School zones can be a stressful place in the morning. Parents are anxious to drop kids off before heading to work. Teachers are heading into the school to prep for the day’s lessons before students arrive. Cars and buses are lined up down busy roads.

We all have hectic mornings, but that’s no reason to put kids at risk. HCDE’s Center for Safe and Secure Schools urges all drivers to exercise extreme caution when traveling through school zones.

Please share these tips with your school community to keep kids safe and avoid costly fines:

• Remember to avoid double parking or stopping on a crosswalk to let children out of a car. These areas are designated for crossing guards to safely walk children across the street.
• Put away electronic devices. Cell phone use is prohibited in school zones. Violators face fines up to $200.
• Watch out for crossing guards and obey their signals.
• Never pass other vehicles in a school zone.
• Obey the speed limit. Fines usually double in school zones.
• If you are not a parent dropping off or picking up a child, choose a different route and avoid the school zone altogether.

About the Blogger:
Ecomet Burley, a 26-year administrator, is the new leader of the Center for Safe and Secure Schools. Established in 1999, the Center provides school safety and security training for school districts in greater Harris County. Burley, the former superintendent of La Marque ISD, resides in Pearland with wife Frances, an elementary school principal. Education, Burley insists, is the primary and native language spoken in their home.