Vacations End, Pupils Prepare For ’14-15 Year

COURT HOUSE – It’s time to get those school clothes ready, backpacks prepared, and let the youngsters take a last trip to the beach, lake, pond or pool because, depending upon district, schools will open and buses will roll Aug. 28, Sept. 2, 3, and 4 for the 2014-15 year.
Aug. 28 is first day for all Wildwood public schools.
It is also a day of preparation in Middle Township for pre-K orientation at 9:30 a.m. Later, for incoming freshmen, orientation takes place at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center.
Sept. 2 is first day of school for:
Lower Township elementary schools
Lower Cape May Regional schools
Woodbine Elementary with early dismissal at 1 p.m.
Cape May City Elementary, 8:20 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Crest Memorial, full day
Cape Christian Academy
West Cape May Elementary
For Middle Township kindergartners, Sept. 2 is “Sneak a Peek” at 1:45 p.m. to get the district’s young pupils ready for their formal education.
Middle Township district teacher orientation at the Performing Arts Center in the high school.
Avalon and Stone Harbor, teachers’ day.
Sept. 3 is first day of school for:
Middle Township
Cape May County Technical School
Margaret Mace
Dennis Township
Wildwood Catholic High School, freshmen report, half day
Cape Trinity Catholic, early dismissal
Bishop McHugh, all students, full day
Avalon and Stone Harbor for pupils.
Cape May County Special Services Schools.
Sept. 4 is first day of school for:
Ocean City
Wildwood Catholic High School, all students, half day
Upper Township
Millville High School
School bus law for motorists:
A driver on a highway approaching or overtaking a bus used solely for the transportation of children to and from school, any school activity, or summer day camp must stop not less than 25 feet from the bus when the bus has stopped to receive or discharge any passengers.
The driver may not proceed until all children have entered the bus or have alighted and reached the side of the highway, or until the flashing red lights have stopped.
Do not pass or closing approach a school bus with flashing red lights.
State law requires that motorists stop at least 25 feet away if traveling on a two-lane road or on a multi-lane highway where lanes are only separated by lines, or on a privately maintained road.
Slow down to 10 mph if traveling on a dual highway, if on the opposite side of a safety island or a raised median.
School buses are equipped with yellow, amber or red flashing lights. Yellow or amber lights before the bus stops and red lights go on when it has stopped. Do not depend on these lights if traveling behind a school bus. These lights could be malfunctioning.
When the bus stops, motorists traveling behind or approaching the bus must stop at least 25 feet from the school bus. Watch for children, and then proceed slowly, at 10 mph.
If a school bus has stopped directly in front of a school to pick up or let off children, pass from either direction at no more than 10 mph.
Fines for disobeying
The fines for the improper passing of a school bus are $102 to $252. A driver convicted of this offense can be sentenced to up to 15 days of jail, or 15 days of community service.
In most improper passing school bus cases, a driver will lose for 30 days. A driver is assessed five points for improperly passing a school bus, according to the New Jersey Traffic Law Center.