Even so, accidents happen: More than 18,000 students were injured in 1999 in bus-related incidents. Many of the injuries occurred as children were getting on or off a bus, so teach your kids these safety tips: 1) Wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before approaching it, and for the driver to signal that it's okay to get on; 2) When you exit the bus, move away from it, making sure the driver can see you. Some children killed in bus-related accidents are struck by the bus; 3) If you have to cross the street, walk at least 10 feet in front of the bus first. Traffic in both directions is required by law to stop when a school bus stops, but people don't always follow this rule, so be careful.

Only one in 10 children (10 percent) walk to school, and only one in 4 (25 percent) who live within one mile of their school walk to school. Walking is a great form of physical activity and can help your child get and stay fit. Some parents walk with their children to school, getting exercise themselves and giving them time each day to talk with their children. Children can be injured on any walk, including those to and from school, so make sure they understand how to cross streets safely.

Somewhere between 25 percent and 50 percent of school-age children experience bullying, which can range from teasing to physical violence. Although many parents think that bullying is just a rite of passage, it can cause long-lasting psychological effects in some children. If your child complains about a bully, encourage him or her to tell a teacher or other school authority figure. Also, contact the school yourself and make your concerns known. Some parents enroll their children in self-defense classes to increase confidence and self-control.

About 90 percent of the school-related injuries that are serious enough to send children to the hospital come from falls, sports or school equipment. In 1999, falls accounted for more than 40 percent of school-related hospital admissions.

Homicides at school are rare events. For example, during the 1997-1998 school year, it is estimated that less than one percent of the children nationwide who were murdered (or committed suicide) were at school. During this school year, 46 people (students, faculty, and non-school personnel) were killed on school grounds, either during school, during a school-sponsored event, or on their way to or from a school-sponsored event. This is a decrease from the 55 homicides that occurred in the 1992-1993 school year. Most school crime is theft, not serious violent crime. From 1993 to 1998, school-related serious violent crime decreased by about 30 percent. Children ages 12 to 18 are three times as likely to be victims of serious violent crime outside of school than they are while in school.

In a 1999 survey, 9 percent of black fourth-graders and 6 percent of Hispanic fourth-graders reported feeling "very unsafe" at school, compared with only 2 percent of white fourth-graders.

Children typically get about one-third of their daily energy requirements (calories) from food eaten at school, but many of them aren't eating healthily. A nationwide survey of 12 elementary school districts involved in the National School Lunch Program found that few schools were routinely serving healthy, low-fat, nutrient- and fiber-rich meals to children. For example, only one district substituted plant protein (such as beans) for meat, and only one offered calcium-fortified milk alternatives (such as soy milk). One-fourth of the school districts were not meeting U.S. Department of Agriculture nutritional guidelines, or didn't know whether they were meeting them or not. Besides lunches, many schools have vending machines or stores where children can buy snacks. Usually, these snacks are high in fat and cholesterol and low in nutritional value. A survey of 24 California middle schools with stores found that 89 percent of the stores' inventories consisted of high-fat high-sugar snacks. Help your kids eat healthily at school by talking to them about healthy food choices, packing their lunches full of fruits and vegetables, and serving healthy meals at home. Also: Make sure your kids eat a good breakfast. A survey by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that since 1965, the number of kids who eat breakfast has been declining, and that about 15 percent of school-age children don't eat any breakfast at all.