SUMTER COUNTY Fla. — As more than 8,000 students in Sumter County head back to school Wednesday morning, officials say a few new policies are in place, but they're also sticking with a lot of systems that have gotten them through the years.

What You Need To Know

  • South Sumter County High School principal Allen Shirley addresses safety concerns and new policies ahead of students returning to the classroom

  • The Sumter County school district has more than 8,000 students, with more than half attending public schools

  • Officials encourage parents to be patient during pickup and drop-off as everyone transitions back into the school year; extra law enforcement is expected to help direct traffic

Transportation safety is top of mind for many districts across the area, and South Sumter High School principal Allen Shirley said he feels good about kicking the school year off.

With several new implementations and programs set up to help the year run smoothly, he said that it takes a collaborative effort between school officials, parents, students and even law enforcement when it comes to issues like safety.

Officials said extra deputies will be active on Wednesday, helping to direct traffic and enforce safety regulations around the school. At the same time, officials ask parents and non-parent drivers to be patient and to pay attention to signage and speed limits, ensuring that everyone makes it to their destinations safely.

“You shouldn’t be planning to be able to just come straight in and drop off and run," Shirley said. "It might not be the quickest process. But the biggest thing is just following the instructions and the directions, the signage. As long as that happens, we have good systems in place."

With buses expected to run a little slower during the first week, officials say parents should be prepared to wait.