Did you remember everything you need to prepare your child for the upcoming school year? Shots, bus schedules, school supplies, uniforms - there's a lot to take care of! The Jupiter Police Department would like to help you stay on track and get organized and remind you of some important safety issues as your child goes back to school.
The website contains useful information for students, parents and the community. Does your child know your phone number? Teach them your name and your phone number or the information to contact another trusted adult. If your child is too young to remember this information, have them carry a contact card in their backpack and explain to them that they should show it to a teacher or police officer in the case of an emergency.
Did your child receive their shots yet? The only document that schools are permitted to accept as proof of immunization is the Florida Certificate of Immunizations Form DH 680. Shots can be obtained through
your local physician, local medical providers, Palm Beach County Health Department (Health Centers or Immunization Van). The Palm Beach County Health Department website contains more information on the
Do you know what school your child is going to? Use the locator tool by clicking on the apple:
How will your child get to school? Whether your child takes the bus, walks or rides a bicycle, make sure you travel the route with your child before school starts. Choose a route that is the most direct, has the fewest street crossings and has crossing guards. Teach them to obey all traffic signals, signs and traffic officers. If possible, have them walk with someone else - a sibling, friend or neighbor. Teach your child never to talk to strangers or accept rides or gifts from strangers. Remind them to be careful in bad weather and make sure they know what to do or where to go if it starts to rain on their journey to school.
If your child rides their bicycle to school, make sure they have the proper equipment. Perform periodic safety checks on their bicycle and make sure their bicycle helmet fits and is worn properly. A helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by up to 85 percent and a bicycle rider under 16 years of age must wear a bicycle helmet that is properly fitted, fastened securely and meets a nationally recognized standard. A bicycle operated between sunset and sunrise must be equipped with a white-light lamp on the front and rear and a red reflector on the rear. Teach your child the rules of riding their bicycle on the sidewalk. They must give the right-of-way to a pedestrian and give an audible signal before passing a pedestrian. At crosswalks, they must obey the pedestrian traffic signals and it is safer to have them walk their bicycle through the intersection. And remember, NO wearing a headset, headphones, earbuds or other listening device while riding a bicycle!
The Palm Beach County School District has created a flyer full of useful tips for school bus riders, riders in cars, teen drivers, walking and biking, student conduct and protecting children from sexual offenders and predators. The in English, Spanish and Creole. The has flyers available containing information about school bus and bike safety. The website contains pedestrian and cycling safety tips. The website contains a list of back to school tips.
Do you know where your child's bus stop is? Use the locator tool by clicking on the school bus:
School crossing guards play an important role in helping your child cross streets safely on their way to and from school and they are assigned to various locations by the Palm Beach County School District. To become a certified , adults can attend training conducted by a Florida Department of Transportation certified trainer. School crossing guards are assigned by the Palm Beach County School District and are not employed by the Town of Jupiter. For information regarding employment as a school crossing guard in Jupiter, contact B. Butler at NEXTAFF (954-733-0777).
Don't forget to obey the traffic laws! The speed limit around most Florida schools is 20 mph. Watch for the signs posted to alert you as you enter a school zone! Speeding through a school zone and/or passing a stopped school bus can be costly - it puts children in danger and the fines are doubled. According to the , the primary reason that drivers break these rules is lack of attention. The Jupiter Police Department reminds you to be attentive and focus on driving.
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