Welcome Back, Students! - September, 2023

We truly hope this month's newsletter finds everyone happy and well.

We would like to welcome our students back to classes, and in many cases, to school here for the very first time.  From the first day of kindergarten to the last day of classes at Westminster and William Woods, to those of you who are homeschooling or who just moved your family into one of the great school districts in Callaway County, this is always an exciting time.

Having worked with so many school staff, faculty, and administration members over the years, I can assure everyone that the safety and wellbeing of the children educated in Callaway County are of the highest priority.  For the past several years, the sheriff's office has had the privilege of working with our law enforcement partners and the school districts to prepare for the upcoming school year.  The dedication and selflessness of our staff and educators never ceases to amaze.

What I want to do now is speak to everyone outside of our education centers to talk about what we can do to help provide our students with a safe experience.  I think most of you know where this is going....  You know, those frustrating yellow things with the traffic stopping lights...

In an effort to put this into perspective, I reached out to the school districts to get some numbers.

I learned that there are 48 buses running an average total of about 20,000 miles per week.  Further, the first student pick-up occurs at approximately 6:00 AM and the last student is dropped off at approximately 6:00 PM.

What this really means, is that during the morning and evening commutes, there could literally be a stopped school bus around every curve or corner.  Please don't take for granted the fact that there was no bus stop at a particular location last year.  Kids grow up and start attending school causing bus routes to change slightly.  Don't take for granted the fact that there was no bus stop at a particular location the day before.  Sometimes buses run late.  Sometimes you run late.  I suppose we could all be a little early as well on occasion.  Either way, no two drives are ever the same. 

Please be patient.  Please be mindful and considerate of each other.  Be mindful of the environment.  For example, the sun low in the sky can adversely affect your vision.  Adjust your driving for that.  Do not drive around a school bus when the red lights are flashing and the stop arm is out.  The fine is rather high.  I don't know exactly what it is off the top of my head, but we can find out together.

Always at your service,

The Callaway County Sheriff's Office