Maitland City Talk

Back to School Safety

School supplies, bus schedules and medical forms.

There's so much you have to take care of when your child begins a school year, it's a real challenge to keep track of everything. To assist you, here's a helpful, easy to print checklist of things to remember for your child's new school year with information provided by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

• Call your child's school to make sure all registration requirements have been taken care of, including emergency and medical forms. This is also a good time to verify the date and time that school begins, inquire about school lunches, and get a schedule of important dates.

• Call your child's pediatrician to make sure all vaccinations are up to date. If your child has any chronic medical conditions, be sure to contact the school with this information. It is also a good idea to take your child for an eye examination before school starts, in case there is a need for glasses.

• Get a supplies list from the school or your child's teacher before you buy more than the essentials, as some teachers have very specific requests. If you don't want to wait until the shopping rush, try to touch base with your child's teacher a few days before school starts. Teachers are generally setting up their classrooms at that time and will probably be reachable

• Be sure that your child knows their phone number and address, as well as your work phone or the number of another trusted adult. If too young to memorize these facts, place a contact card in their backpack to be shared with a teacher or another school official in an emergency.

• Figure out where your child will catch the school bus before school starts. This is also a good time to reinforce safety behaviors with your child, such as waiting at the bus stop after school with a friend and never accepting rides from strangers.

• Plan for what your child will be doing after school. If you will not be there, make sure they know what the rules are and how to get help in an emergency.

Riding the Bus

• Have a safe place to wait for the bus, away from traffic and the street.

• Stay away from the bus until it comes to a complete stop and the driver signals you to enter.

• When being dropped off, exit the bus and walk ten giant steps away from the bus. Keep a safe distance between you and the bus. Also, remember that the bus driver can see you best when you are back away from the bus.

• Use the handrail to enter and exit the bus.

• Stay away from the bus until the driver gives his/her signal that it's OK to approach.

• Be aware of the street traffic around you. Drivers are required to follow certain rules of the road concerning school buses; however, not all do. Protect yourself and watch out!

Walking and Biking to School

• Mind all traffic signals and/or the crossing guard— never cross the street against a light, even if you don't see any traffic coming.

• Walk your bike through intersections.

• Walk with a buddy.

• Wear reflective material. It makes you more visible to street traffic.

Riding in a Car

• You might have heard before that most traffic crashes occur close to home — they do.

• Safety belts are the best form of protection passengers have in the event of a crash. They can lower your risk of injury by 45 percent.

• You are four times more likely to be seriously injured or killed if ejected from the vehicle in a crash.

• Everyone needs to be buckled up properly. That means older kids in seat belts, younger kids in booster seats and little kids in child safety seats.

Our Maitland youth are important. Let us all take time to stop, look and listen!

City Council Meeting of July 23, 2012

The Maitland City Council met on July 23, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers. Below is a synopsis of that meeting. The next regular scheduled Council meeting will be held on Monday, August 13, 2012.

Public Hearing:

• Advanced the Public Hearing of an ordinance amending Chapter 21. Zoning Section 21-13. V. Permitted Conditional Uses to add (j.) Residential scale retail and/or personal service use establishing conditions, sign regulations, performance standards for lighting, noise, odor, buffering and so forth for the uses. The second public hearing will be held on August 13, 2012.

Consent:

• Consent Agenda approved as presented.

Decision:

• Set the rolled back millage for the 2012 tax year as 3.9851; set the proposed operating millage rate for the 2012 tax as 3.9300; set the proposed voted debt millage rate for the 2012 tax year as 0.5000, for a combined total of 4.4300 mills; and set the Public Hearing on the tentative budget for fiscal year 2012-2013 as Monday, Sept. 10, 2012, 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers.

• Cindy Price was reappointed to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board for a three-year term.

• Introduced an ordinance on first reading to amending the Police & Fire Pension Board of Trustees and set the Public Hearing date as Aug. 13, 2012.

• Instructed the City Manager to have a funding agreement for each of the Cultural Partners drafted.

To listen to a recording of the meeting, please check our website at itsmymaitland.com