Kummers, who has a child at Creek Elementary School and one at the Seventh and Eighth Grade Center, said her kids “know not to get in the car with anybody but me or a designated grandparent.”

She said Creek has two driveways, separated alphabetically, for parents picking up kids.

“The teachers over the years get to know the faces of the parents and the kids.”

Robinett has two children at Pershing but lives in another elementary district.

“Our school administrators are great to get kids to the proper cars,” said Robinett, who has two children at Pershing. “There are teachers right there on the sidewalk to open the car door and they have to see the parent before they let the child into the car. Ben Franklin (Science Academy) was like that, too, except for the older kids.”

She said her oldest child, a Muskogee High School freshman, will ride the bus.

Muskogee Police Department spokesman Brad Holt said parents should help their children know how to get to school safely.

He said parents should put a laminated list of important phone numbers — their home number, family members — in each child’s backpack.

Parents also should map out a route for their kids to follow if they walk or bike to school and make sure they follow that route.

Bus safety tips

• At bus stop, stay away from traffic and avoid roughousing. Do not stray onto streets, alleys or private property.
• Line up away from the street as the school bus approaches.
• Wait until the bus door opens before stepping toward the bus.
• Use hand rail while boarding or getting off.
• Find your seat and sit quietly.
• Keep head, arms, hands inside the bus.
• Keep aisles clear of musical instrument cases, bags or other things.
• Wait for the bus to stop completely before getting up.
• When getting off the bus, if you have to cross the street, walk at least 10 feet in front of the bus and make sure the driver can see you.
• Never cross behind the bus.

Walking safety
• Cross at intersection or crosswalk.
• Look both ways — left, right, then left again — to make sure the road is clear before crossing.
• Walk facing traffic.
• Stop and look carefully before stepping out from between parked vehicles.
• Always walk with a buddy.
• Follow routes your parents mapped out.

Parents
• Map out a walking/biking route for your child. Check with police for presence of sex offenders on the route.
• Make a laminated list of important phone numbers, including your own, work phone, grandparents, aunts and uncles. Put it in your child’s backpack.
• Help your child know the location of “Safe spots” including police and fire stations, Emergency Medical Services station or convenience store.
• Teach your child about different scenarios where they might be endangered, such as a person they’ve never seen asking the child to help find a lost job.
• Give your child and trusted friends and family a code word to use when the child is picked up from school. Teach the child never to go with anyone who does not know the code word.
Sources: National Safety Council, Muskogee Public Schools, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Muskogee Police Department.

Classes resume
• August 11: Oklahoma School for the Blind, Bacone College.
• August 12: Tahlequah Public Schools.
• August 13: Oktaha, Porter, Webbers Falls, Hulbert, St. Joseph Catholic School, Indian Capital Technology Center.
• August 14: Hilldale, Fort Gibson, Okay, Wagoner, Warner, Checotah, Muskogee County Head Start.
• Aug. 18: Muskogee, Connors State College.

Reach Cathy Spaulding at 918-684-2928 or Click Here to Send Email