Families have been busily preparing for their children’s return to school, which begins this month. It’s hard to believe summer break is over and they are returning to classes – whether for the first time in pre-kindergarten to senior year in high school or their freshman courses at our local universities.
This year, classes began in the Argyle Independent School District on Tuesday, Aug. 11, followed by Lewisville ISD and Northwest ISD on Wednesday, Aug. 12. Denton ISD students started on Thursday, Aug. 13. University of North Texas begins its fall semester on Aug. 17 with Texas Woman’s University classes beginning on Aug. 24.
The start of school signifies the end of summer vacations and a time of leisurely pursuits. August serves as a transitional month when we get back to daily routines, heavy traffic, busier schedules, and soon, Friday night football.
As we ramp up a new school year, I hope everyone on our roads will take the extra time to keep watch during bus pick-ups and drop-offs as well as drive extra slowly in our school zones. We should also plan extra commute time for the collegiate crowds making their way to campuses in our area. Safety is an important part of helping these young minds stay healthy as they prepare to be our future leaders.
Back-to-School also means time will pass quickly as we head closer to the holiday season in the next few months. Our calendars fill up with extracurricular activities, homework, football games, special events and more.
With an estimated 1.1 million people in Denton County, our region attracts many newcomers looking for the perfect place to raise their families, buy their first homes, start a new job, or further their education. And that leads to what we look at as we plan for the future of Denton County.
Our Commissioners Court continues to work closely with our communities to plan for future growth, particularly along I-35W and the interchanges at FM 1171, FM 407, Robson Ranch Road and the merge with I-35E in Denton. We have successfully created break-out projects to address congestion issues in certain key areas as we await larger projects with the Texas Department of Transportation.
Our hope is to lay the foundation needed as we continue to prosper so that we can look forward to each new school year as it rolls back around in the future.
Contact Commissioner Dianne Edmondson by email at [email protected] or phone her at 972-434-3960. You can also stop by her office in the Southwest Courthouse, 6200 Canyon Falls Drive, Suite 900, in Flower Mound.
