Boulder City gearing up for new school year

Monday, Aug. 7, 2023. Some kids are dreading it, some parents are looking forward to it … but in my opinion, everyone should be aware of it. That is the first day of the 2023-2024 school year for the Clark County School District (CCSD)/Boulder City schools.

Back to school is more than buying new clothes and school supplies. I’m asking that we all make sure the kids and adults are ready.

KEEP KIDS SAFE AND ATTENTIVE

In Boulder City, an estimated 350 to 400 students travel through school zones every school day. Children will be walking, biking, skateboarding and scootering to school.

Parents can help by giving their children tips on how to be safe during this school season. Parents should practice walking their kids to school, make sure they use crosswalks when available, have them wear brightly colored or reflective clothing, and have them refrain from using electronic devices while walking.

DRIVING AND WALKING ON SCHOOL DAYS

If you are driving on a school day, be sure you are paying close attention to where you are and how you drive when children are present. The speed limit in school zones is 15 miles per hour and strictly enforced by police.

Making a U-turn in a school zone is against the law. Boulder City is fortunate to have many great crossing guards. Please be courteous and pay attention when you see them. Drivers who fail to stop for a school crossing guard’s signal could face up to six years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

TALK TO KIDS ABOUT BULLYING

One in four middle school students have been bullied on school property, and one in three report cyberbullying, according to the CDC. This behavior not only has negative impacts on all the victims, but also witnesses. Most bullying occurs when adults are not around.

Bullying can increase a child’s anxiety and/or depression, leading to emotional or social distress, self-harm or thoughts of suicide. Those who bully others are also at elevated risk for mental health and behavioral problems.

Talk to your children about respecting others, as well as how to react to bullies.

Let teachers and administrators know if you believe your child or their classmate is being bullied. One great resource is www.stopbullying.gov – with tips on how to talk to your child.

MAKE SURE VACCINATIONS ARE UP TO DATE

As a physician in the 1970’s and 1980’s, I treated countless cases of chicken pox. In 1995, widespread availability of a vaccine against chicken pox became available. Over the next decade, the number of cases in the U.S. dropped significantly. Vaccinations are a quick, effective way to protect your children from many illnesses. Students enrolling in

CCSD must show proof of vaccination for chicken pox (varicella), hepatitis A and B, polio, tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis (DTaP and Tdap), quadrivalent meningitis, and measles-mumps-rubella (MMR). Talk to your child’s health care provider about other options for vaccines every year.

TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS AND SCHOOL EMPLOYEES

Those around the kids should also take time to make sure their immunizations are up to date. For example, a CDC Panel now recommends Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccines for people ages 60 years and older. RSV often shows up like a common cold in healthy children, but it can have a devastating impact on older adults, those with compromised immune systems, adults with chronic heart or lung disease, and those living in nursing homes or long-term care facilities.

New vaccines are expected to be available this fall, when viruses and infections tend to circulate at a higher rate. Patients should talk to their health care provider about what vaccines they should consider, especially if they spend many hours around children and young adults.

I hope this school year is happy and healthy for all of Boulder City’s children, teachers, faculty and parents!