Dear Waitsburg Parents/Guardians:
On January 24, 2023, there was a minor fender bender on the corner of Highway 12 (Coppei Avenue) and 7th Street. Luckily there were no injuries and none of our students, or staff, were involved.
That said, this is an opportunity to remind students and families that we have our Waitsburg Elementary safety patrol located at the crosswalk right in front of the elementary school. This is a designated safety patrol area where students can cross safely with the aid of our crossing guards.
Your child’s safety is our top priority, whether they are walking, riding their bikes, or via some other means to get to and from school. We would like to encourage all students and families to use the crosswalk in front of the elementary school, across from the high school where it is also monitored by our safety patrol. We also have crossing guards at the corner of Main Street and Academy Street where students can cross safely there with the aid of the crossing guards.
Please take a moment to talk to your child about the rules and important safety precautions when crossing any street and being a mindful pedestrian. There are some great tips in this article at www.jumpstart.com/jumpstartmoms/articles/how-to-teach-crosswalk-safety-to-kids, with key bullet points included below.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact our district office or your child’s school office with any questions or concerns.
Crosswalk Safety Tips for Kids (source: JumpStart)
The following tips will help you teach the basics of crosswalk safety to your kids:
- Sidewalks, Please: Make it clear to your child that walking in the street is completely unacceptable.
- Left, Right, Left: Look on both sides of the street before crossing.
- Wait and Make Eye Contact: Wait for vehicles to come to a complete halt and make eye contact with the driver before or during crossing.
- Toe the Line: Stay within the lines of the crosswalk while crossing the street.
- No Music, No Cellphones: A street is not the place where anyone can afford to let their guard down.