This Week: It's Back To School Time!

Sorry kids, but for most of you summer is pretty much over.

Monday is the first day of class for Bethlehem public and Catholic schools.

All three local colleges also begin their fall semesters Monday.

There are exceptions. For example, all three schools of Moravian Academy open Wednesday.

The other exceptions, of course, are East Hills Middle School and Farmersville Elementary School, where district officials are working to lick a mold problem in both buildings. Watch this space for updates on when either building schedules its first day of classes.

In the meantime, the Bethlehem Area School District has on its Website published this item on answers to frequently asked questions about the mold problem in both schools.

Asa Packer Elementary and Spring Garden Elementary schools have scheduled open houses for parents on Wednesday. Governor Wolf, Hanover and William Penn elementary schools have open houses on Thursday.

With school getting under way across Pennsylvania, PennDOT is reminding all motorists to watch carefully for students and school buses to avoid tragic and costly accidents and penalties.

“As students return to the classroom, drivers who haven’t had to drive around buses or students for months must be alert for bus stops and school zones,” PennDOT Secretary Barry Schoch said.  “The consequences of just a moment of distraction could prove to be tragic.”

Under the state’s school bus stopping law, motorists approaching a school bus with its red lights flashing and stop arm extended are required to stop in all directions at least 10 feet from the bus. The only exception to the law is when a school bus is stopped on the opposite side of a highway clearly separated by a divider, such as concrete barriers or grass medians. Even in this situation, motorists should remain watchful of students trying to cross the road to catch the bus.

If convicted of violating Pennsylvania’s school bus stopping law, drivers face a $250 fine, five points on their driving record and a 60-day license suspension.

In addition to watching for school buses, motorists should be alert in school zones, which become hubs of vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Motorists are required to slow down to the posted speed limit of 15 mph in school zones. Violators face a fine and three points on their driving record.

What else is happening in Bethlehem this week?

• The Bethlehem Township Planning Commission meets at 7 p.m. Monday. Click here for the agenda.

• The Bethlehem Township Zoning Hearing Board meets at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Click here for the agenda.

• The city Zoning Hearing Board meets at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

• Standup comedian Gabriel Iglesias of “I’m not fat, I’m fluffy” fame appears at the Sands Bethlehem Event Center at 8 p.m. Thursday. Tickets are $45 and $79.50.