By Logan Wells, News Director | Logan@kymnradio.net
Today’s back-to-school messages are brought to you by Benjamin Bus, reminding you that safety is their number one priority this season.
Today is the first day of school for many students across Minnesota, and here in Northfield, it’s a day filled with excitement as they return to the classroom. However, the teachers and staff have already been back in the school buildings for the last several days, getting ready for today.
Among those teachers, the Northfield Public Schools is welcoming 14 new teachers to the district. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Matt Hillmann says that these teachers go through additional training, but also have fun opportunities to welcome them into the school district community:
“One of my favorite things is we do a bus tour of the community, and I get to be the bus tour guide. So we take a trip through town, show all the schools, show some other highlights, some history of the town, things like that, that’s super fun.” – Dr. Matt Hillmann, Superintendent of Northfield Public Schools on KYMN In the Morning
A Reminder About School Bus Safety
As students return to school today, it also means that drivers and commuters in town should plan for a change in traffic patterns. With schools starting in the 7 and 8 o’clock hours and ending around 3pm, there is additional traffic around all of the school buildings, but especially along Jefferson Parkway and Division Street/Highway 246 as students and parents travel to Bridgewater Elementary, the Middle School, and the High School.
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Back to School Messages from Kids:
Also on the road will be school buses, and officials are reminding everyone to drive with safety in mind, with buses now on the road. According to the United States Department of Transportation, from 2013 to 2022, there were 967 fatal school transportation-related crashes and an average of 108 fatalities per year. However, school buses remain the safest way for children to travel to school.
The Transportation Department reminds drivers that “When a school bus’s red lights are flashing, and the stop-arm is extended, drivers must slow down and come to a complete stop; this is not a suggestion — it’s the law.” Furthermore, the DOT asked drivers to respect the “Danger Zone,” which is 10 feet in front of the bus, where the driver may be sitting too high to see a child, or 10 feet on either side of the bus, where a child may be in the driver’s blind spots. Benjamin Bus, Northfield General Manager Laure Benjamin, encouraged drivers to pay attention:
“You know they every time that you see a school bus, just pay attention to what’s kind of going on, you know, and watch for those lights and those flashing lights. They have the yellow lights that are going to be that. That’s a warning saying, you know, pay attention to what’s going on and then get ready to stop “ Laure’ Benjamin on the KYMN In The Morning
She also expressed concern, stating that there have been several stop-arm violations in Northfield in recent years. Benjamin noted that drivers should also look out once a school bus has left an area, citing the parents, older siblings, and dogs that may accompany young children to the bus stop and be walking home.
Benjamin Bus completes the state-required training for drivers and students earlier in September about proper school bus procedures, including entering and exiting the bus and crossing the road.
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