The evidence was obvious.

Traffic in Bullard was heavy Monday morning, indicating school started for students in the Bullard Independent School District. Brook Hill School students started school Wednesday, Aug. 19, so traffic will be heavy before and after school each weekday throughout the city for the rest of the school year.

There are four school zones in Bullard. Traffic is required to slow down in each zone, and while most Bullard drivers obey the speed limits, not every one seems to be aware of those limits. Police can not patrol each school zone every minute, so drivers need to be careful and courteous.

Remember also, as soon as it is posted, drivers will not be able to use certain (most) cell phones while driving through school zones.

Whether or not we have a student that goes to school, we can all help them to make their trip a safe one.

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Monday was a busy day at BISD. Faculty and staff, some of whom started their day at 5 a.m., were dragging by 2 p.m. Getting into the routine will take a few days, but staff at both Bullard school districts are very interested in their students. Be assured that they will have their schedules down by week's end.

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At BISD, it is the aim of the administration, faculty and staff to provide a quality education for every student. However, with limited funds available, some instruction materials and/or tools may not be affordable. To that end, the Bullard Education Foundation has been established to help provide grants and other funds to help purchase materials or tools, or to help send a class on an educational field trip, etc.

Many people in Bullard no longer have students in school, but they are interested in helping this year's students or the school district. To help or to make a donation, visit the BISD official Web site and click on the foundation link. Information will be provided.

There are classes and clubs that need help. For example, the school newspaper can always use extra funds. Melissa Vining, instructs the students who publish an award-winning school paper. She has very experienced students who work on the paper, which is published monthly.

Vining said her students would love to publish the paper in color each month, but expenses prevent them from doing so. Extra funding would help them to accomplish that goal. A direct donation or helping with fund-raising drives could go a long way to enhance their education.

It is the same with other classes or clubs at the campus. So, consider a donation to the Bullard Education Foundation. If you need any inforation about the foundation, visit the BISD Web site or call BISD Superintendent Keith Bryant at (903) 894-6639. He is a member of the foundation board and will be happy to provide as much information as he can.

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While we're on the subject of education, it was my aim to help educate parents and the public about the Texas Education Agency school rating system in the Aug. 19 issue of the Bullard Banner News. It can be confusing because there are so many parameters involved. Remember, a school's rating is affected by the performance of several "sub groups." The test results of a student or two in any one of the sub groups can change the rating one way or the other. BISD received a fine rating, academically acceptable, but the district missed the next TEA rating, recognized, because of the results from only a few students. Actually, an exemplary (TEA's highest) rating was not far out of reach.

Interestingly, BISD administration did not use the fact that only a few students affected the rating as an excuse for achieving the TEA rating assessed to the district. Jan Hill, BISD director of curriculum, instruction and federal programs, said the district is "responsible for every student."

BISD takes that responsibility very seriously, and programs will be implemented this year to help students who have problems in subjects or disciplines taught on the respective campuses.

Bullard students are in good hands. Regardless of the TEA rating, Bullard has an excellent school district with caring administrators, faculty and staff. Let them know you feel the same way.