In-person education has started once again in the Irvine Unified School District and the Irvine Police Department has shared its recommendations for safe routes to school in Irvine.

In a Tweet on Sept. 22 the Irvine Police Department asked families to plan ahead to ensure everyone’s safety and preparedness.

“This Thursday @IUSD & @tustinusd welcome their students back in the classroom after over six months away. If you have a student walking or biking to school, have you planned out the safest route for them to take? To plan your route, visit:bit.ly/32QBclO.“
Based on the Irvine Unified School District Board of Education’s approved academic models of education, students were given the option to opt for distance learning, but for many students, Thursday will be the first day back at school since the lockdown began in March.

While students are eager to get back in the classroom, the Irvine Police Department wants all students and parents to be cautious, and take safe routes to school while commuting, whether biking, walking or carpooling.

For everyone returning to school, the Irvine Police Department offered a few tips to students and parents to remind them that returning to school can be difficult, and distractions can happen.

A few IPD tips include:

  • Leave early. The first couple of weeks of school bring heavier traffic. You won’t have to rush if you plan for a little extra time.
  • Obey all traffic laws and signs in school zones.
  • Drop children off in the designated locations. Do not allow children to get out of the car in the middle of the street.
  • Always use crosswalks.

In order to help students and parents navigate the stresses of the first few weeks, the Irvine Police Department has provided detailed maps for each campus, via Nextdoor, in order to help families find a trusted, safe route to their school.

A complete list of the Irvine Police Department suggested safe routes to school, for all campuses inside the Tustin and Irvine Unified school districts, can be found here.

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