In 1969, 50% of children
walked or biked to school.
Today it's fewer than 15%.
October 9th:
International Walk to School Day in KC
It's about health
Today's kids are the first generation of Americans with a shorter life expectancy than their parents – due in large part to getting far less physical activity during their daily routine. Childhood diabetes, heart disease, and obesity are all consequences of sedentary lifestyles.
It's about safety
As much as 30% of morning traffic comes from parents driving their kids to school, and traffic crashes are the top cause of injury and death to US kids under 18.
Kids that walk or bike to school burn off excess energy and arrive ready to learn.
Contact Sarah Shipley at sarah.shipley@bikewalkkc.org to learn more and get involved!
International Walk to School Day
Resources and Services for Families from BikeWalkKC
Missouri Safe Routes to School Network
KDOT Safe Routes to School program.
Webinar: Starting a Safe Routes to School program in your school
Safe Routes to School is the national movement to get more kids walking and biking to school. BikeWalkKC offers services, programs, and technical support to help schools, cities, families, and kids.
Events
We coordinate area schools' participation in the annual International Walk to School Day and National Bike School Day, bringing together schools, parents, law enforcement, and neighbors.
Consulting
BikeWalkKC's nationally-certified Safe Routes to School trainers can help schools and communities:
- Accessing federal, state, and local funding for educational programs, sidewalk construction, law enforcement, and crosswalks.
- Creating school travel plans.
- Delivering age-appropriate activities and programs for kids at all grade levels.
- Walking School Buses and Bike Trains for kids to travel safely together.
- Advocacy training to development effective campaigns to improve local conditions.
We can be a resource. We can speak about Safe Routes to School to PTAs and PTOs, Principals, Administrators and we love to go to schools and work with children of all ages.
We can be a guide. Let us help you through all the paperwork. Finding funding and grants for programs can be tough. Let us help you with the paperwork – we can help you with funding ideas, sources and creative ways to develop your walking and biking plans.
We can help you with your transportation plan. Let us help you find the best walking and biking routes to and from your school, help plan your pick up and drop off procedures and make sure all kids are safe on their walk to or from school.
We can help you develop your three E strategies (Education, Enforcement and Encouragement) for your SRTS program — and create programs and review effective age appropriate strategies for elementary and middle school children
Who can do it
Sarah Shipley is certified by the National Center for Safe Routes to School to teach Safe Routes Training. She is a mother of two who loves to walk and bike her kids to school.
Benefits
Walking to School benefits kids, parents, schools and neighborhoods alike.
Walking to school is a great way to start your day and encourages activity before school to get children ready for the school day.
Walking to school also teaches children how to navigate streets and traffic.
Walking and biking to school is great for the environment around schools because it cuts down on the air pollution around schools from the car pool lines and it creates a sense of community around neighborhoods when children are walking and biking to school – it takes back neighborhoods for pedestrians.