CCSO Back-To-School Countdown Starts Monday

The Collier County Sheriff’s Office’s annual back-to-school countdown begins Monday, Aug. 11.
Look for lighted marquee message boards around Collier County, reminding the community that the first day of school is Aug. 18.

The message boards will read, “School Starts August 18 – Give Kids A Brake.”

Message boards will be up at the following intersections:

- Airport-Pulling Road, north of Vanderbilt Beach Road

- Immokalee Road, east of Collier Boulevard

- Golden Gate Boulevard, east of Big Cypress Elementary School

- Livingston Road, near Vanderbilt Beach Road

- Airport-Pulling Road, near Poinciana Elementary School

- Oil Well Road, near Corkscrew Elementary School

- Golden Gate Parkway, near 44th Street Southwest

The intent of the seven-day countdown is to remind the community that the start of the school year is a week away. Traffic will be more congested around schools and students will be walking and riding bicycles along the roadways. And school speed zones will be back in operation.

The goal of the countdown is to educate the community on ways to change driving behavior in order to reduce serious bodily injury and fatal crashes involving youth and the general public.

The countdown is also a way to remind schoolchildren that they need to think about their own safety, whether they’re on the bus, on the sidewalk, at school, or with friends.

During the first week of school deputies will be at the elementary school student drop-off lines to greet parents and arriving students. Elementary school deputies will also be at the student pick-up lines during dismissal, when parents pick up their child.

Also during the first week of school deputies in marked patrol vehicles and in unmarked vehicles with their emergency lights flashing will be parked at school speed zones.

Deputies will also be at crossing guard intersections and other areas where large groups of students walk to and from school.