Watch for children

School’s out - summer has really arrived.
Adults however, cannot let down their guards. Thousands of kids will be attending summer school around the borough. Those of us without school-aged children should remember to drive more carefully near our borough’s school buildings all summer long.
Do not pass any school buses that are stopped with flashing lights and their stop signs displayed near the driver’s window.
If you have a student or two enrolled in summer school, send your children armed with a good breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day especially for usually sleepy-headed teenagers. Give them all the help you can.
Parents should continue to search their children’s backpacks or book bags or folders for letters, flyers, notes, announcements, surveys and the like from school officials.
Have patience and do not blow your horns at kids on bikes. They will be out riding to and from playgrounds. As many of our schoolyards have been converted into neighborhood playgrounds, there will be a higher volume of youngsters using our school facilities all summer long.
By that same token, slow down and be sure to look an extra time or two as you back out of your home driveways. The same applies to those shopping center spaces and grocery store parking lots. Summer means more kids everywhere and they may not get proper supervision from their harried guardians or parents.
Slow down on every residential block - keep your speed less than 30 m.p.h. Every ball, hoop, basketball, football, Nerf ball, tennis ball or soccer ball bouncing out from between two parked cars up the block probably has a child right behind it in “hot pursuit.” You may have to stop on a dime to save a life. Go slower to begin with and you will be able to stop in time.
Remember to practice pool safety if you or a neighbor has a backyard pool - above or below ground. Make sure everyone knows the “pool rules” and where the safety and rescue equipment is located. The same is true at the city’s pools and beaches. Tragedy can strike in only seconds. Watch your kids as they play in pools or just at poolside. Do not let your child become a sad statistic this summer.
If you have a child who will be starting school this fall, remember to arrange for your child to be vaccinated before school begins. The required vaccinations for school entry are those protecting against life-threatening diseases including diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella, polio, hepatitis B, pertussis (whooping cough) and chicken pox. Additionally, all children entering school must show proof of a complete medical evaluation. If you do not have insurance or need a provider, call 3-1-1 to find a vaccination clinic.
Thanks to the City Council’s efforts during the recent city budget negotiations, nearly all funding for our schools has been restored and best of all - Queens libraries will remain open on Saturdays too. Now students can use their resources over the weekend and broaden their bases of knowledge all on their own.