Sheboygan County’s first formalized safe routes to school program
by Aaron Brault Project Specialist Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program
A partnership between Grant/ ESAA Elementary School, the Sheboygan Senior Activity Center (SACs), the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC), St. Nicholas Hospital, and Sheboygan County’s Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program (NMTPP) aims to start the county’s first formalized Safe Routes to Schools program.
Safe Routes to School programs enable community leaders, schools and parents across the United States to improve safety and encourage more children to safely walk and bicycle to school. In the process, programs are working to reduce traffic congestion; improve health and the environment; and make communities more livable for everyone. (See www.saferoutesinfo.org.)
The first goal of the local partnership is to start a Walking School Bus program for the fall semester of 2010. A walking school bus takes away parents’ fear of allowing their children to walk to school unsupervised. A number of designated routes will be established around the surrounding neighborhood where groups of children, led by two or more screened and trained adult “drivers,” walk to school. Children will be able to “hop on the bus” at any point along the designated route.
The partnership will be hosting meetings to gather information and data throughout the upcoming months. Members of the community are encouraged to attend.
The partnership is also looking for active seniors in the community and neighborhood parents
of Grant/ESAA students who might be willing to volunteer to lead a Walking School Bus.
If you are a willing senior, please contact Wendy Schmitz of SACS at wschmitz@ci.sheboygan.wi.us; or Kathleen Manny of the ADRC at mannykrm@co.sheboygan.wi.us.
If you are a parent, please contact: Principal Steinbruecker at Grant/ ESAA Elementary at msteinbruecker@sheboygan.k12.wi.us; or Aaron Brault in the NMTPP at braulacb@co.sheboygan.wi.us.
In 1960, roughly 60 percent of children walked or biked to school. Today, roughly 13 percent of children walk or bike to school. This lack of physical activity is part of the reason we see skyrocketing obesity and diabetes rates amongst our children. Let’s collectively change these alarming trends.
