-- Cathy Wittel, Redmond Neighborhood Blog Fan, 3/4 (Published with Cathy's permission. B.Y.)
 |
| Horace Mann Elementary |
"Eastside school launches a walking school bus"
By TERESA YUAN / KING 5 News
updated 3/4/2011
REDMOND, Wash. – A Redmond elementary school is attempting to buck a growing trend on how parents are getting their children to school these days.
According to a recently released National Household Travel survey, more parents are driving their kids to school even though they live less than two miles away.
That has caused some problems at Redmond’s Mann Elementary School.
READ MORE >>
School administrators said they were having a serious problem with too many parents were driving their kids to school.
Traffic and tardiness was becoming an issue and this school said enough is enough. Traffic wraps around the block at the start of school. A big reason why – there are so many cars on 104th Street because Mann Elementary School sits between a high school and a junior high.
This school year, the school started what they call a "walking school bus."
Parent volunteers walk a group of students to and from school everyday -- rain or shine. Each neighborhood is split into groups. The parent volunteers pick a meeting point and time, students meet there and they all walk to school together. This way parents do not have to drive their children to school. Read More >>
"The traffic gets so bad out here my 5 minute drive would actually be 20 minutes. We walk even if it's raining my kids prefer walking now. They actually get mad at me if I drive to pick them up after school," said Jodi Miller, a parent.
"It's really fun. It's like P.E. in the morning except you get to talk with friends and it's like outside, "said A.J. Joseph, a 5th grade student.
School administrators said they're already seeing results; Tardiness is down, the children are getting increased exercise and they’re seeing an increase in students being more focused and ready for school.
By Teresa Yuan
KING 5 News, 3/4
LETTER: I'm so glad to see this happening. My children grew up in Rochester NY. We lived about a half mile from Lake Ontario and a half mile from the Elementary School. It was a neighbourhood school system and they had to walk in all weathers. We often had snow and very cold weather. I just bundled them up in snowsuits and off they went. The District plowed the sidewalks so it was an easy trip. There's nothing like fresh air and exercise for stimulating the brain and staying healthy.
--Patricia Rodgers said on 3/6
I'm so glad to see this happening. My children grew up in Rochester NY. We lived about a half mile from Lake Ontario and a half mile from the Elementary School. It was a neighbourhood school system and they had to walk in all weathers. We often had snow and very cold weather. I just bundled them up in snowsuits and off they went. The District plowed the sidewalks so it was an easy trip. There's nothing like fresh air and exercise for stimulating the brain and staying healthy.
ReplyDeletethe Walking School Bus is very common where we're from in Southern Ontario. I was surprised when we moved here that no one had heard of it. I've been suggesting something like this to our school's PTA for over a year now, but nobody seems interested. Too bad! It's great for community, our kids' safety, and the environment! My kids enjoy walking to and from school and would love to meet up with friends on the way!
ReplyDeleteThis is a no-brainer to me. Parents walking their children to and from school provides everyone with exercise, time to talk (builds relationships), decompression time after school, less traffic, less pollution, savings in energy etc. The benefits are many.
ReplyDelete