Daylight hours are decreasing and soon our students will be walking to and from school in the dark. Also, with Halloween fast approaching, now is a good time to remind your children about safety.

Each year in ASD there are a handful of students who report being approached by strangers. Oftentimes, these strangers have good intentions. They may be offering a ride in sub-zero weather, helping with a heavy backpack or just trying to strike up a conversation. Although these instances are intended to be friendly, they aren’t realizing how dangerous the situation could become.

Safety is a top priority for our students. Children should be told, and told often, that they should never accept rides or assistance from strangers. Please talk to your child about stranger danger, safe places to wait for rides from school and other information specific to your situation.

Also, make sure your children know what to do if they get scared. They should immediately run away from the situation, find a safe place and tell a trusted adult. This information should also be reported to the school principal. We will notify authorities and, if necessary, our School Resource Officers will follow up and work to ensure our students are safe before, during and after school.

For more information about student safety, log on to www.asdk12.org/parents/safety.