Ask the Chief

 August 23 is the first day of school at the Minneota Public School and at St. Edward Catholic School.

That means you still have few weeks to prepare and to start thinking about back to school driving and parking safety. Every year, I struggle with parents who are speeding because they are running late. My advice for this year is that you set your alarm 15 minutes earlier than normal so that you have time to drive safely to school. Every year, I struggle with parents parking in the street or in the bus loading zones.

If you do this, you risk the chance of getting a ticket. Both St. Edward and the Minneota School have places to safely drop off kids in the morning.

At the Minneota School, parents should be using either the parking lot for 7-12 grade or the east side of the school on N. Jackson Street for K-6. Please keep in mind that stopping in the middle of the street on 4th Street (St. Ed’s) or on 5th Street or N. Monroe Street (Minneota Public) is dangerous, causes traffic congestion and frankly is lazy. Please take the few extra minutes needed to be safe and responsible.

Finally, the most important safety point that needs to be made is to watch for kids walking and riding bikes to school and for those getting on and off of the bus.

Every driver should act as if the kids walking or riding their bike to school or getting on and off of the bus is THEIR child.

You should always give someone else's child the same level of protection and care that you would give to your own child. Slow down, yield to bikes and pedestrians, avoid big yellow buses and leave home earlier than normal. If you follow my advice you will avoid a ticket and no one will get hurt.