Forget that whole rabbit, rabbit, rabbit thing–tomorrow is the first day of school, school, school for Weston Public Schools students (except kindergarten and pre-K). That means the Big Yellow Buses are back, as well as the usual scramble for breakfast, wayward notebooks and stuffing of the excited dog back into the house. A last minute flurry of school communications has made my head spin but I trust in the fact that no one cares where my kids are or what they are doing this first week–as long as they are masked.

All classes are held in-person — fully remote learning programs (RLA for one) are not available to Massachusetts students this year. This year’s COVID-19 precautions include masks (required at all times indoors except distanced meals and mask breaks), a testing program of routine weekly safety checks and test-and-stay for close contacts. The Owl has no details on the testing plans at this time.

Elementary school buses are on the road as early as 7 am — kids are expected in school at 8 am for Country, Woodland and Field Schools. Secondary school buses are scurrying about, with no real hope of getting to school on time from the northside, starting at 8 am. Doors open at 8:35 am for high and middle schools, and classes start at 8:45 am. The high school has a special schedule tomorrow with blocks and days and stuff out of order. Do not ever get your official high school information from me as I got lost right after the B1, Block 2, Day 2 outline was sent out.

Please give school buses the right of the way in the morning, especially in the Intersection of Doom (the one right in front of the AIC and First Parish Church–School Street, BPR and Church). I must say that I laughed when I saw the complete hell it is at this moment–we have chosen the EXACT FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL to have enormous huge orange cones and barrels blocking lanes so that people don’t ride over the protruding metal doo-dads in the road. Yes, I am terribly afraid of the DPW Director, but at this moment I need to say…hellooooooo, planning. Hold the door for the northsiders because they.will.never.be.on.time. If you can, give those school buses priority–they will need it.

School release times are 2:20 pm for elementary schools and 3:15 for middle school and high school. Then the buses, which were numbered in the morning, but are now identified with colors or letters or both in the afternoon because…? set off again to battle the intersection of doom and other stuff. There may be late buses. Don’t ask me. Weston Soccer has home games at 4 pm for varsity and junior varsity tomorrow at Proctor and Field 8. Stay there. Do not attempt to get your children.

Ah, high school seniors now have their assigned parking spaces and will be using them. Some lucky juniors won the lottery and also have parking spaces. If you do not have an assigned parking space, don’t park in someone else’s. They hate that. They may Tawanda you. If you are visiting the high school, use the visitor spaces or just don’t go. Really, your kids don’t want you there anyway. How do I know? They told me.

And that, my friends, wraps up summer 2021. Welcome to the fall, school, and go ‘cats!