Walk to School Day from across the finish line
More than 1,500 students across Nebraska participated in the 14th annual International Walk to School Day on October 5, making it our most successful event yet!
Bryan Elementary in Lexington had 222 of its 298 students participate in Walk to School Day activities. Students, along with parents, siblings, and Bryan staff, walked from one of three remote drop-off locations. Even bussed students joined in the fun by walking around the block after arriving at school. Classes competed against one another for the highest number of participating students. The winning class had 100 percent participation and won new play equipment for recess.
Dundee Elementary in Omaha used Walk to School Day to highlight an ongoing program. Every Wednesday morning staff members meet students at one of four “walking school bus” pick-up locations and lead them on a walk to school. As part of the event on October 5, the PTA provided healthy snacks for kids before classes began.
Many schools organized similar staff-led walks for students. Other fun events were incorporated into the day as well, including walk-a-thons, contests, safety demonstrations, special breakfasts, and bike rodeos. Students most often walked in large groups with parents or school staff members.
Amid all the fun activities, organizers didn’t forget that Walk to School Day is about teaching a healthy lifestyle. The school nurse at Abraham Lincoln Elementary in Hastings answered questions from students and parents about the benefits children gain by walking or biking and talked about the school’s efforts to help kids learn to make healthy choices.
Join in the fun
Spring Walk to School Day will be here soon, so start planning now! Begin by promoting your Safe Routes program with free materials to kick things off on the right foot. Get parents to support your event by helping them realize why it’s important to hold—and participate in—Walk to School Day. These simple steps can help you lay the foundation for a creative, successful, and safe event.
Safe Routes partners with Fire Up Your Feet for fall campaign
The Safe Routes fall campaign has officially begun! This year we’re giving communities the chance to earn up to $1,000 for their schools’ health and wellness programs through a partnership with Fire Up Your Feet. This online community allows families to track time spent biking, walking, skating, or doing other physical activities and offers educational resources and activities to encourage healthy lifestyles. As part of the 2011 fall campaign, Safe Routes and Fire Up Your Feet are helping communities inspire kids to get active and reward them for their hard work. Click here for more information about this exciting opportunity.
Fair weather fashion
As trees go bare and the temperature begins to drop, kids need to adjust their wardrobe choices in order to make their walk or bike ride to school safe and comfortable. Parents can help children make good decisions about what to wear and learn how to prepare for colder weather.
Add an extra layer
Teach your kids how to put together outfits with multiple layers, so they can remove one or two after they get to school. Make sure clothing is comfortable and easy to put on and remove. Also be sure your child has a good place to store discarded layers during the school day so they can be put back on when it’s time to go home.
Protect exposed skin
When winter wind and colder temperatures arrive, make sure kids are fully equipped with a winter hat, gloves, and a scarf to keep extremities warm. Check socks and shoes for holes, and consider coating shoes with a water-repellent fabric treatment or investing in waterproof shoes to keep feet dry.
Get some traction
Icy or snow-covered sidewalks can cause children to slip and slide, especially if their shoes have poor traction. If the soles of your children’s shoes are worn smooth or simply do not grip sidewalks well enough, replace them or have kids wear winter boots during travel and change shoes when they arrive at school.
Pack a backup
Consider packing an extra pair of socks or even a full change of clothes in your child’s backpack, in case he or she gets wet on the way to school. Warm, dry clothing will help your student focus and perform better in the classroom.
The ultimate accessory: water bottles
With all those extra layers on, kids may lose more water through perspiration during their journey. To avoid dehydration, make sure children are drinking plenty of water before and after they travel to and from school.
The right tools for the trip to school
The right safety measures can help make walking or biking to school a great experience for kids. There are several “tools” that will help ensure your child is fully equipped to get to and from school safely, and they won’t cost a thing!
A walking buddy. Talk to a neighbor or friend and arrange for your kids to walk or bike to school together. It’s a good idea for children to walk in groups, and it’s more fun!
A safe house. Find a neighbor, local business, or other location along the route to school and ask whether your child would be able to wait there for a ride in an emergency. Make sure kids know where to go if something happens and they need an adult.
Important numbers. Write down your home phone number and address, your work and cell phone numbers, and a number for another trusted adult and put them in your child’s backpack. Also, be sure children know where they can stop to use a telephone if they need to contact you.
Visibility assistance. It is possible that the skies could still be dark when kids leave to walk or ride to school. Be sure your kids can see and be seen easily—give them a flashlight, have them wear reflective clothing or bright colors, and make sure they realize that drivers may not always be able to see them.
Ask Angela
Q: Can Safe Routes funding be used to build a parking lot to get cars off the street, so kids can cross safely?
A: Unfortunately, no. A parking lot would indirectly promote driving to school, and the Safe Routes to School Program is designed to promote walking or biking not only for children but also for staff and parents. Instead of focusing on accommodating drivers, try thinking of ways to accommodate walkers, such as setting up a walking school bus from a drop-off point away from the school. Encouraging students, staff, and parents to choose a healthier mode of transportation could help decrease traffic around the school and improve safety.
Q: What resources are available for a bike clinic? Is there funding available for prizes and snacks for the children?
A: Our website is a great resource for fun and educational materials you can use for your bike clinic. Go to the Safe Routes in the Classroom section or the Fun and Games section for a variety of activities.
You may want to consider applying for “Non-Infrastructure” funding from Safe Routes. This application process begins in July, and you can find more information on our website. You may also want to enlist local businesses to support your program by donating the funding or the items themselves.
Q: We are considering implementing a crossing guard program. Where do we begin?
A: A safe and successful crossing guard program is the result of a community effort. State and local requirements vary across the country, so it is important to work with your local law enforcement agency, traffic engineering or planning department, and the school system to understand and meet the requirements established for your area. Getting input early on will help the school, parents, and students establish safe procedures. Safe Routes has more resources available online.
If you have a question that you’d like to ask Angela, email her at info@saferoutesne.com.
