Golden rules

You may think that, as the kiddies used to say, you’re “too cool for school.” But the fact remains that if you’re going to go to The Man’s schools, you gotta play by The Man’s rules.

In this special Back to School issue, our writers have compiled a primer of some key things for students to be aware of as they venture out into the sometimes-cruel world of elementary and secondary school. There’s a rundown of local school playgrounds (including which ones follow the safety rules and which do not), tips on how to survive the subculture found on the school bus, a profile of a longtime campus supervisor at Chico High School whose job is to keep his school safe and trouble free, and a look into the fashions that will make or break students’ reputation this season.

Students and parents, arm yourselves with this knowledge of “the rules,” both official and unofficial, and you’ll be one step closer to starting the year off right.

Arrive alive
The real rules of riding the school bus

The playground report
Rating recess at CUSD elementary schools

What’s hip?
School’s back, and the high-school fashion parade is marching through a mall near you

Cruising the campus
Dan Trevithick has helped keep students safe for nearly two decades