DENVER (KDVR) — Summer vacation may be over, but the excitement for school is just beginning. 

“I’m excited about seeing my new friends,” Theo, an incoming first grader, told FOX31. 

Students in the Denver Public Schools District will head back to class on Monday for the start of the new school year.  

Sean Towle with the Denver Police Department said around this time every year, they start to see more bicycle and pedestrian traffic, especially in school zones.  

“Safety is always the number one concern, especially when kids are going back to school,” Towle said. 

Towle said they want to remind commuters to drive safely. 

“Make sure you slow down through school zones, you stop for school buses, don’t change lanes in school zones, don’t make U-turns in school zones,” Towle said. 

With school safety a top priority again, DPD plans on increasing its presence. 

“Denver Police Department will have increased officer visibility just to make sure that people are following the laws and they will conduct enforcement as necessary to make sure that people obey traffic laws and everyone is safe,” Towle said. 

He said it’s also important for parents to talk to their kids.  

“Parents want to know their kids are safe,” Towle said. “We want people to get to and from where they’re going safely, whether that’s in their vehicle or kids going to and from school.”  

This year, Denver Police will also provide school resource officers for 13 high school campuses.  

SROs were reinstated after safety concerns following the shootings at and near East High School earlier this year. Each school will have one officer, except for East High School which will have two.