Walk to School Week 2019

Walk to School Week for San Juan Unified will be September 30 through October 4, 2019. The official Walk to School Day is on Wednesday, October 2, but many schools find other days to work best for them, so we are celebrating all week. Many schools combine walking and bicycling, calling the event Walk+Roll, Walk+Bike, or similar names that celebrate all modes of active transportation. Ask your principal what your school is doing for the week. More information about the event, and school registration, is available at http://www.walkbiketoschool.org/.

The Safe Routes to School program in San Juan can provide limited support to schools with ideas, organizing support, and documents. Contact Dan Allison, Safe Routes to School Coordinator, dan.allison@sanjuan.edu.

Mariemont Walk to School Day

At Mariemont for Walk to School Day (October 10), students who walked received a reflective zipper pull, in addition to the regular Walking Wednesday juice and snack greeting sponsored by the PTA. Students who bicycled received a front white and rear red bike light, appropriate for the shorter winter days.

Walk to School Day 2018

Walk to School Day is Wednesday, October 10, 2018, though some schools celebrate on a different day that better fits their school schedule.

We encourage students to walk (or bike or roll) to school that day. Even if you don’t regularly do so. For younger students who do not regularly walk to school, it can be a great opportunity for students to walk with a parent or older family member, talking about crossing the street safely, selecting the best route, and enjoying the time together. If it isn’t possible to walk all the way from home, then stop a few blocks short of the school and walk the rest of the way. Physical activity in the morning before school leads to better academic performance during the school day (your brain is already awake), and creates happier and more resilient people.

Three schools are known to be planning celebrations that day: Kingswood, Mariemont, and Will Rogers. Each will have some incentives for students who get to school under their own power. Any school can host activities that day, picking something simple that works for students, staff, and parents. For ideas, and to register additional schools, see the Walk and Bike to School Day website.

Take a photo of you, your friends, and your family walking, bicycling, or rolling, and post it to social media with the hashtag #SanJuanWalks and your school name, and then follow the tag to see who else is walking.

Walk to School Day at Will Rogers

This morning I (Dan Allison, Safe Route to School Coordinator), had the pleasure of joining the Will Rogers Middle School celebration of Walk to School Day. Naomi Harper along with other Will Rogers staff organized a walk from the nearby corner of Will Rogers Dr and Dewey Dr, which see a large number of students walking, bicycling, and scootering every day. Present were the Honorary Mayor of Fair Oaks, Rachel Griffith, three guests from Sacramento County Office of Education, other district and school staff, and of course the students.

At school there was a recognition of the day, a short speech by the Honorary Mayor, and a flag raising and national anthem by the school’s JROTC color guard.

While students headed to class, Naomi took the guests on a tour of the school’s specialty programs and developments, including the garden and solar area, culinary classroom, and bike shop.

Will Rogers is not part of the district’s Safe Routes to School grant, but is a wonderful example of how much can be accomplished to support walking and bicycling by passionate staff, supportive administration, community volunteers, and funding partners.

The district’s Facebook page has a post and photos, while the school posted yesterday and will probably post again soon.