Each school day, thousands of Sioux Falls students walk, bike, ride, or drive across railroad tracks to get to school. These crossings are part of our daily landscape, but we must never take them for granted.
The week of September 15-21, 2025 marks Rail Safety Week, a national effort to raise awareness about safe practices around trains and tracks. As an educator and school district leader, I believe we have a shared responsibility to ensure that students, parents, teachers, and school bus drivers know how to navigate crossings safely and stay alert around railroad infrastructure.
With support from the U.S. Department of Transportation, our region is already taking steps to improve crossing safety. In recent years, Sioux Falls has secured federal grants to study and improve high-risk crossings, enhancing mobility and safety for students, teachers, parents and buses.
Still, education is the most important tool we have. Trains can’t swerve or stop quickly. We must stop, look, listen, and respect crossing gates. Let’s continue working together to educate our communities and prevent tragic, preventable incidents before they happen.
Parents, please talk with your child about the importance of being aware of railroad dangers.
Sincerely,
Dr. James Nold, Superintendent