Classes have officially begun in Broward County Public Schools.
On Monday morning, 1,200 buses left the terminal to pick up and transport some 52,000 students to their schools.
There are about 60 new electric buses with surveillance cameras to ensure the safety of students.
The district's superintendent, Dr. Howard Hepburn, was there as the buses departed, and asked all drivers to drive carefully as traffic increased.
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In Broward, Florida's second largest school district, there are 251,000 students enrolled in 239 public schools and 87 charter schools.
Transportation Department Executive Director Rolando Alvarez provided several tips to ensure parents and students alike are safe before and after the bus arrives.
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"Go to the stop, show the children the surroundings so they know where the stop is, do not stop on the street, only on the sidewalk and wait for the buses stop before boarding them," Alvarez said.
Traffic on county roads is expected to increase, so drivers are advised to take precautions, especially if you commute or live near schools.
Metal detectors and cell phone restrictions
For this 2024-2025 school year, Broward approved using metal detectors in schools.
The goal was to install the detectors in all public high schools in the county by the start of classes.
Wednesday at South Plantation High School, the district set up a demonstration of how the metal detector system works. Volunteer students walked through with their backpacks
“This is an additional layer of security for our schools,” Hepburn said, pointing out that the metal detectors are just one part of the overall school security picture. “Are we gonna be very efficient on day one? No, we’re still working out the kinks, so there may be some small delays, our school principals and their staff will work with you."
Another new measure approved for this school year refers to the restrictions on the use of cell phones approved by the School Board.
Students of all grades will have to store their phones away and place them on airplane mode, unless their teacher tells them otherwise. The restrictions will be enforced from the start of the school day until the end, including during lunch. The new move also completely bans headphones, including AirPods.
School board members said phones have been a major distraction to students, but they’ll still have access to the devices if there’s an emergency.
