Today marks the first day of the new school year for Sarasota County students. About 44,000 students will head to 53 schools for their first day back. Those kids will be greeted by more than 5,000 employees, including at least 2,700 teachers. A fleet of 250 district school buses will be picking up about 17,000 students on nearly 1,000 routes. The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office is reminding drivers that students heading back to class means increased traffic. Allow extra travel time and watch for other cars, pedestrians, bicyclists and school buses.
