To many of us, today will seem like any other day.

But for the thousands of students who attend public school in Ward County, summer is over and school is back in session.

For some students, this will be their first time back in a brick-and-mortar school since spring 2020, more than 15 months ago.

If you’re driving through a school zone, slow down, the kiddos are nervous, and maybe even a little excited. They might not look both ways. They might not stop and look for cars and trucks before crossing a busy street.

Every motorist needs to pay close attention to students as they walk to and from school and to obey the laws regarding speed in school zones. Watch for children walking in the roadway, along with riding their bicycles.

Yield the right of way to stopped school buses. If those lights are flashing, motorists need to stop.

Drive with a little extra caution, the burden of keeping school zones and school buses safe falls on motorists.

Children are our greatest resource, and we have none to spare!

So, be safe and have a great first day of school!