SAFETY FIRST: Blackwell heads back to school

Students at Blackwell Public Schools will begin the 2020-2021 school year tomorrow, August 20. But instead of coming back to school from a two-month-long break, they're returning from a five-month hiatus following the coronavirus outbreak in March, which caused schools nationwide to close.

That’s why Blackwell Chief of Police Dewayne Wood said motorists need to use extra caution while driving, especially in the weeks ahead.

“School has been out for more than five months,” Wood said. “That means your average driver really isn't used to looking out for kids around the elementary school, middle, and high school.

“Safety is our number one priority, of course, from the morning when they get to school until every last kid gets home in the afternoon. We turned on the school zone lights last week to kind of get people used to seeing them. We're going to have more of a presence in the weeks ahead, just because the start of a semester is usually hectic enough, especially when you consider more kids will be driven to school instead of being put on the bus in the morning.”

The City of Blackwell has three school zones: one on Ferguson Avenue near the elementary school, one in front of the Church of Christ on Main Street near the middle school, and one on Main Street in front of the high school.

“We encourage parents to leave early in the mornings, and allow themselves plenty of time to do everything they need to do,” Wood said.