Local schools open Monday, authorities urge parents, drivers to be careful

Good morning! WJCC & York County schools resume classes Monday; authorities urge patience and care. After statewide rise in pool drownings, York County takes enforcement steps.

Drivers who speed in school zones or pass buses that are loading or unloading children will be on camera in James City County

Some 24,000 children return to area schools on Monday, with local and state officials urging both parents and drivers to be vigilant – and patient.

In most James City County school locations, speed detectors with cameras will be operating to capture speeders. That’s in addition to the existing school bus cameras that catch drivers who pass stopped buses (see our first-person account.)

In York County, the ongoing construction on Rt. 17, Victory Blvd. and several key intersections will create traffic backups to test drivers’ patience, York Supervisor Thomas G. Shepperd, Jr. warned. The 5^th District representative recalled an incident when a parent impatient at the lines at one school pulled his car out of line and struck a student.

“We do not need that impatience around our children,” Shepperd said. “We’ve got some 13,000 children that are going to school, we’ve got some new bus drivers, everybody’s trying to do their job…have some patience!” Williamsburg-James City County schools expect…