The kick-off event of the community campaign “Safe to school – safe home” was filled on Thursday at the Jean Paul School. The school district hosted this event for new school children and their parents.
The beginning of school is an exciting event especially for the first-graders and their parents, said school director Owe villages. The action “Safe to school – safe home” exist since 1969 and has been an important concern since that time, all at the beginning of the school year, because it is about the safety on the way to school. For decades, various measures and police protection have ensured that all students come to school unscathed, emphasized Dormer. But the school also made an important contribution to the exploration of the school environment, said the school director – even if there is no complete security, said Droller to consider.
In Upper Franconia, 8584 first graders were enrolled, 3.5 percent more than in the previous year, said government vice-president Thomas Engel. Many parents remembered their own school days and whether their children could get along with the teacher or get used to school. But what can one do so that nothing happens to the children on the way to school? Engel pointed out that a whole network of Upper Franconia cares about the safety on the way to school. Professional helpers, such as the police, but also many volunteers, institutions such as the VR-Bank or companies that provide financial resources, care about the safety of the youngest.
“Children learn from their parents”
Traffic education started very early and the children first learned from their parents, Engel said. “Children see parents as role models”. And this role model of the parents is just in demand at the beginning of the school year. Safety is not just a task of the parents, but a common task.
Cobourg’s second mayor, Birgit Weber, recalled her own school enrollment in 1969 at the elementary school. Exactly this year, the campaign “Safe to school – safe home” was launched. At that time, the first years were equipped with yellow caps. In the classroom there was the subject of traffic education and in school the bicycle license was made. Since that time, a lot has happened and today the children would be equipped with throws the traffic guard and reflective vests of the ADAC.
Too many accidents
The time of starting school was a very intense time for the police, said police commissioner Thomas. For several weeks every day, several dozen school trips would be carried out, and that would be as intensive as possible. His colleagues would love to do that and pay attention to the safety of the weakest traffic participants. Last year, 32 000 traffic accidents involving 5300 wounded and 57 fatalities were recorded in Upper Franconia. But there were also school-leaving accidents, with 44 students injured and eight of them were seriously injured. This figure, according to Thomas, is too high and the police are trying to minimize it. Motorists often did not give the first-graders the necessary attention. In the area of the police headquarters Upper Franconia, there are 1645 school helpers, 745 school students, 117 school bus attendants and 511 school bus drivers, reported the police council.
Distribute over 1000 throws
The first-graders are the weakest road users in traffic, Sebastian said in his capacity as the second chairman of the watch tower. Over 1000 reflective tapes have been distributed in the city and in the district. Sebastian directed his appeal to the parents to ensure that children carry these throw consistently, because especially in the dark season, the recognizability is particularly important.
In the 2018/2019 school year, 1062 pupils, including 323 in the city and 739 in the district of Cobourg, begin their school life. The kick-off event was musically designed by Neil Stefano and Noelle from the Music School.