School starts across South Florida

The school bell rings Monday morning, officially ending summer vacation and welcoming more than 600,000 South Florida public school students back to class.

That means school zone lights will be flashing and traffic will probably be heavier than usual, with yellow buses transporting more than 60,000 students in Miami-Dade alone.

Parents should be patient if buses run a bit late, but can report problems online if a delay becomes worrisome.

The 2015 - 2016 school year brings plenty of new offerings – Broward will offer computer science classes in all high schools and the district will launch a new arts program that is part of a White House initiative to help struggling schools.

In Miami-Dade County, the new school year means wireless internet on school buses and new magnets in robotics, national security intelligence and more. The district, Florida’s largest, is also rethinking its approach to student discipline by ending traditional suspensions that remove students from school.

Check www.MiamiHerald.com throughout the morning for back-to-school updates, and share your experience by tweeting @MiamiHerald. Be sure to include the hashtag, #FirstDayDade.

Also check out our back to school guide here for helpful information.

This story was originally published August 24, 2015 at 6:39 AM with the headline "School starts across South Florida."