Canadian law enforcement agencies are out with warnings for parents in an effort to bolster safety for children as they head back to school this week and next. .The Calgary Police Service (CPS) took to Twitter on Tuesday with back-to-school safety tips. ."As Calgarians prepare to send kids back to school this week, here are some safety tips for parents and children around important personal information every child should know and travelling to and from school safely," said CPS in the tweet. . CPS back-to-school safety tips .The CPS said parents should be sure their children are aware of their full name and age, home address and the phone number to reach a parent or guardian. It also suggests parents teach children how to dial 911 in an emergency situation. . CPS back-to-school safety tips .Travel safety tips suggesting parents instruct their child to use the same route to and from school each day, look both ways before crossing the street, only play in safe places including yards and playgrounds, and avoid vacant lots or wooded areas were also shared. .If a child feels they are being followed by a vehicle, the CPS said parents should instruct children to run in the opposite direction and try to remember what the vehicle looks like or memorize the licence plate. . CPS back-to-school safety tips 3 .Stranger rules from the CPS instruct parents to teach their child never to go anywhere with, or take anything from a stranger or tell a stranger they are by themselves or home along. .Parents should also tell their child to yell, scream, and kick if they're ever approached or grabbed by a stranger. .Const. Randy MacDonald with the CPS' Residential Traffic Safety Unit, said a team of four officers, along with the Calgary Parking Authority, will be at the Calgary Board of Education's new Mahogany School in the city's southeast Thursday morning from 7:20 to 9 a.m. for the first day of school. .MacDonald said the unit will attend several Calgary schools in the coming weeks to ensure parents and children are practicing good habits when arriving at school. ."J-walking is a big concern we'd like to curb," said MacDonald.."We also want to always encourage drivers to slow down when going through playground and school zones, which are one in the same in Calgary." .Calgary Parking Authority will be on hand to advise parents on good parking habits, including not parking in crosswalks, in front of residential driveways, or in the school bus parking zones. ."It's basically an awareness campaign where we come out and engage with kids and parents. Our key message is 'don't choose convenience over safety,'" said MacDonald. .The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) also posted a warning on Tuesday highlighting the photos and social posts parents put out on the first day of school typically identifying their child's name, age, school, teacher, and other details. ."Kids are heading back to school, and with that comes photos and social media posts," said OPP in its post.."Be careful how much information you put online. Predators and fraudsters look for details that appear on things such as the back-to-school posters seen below.".OPP said parents should not include their child's age, school or grade, their teacher's name or year they will graduate in any posts to protect the identity of their child. .Instead, parents can include simple details that don't give predators information about their child.
