VON ORMY, TEXAS -- Somerset Independent School District is celebrating the opening of its new Jr. High this week. But, family members who drop off their kids at school say they forgot a very important part; a school safety zone.
“I feel the safety part should have come before the school. I'm glad it's completed but somebody forgot that part about it,” explained Juan Moreno, a concerned grandparent who takes his grandson to school.
Somerset Junior High is located right along a major highway, along Loop 1604. That has cars, trucks, and big rigs driving by the school at 60 miles an hour, and that includes at the start and end of the school day.
“Moreno said, “I drop them off every once in awhile. My daughter asked me to drop him off this morning and I was kind of concerned because the traffic behind me wasn't slowing down, the speed limit here is 60 miles an hour”.
Tuesday marked the second day of school for kids at the new campus, but for Moreno it is already one too many days without any warning signs or flashing lights to let drivers know that kids are in the area.
Somerset ISD school officials say safety is a top priority with the district and they are working on getting a school zone, but say it is ultimately up to the Texas Department of Transportation.
“We've been told by TXDOT that in approximately four to six weeks we are going to get our blinking flashing lights at both entrances and we're also going to get the advisory which indicate there is a school zone going up, a bus crossing,” said Maury Vasquez, Somerset ISD Spokesperson.
In the meantime, the school district is having school police assist to make sure the area is safe for kids.
With the school project being in the works for the last eleven months, Juan Moreno wondered why this would not have been taken care of sooner.
