Back to School: Safety Always a Concern

No matter a student's thoughts about school, there's always some excitement that revolves around that first day. Whether it's meeting new classmates, seeing old ones, talking about summer vacation or just getting a chance to hang out again, that first day of school is always a day met with mixed emotions.

But Sergeant Tom Groux of the Winchester Police Department always has another concern that he's mindful of; making sure the children walking to school make it there and back home safely. The warmer months are always more difficult, but it's especially those first few days when students, teachers, parents and commuters are trying to get back into their set pattern that pose a problem.

Groux, who spends most of his time at McCall, always tries to stress the importance that students pay attention to their surroundings.

"On that first day we'll impress upon them to pay attention as they walk across the crosswalks," the safety officer said. "A lot of times the middle schoolers will have their headphones on or will be talking on the phone or to their friends and they're not paying attention as they cross the street."

Last year students, for the most part, made it back and forth from school pretty safely.

According to Groux, at the end of the year there was one incident where a car stopped on the street to drop-off a student and when the car door opened a bicyclist slammed into it and an ambulance needed to take the person to the hospital. Groux will be trying to encourage parents to drop their children off at the curb and to be patient, as gridlock is bound to occur, especially during these first few weeks.

"It's going to be very chaotic in the morning and afternoon," Groux said. "People have to allow more time to get where they're going. They have to expect to be stuck in traffic and will need to listen to the crossing guards."

For the most part, Groux doesn't have any issues with the drivers. However, if there are problems, he is prepared to give out warnings and, if need-be, tickets. Last year he only needed to write two tickets, but did he give a number of verbal warnings.

"People that don't have kids and just commute forget that school's starting up," Groux said. "They get aggravated when traffic backs up and that's when we have accidents."

Washington Street, Highland Avenue and Mount Vernon Street will be the hardest hit by the traffic, according to Groux. However, the Vinson-Owen and Muraco schools typically have a lot of traffic because of the narrow streets and limited parking.

Groux did say that the police department may have a motorcycle unit patrolling traffic.

According to Groux, every elementary school has crossing guards, while McCall will have two additional guards and also a police presence to help control the traffic and monitor the streets. The high school does not have crossing guards.

Groux also is a supporter of the Safe Routes to School Program that encourages children to walk or ride their bikes to school. However, according the School the Winchester School Department does not have an official policy regarding that program.

McAlduff explained that, while children are encouraged to walk if they can, they are not allowed to ride their bikes to school. He also said that the school district is looking into the Safe Routes program, however, they will need to redefine the routes that children should be taking to their respective schools.

"That's a process we would have to look into in some more detail," McAlduff said. "It's a process we would have to go through. We'd have to look and design routes that make sense. We're hoping we would be able to work with Groux and the police department to more formally develop this program."

Starting next Wednesday, Groux, along with parents, school officials, crossing guards and police officers will be out on the streets controlling the influx in traffic that's bound to occur.