Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025

Back-to-School Safety Tips from the Wheaton Police Department

Many Wheaton schools will begin the new school year on Friday, Aug. 15. As part of the Wheaton Police Department’s back-to-school safety plan, you will see Wheaton Police Officers at all schools welcoming students and helping ensure everyone arrives to/from school safely. Officers will also be enforcing safe driving around our schools, including school zone speed limits, crosswalks, cell phone use, and stopping for buses.

We need the community’s help to make this a safe and successful school year.

Back-to-School Safety Tips for Students and Parents:

Ensure students know their address and phone number.
Be aware of your surroundings.
Whenever possible, walk or bike with another person.
Stay in well-lit areas.
Limit the use of distracting devices.
Avoid engaging with or answering questions from strangers.
If something occurs that makes you feel unsafe, report it immediately to a trusted adult.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to role play possible situations with students and discuss personal safety and awareness tips.

To help kickstart the City's back-to-school safety efforts, hear from Wheaton Police in this video to learn about crosswalk safety.

Learn even more safety tips by visiting the City's website.

Temporary Road Closures for Wheaton North March-A-Thon on Saturday, Aug. 16

The Wheaton North High School March-A-Thon will be held on Saturday, Aug. 16. The following streets will be temporarily closed from 8:45 a.m. to 11 a.m. for the event:

Franklin St., between Main St. and Washington St.
Washington St., between Franklin St. and Seminary Ave.
Union Ave., between Wheaton Ave. and Washington St.
Main St., between Lincoln Ave. and Seminary Ave.
Hale St., between Union Ave. and Wesley St.
Karlskoga Ave., between Wheaton Ave. and Hale St.
Wheaton Ave., between Oak Ave. and Karlskoga Ave.
Oak Ave., between West St. and Wheaton Ave.
West St., between Prairie Ave. and Oak Ave.
Papworth St., between Amy Lane and Armbrust Ave.
Armbrust Ave., between Papworth St. and Darling St.
Darling St., between Thomas Road to the end of Darling St.
Thomas Road, between Papworth St. and Darling St.

These streets will be staffed with uniformed police personnel to assist and direct traffic during this time. All roads used for this special event will be temporarily closed for approximately 30 minutes to let the band pass safely. Once the band has cleared the roadway, it will be reopened for vehicular traffic.

Residents, citizens, and motorists are being asked for their cooperation in not moving the barricades to ensure the safety of the participants. Motorists may experience temporary traffic delays and choose to alter their travel routes to avoid these areas.

View a map of the closures

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Receive timely alerts by text, email or phone by signing up for Wheaton Informs. You choose the type of alerts you want to receive such as those related to: Public Safety Notices, Road Closures & Traffic Alerts, and Community Updates. To sign up or to make modifications to your existing profile, visit the Wheaton Informs Sign Up page.

Prevent Rabies: Never Touch a Bat or Wild Animal

The DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) reminds residents to never touch or try to catch a bat or wild animal since they may carry diseases such as rabies. One bat has recently tested positive for rabies in DuPage County in 2025.

Rabies is a deadly virus that affects the brain and nervous system. Humans and other mammals can get rabies after being bitten by an infected animal or when saliva from a rabid animal gets directly into the eyes, nose, mouth, or a wound.

Tips to Prevent Rabies:

Keep your pet's vaccinations current.
Get veterinary care if your pet is exposed to wild animals or bats.
Never adopt or care for wild animals.
Teach children never to handle unfamiliar wild or domestic animals.
Secure your home to keep bats out. If a bat is inside, don’t release or kill it before consulting animal control and health officials. If safe, trap it under a container and close the room door.

For more information, visit DCHD’s website.

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To contact us, please send an email to:
communications@wheaton.il.us.