Back to School And a Whole Lot More for Toms River

Big week ahead.

We leave and head back to school.

With around 17,000 students heading to classes today in , children and their parents lurch back into the school routine. All the teachers and staff are back at work and there undoubtedly will be lots of learning going on today.

But be mindful that the return of the school year also means the return of student pedestrians, school speed limits, crossing guards and the like in your commute mix.

Also, budget some extra time if your travel coincides with the first or last school bell rings of the day, lest you get caught behind a school bus making frequent stops.

And, as though the thought of 17,000 students and their staff going back and forth to school doesn’t sound like a traffic jam waiting to happen, don’t forget today is also the first day of the fall semester at Ocean County College.

That means certain traffic leading up to the Hooper Avenue and jughandle, as well as both the east and west approaches to the Buckwald entrance on Church Road. A frequent shortcut through Holiday City Silverton often yields its own traffic issues too. And if you are thinking College Drive serves as some shortcut to get from Hooper to Church, you’ll definitely get caught up in the college rush. You've been warned!

Next, it’s also the season openers for our local high school teams this week. Check out the events calendar on Toms River Patch to find the next game of the teams you love to follow. This weekend in , will play Howell, while plays at .

There's more. It's the week leading up to the tenth anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, and there’s a lot going on as the Toms River community observes the date. Check out , and come back throughout the week as we post stories daily that focus on the broad local impact Sept. 11 still has, ten years later.

We’re also continuing our series called It’s that wonderful time after Labor Day when everything is quieter but still nice and summery.

Enjoy your Tuesday after Labor Day, first day of school, first day of Locals’ Summer…hey whatever it is to you, enjoy your day.