Students Head Back To School In Bellevue, Renton & Issaquah This Week

BELLEVUE, WA — The new school year is kicking off this week in Bellevue, Issaquah and Renton, and city officials are asking drivers to prepare for more children, parents and educators making their way to the classroom by car, bus, bicycle, and foot.

Most Issaquah students head back to school Tuesday, followed by the Renton School District on Wednesday and Bellevue School District on Thursday. That means more vehicle and foot traffic around school zones, especially in the mornings and afternoons.

In the Bellevue School District, officials earlier this year completed road safety assessments around Sherwood Forest Elementary, Stevenson Elementary, Highland Middle School, Odle Middle School, Interlake High School and Sammamish High School. More audits are planned at six schools through the fall and early next year.

Bellevue's school zone photo enforcement cameras will also be in operation when lights are flashing near Odle Middle School, along with Stevenson, Sunset and Lake Hills elementary schools. According to the district, more than 20 percent of its school buses are also equipped with stop paddle cameras to improve student safety.

Here are a few school year reminders from the city of Bellevue:

• Slow down and watch out for kids walking, biking and rolling, especially at intersections, crosswalks and when entering and exiting school parking lots.
• When picking up or dropping off children at school, park responsibly and follow parking laws. Parking within 30 feet of a stop sign, within 20 feet of an intersection or within 5 feet of a driveway is not allowed. Stopping in the middle of the street for drop-off/pick up is unsafe for kids and can create unnecessary traffic jams.
• Adhere to the 20-mph speed limit in school zones.
• If you are commuting, find alternative routes around schools to avoid traffic congestion during arrival and dismissal times.
• Pay attention while driving; don’t be distracted by using electronic devices. State distracted driving laws passed in 2017 prohibit cell phone use while driving, at stop lights and while waiting in traffic.