Christmas and New Year’s have passed, and we hope you had a fun and safe holiday season.

It is now the second day of 2015, and while it will likely take a couple of weeks to get used to the new year, some changes just can’t afford to wait.

If you are a faculty member or a student in any of the Washington Parish schools, your holidays are dwindling down to a precious few. There are only three days left before the children head back to school Monday.

With that in mind, school zones will be back.

Be aware of the school zones speed limits and crossing guards, and please obey them. Put down the cellphones in these areas and pay extra attention.

Yes, you can get a hefty ticket for talking on a cellphone or speeding through a school zone, but more than that it’s about protecting the students.

The last thing anybody wants is a student to get injured or worse because somebody wasn’t giving his or her undivided attention to the road like they needed.

We wish everyone a very safe weekend and again, give yourself a few extra minutes for Monday’s drive to work as the parish’s youngest residents return to the business of education.