Superintendent Kimberly Hill, and members of the Charles County Sheriff’s Office reminded La Plata High School student drivers this morning that “We Care” about their safety and their driving.
La Plata High School student drivers were greeted Aug. 29 by their principal, the superintendent and officers who passed out fliers reminding the teens of driving rules and driving safety. Across the county, school resource officers also stopped and passed out safe driving flyers to student drivers.
“We care about you and we want you here,” La Plata Principal Evelyn Arnold told students as they drove into the parking lot. Hill reminded students of the dangers of texting and driving as she handed each a flyer with the rules of the road. “We want you to be safe,” she told drivers.
“Seven years ago, well before you were old enough to drive, a series of car crashes took the lives of nine teenagers in Charles County. This was a very sad and frustrating time in our community,” Hill and Sheriff Rex Coffey wrote in a message to students. Working together, the school system and sheriff’s office developed the We Care campaign to engage students in conversations about safe driving. We Care promotes safe driving through a series of checkpoints in school parking lots and school assemblies and other activities. Since 2008, Charles County Public Schools and the Charles County Sheriff’s Office have greeted high school drivers back to school with reminders about driving safely. The program is credited with reducing teen crash deaths in Charles County.
The school system and sheriff’s office plan to continue the “We Care” campaign throughout the year with various activities that keep teen driving safety in the forefront. School resource officers plan to do spot checks in school parking lots throughout the school year to ensure students are buckling up, limiting their passengers to those allowed by law and not texting or talking on cell phones while driving.
In previous years, the program has been highlighted at North Point, Thomas Stone, Westlake, Henry E. Lackey and Maurice J. McDonough high schools. The program was introduced today at the county’s newest high school, St. Charles.
Charles County Public Schools provides 26,500 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 35 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.
The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Patricia Vaira, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Pamela K. Murphy, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event.
