transportation for children but it can be dangerous if safety rules are not followed. Bicycle safety tips include:
 
 · Make sure children wear bike helmets at all times while riding. Head injury is the leading cause of death in bike crashes. Studies show that helmets can reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85 percent.
 
 · Obey the rules of the road. Children should know that the rules of the road apply to all vehicles, including bicycles. Bike riders ride on the right-hand side of the road in the same direction as other traffic and should use appropriate hand signals when turning.
 
 · Choose the safest route between home and school and practice it with children until they can demonstrate traffic safety awareness. 
 
Driving Children to School
Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths among children ages 14 and under, according to the National Safe Kids Campaign. Approximately 75 percent of these crashes occur within 25 miles of home and 60 percent take place on roads with posted speed limits of 40 miles per hour or less. Important safety guidelines for parents include:
 
 · Always use safety seats and/or safety belts correctly when driving or riding in a car.
 
 · Obey the drop-off and pick-up procedures established by the school.
 
 · Drop children off as close to school as possible so they do not have to cross streets and make sure children enter and leave the car on its curbside.
 
 · Watch for school zones and crosswalks. Obey the posted speed limits and instructions from crossing guards.
 
Bus Transportation RRISD provides free bus service for students who live more than two miles from their assigned school and for students who live within two miles but along a route defined as “hazardous” to walkers or bike riders. To find bus routes online go to www.roundrockisd.org and type in your home address to see the closest stops, pick-up and delivery times, and bus numbers.
 
School Times Each campus may vary slightly in their start and end times but the hours for elementary schools in RRISD are generally 7:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., middle schools are 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and high schools are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The staggered start times for each level allow the district to reduce transportation costs by using buses and drivers on multiple routes. 
 
School Year Calendar For students, the 2007-08 school year that began on August 27, ends Wednesday, May 30, 2008. The official calendar is available online, and copies will be sent home with students.
 
Round Rock ISD parents can find additional back-to-school information through the “Students/Parents” section on www.roundrockisd.org.  Information will also be posted at each campus for those without Internet access.