Students, parents, and staff within the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District are preparing for the 2013 “Bike It! Walk It!” week that runs May 7 through May 10.
The initiative encourages school students and staff to leave the car at home and utilize active modes of transportation.
Approximately 30 percent of District students at 14 different schools participated in the event last fall, saving approximately 12,000 car trips.
This year, local officials are invited to show their support for the Safe Routes to School program by joining Walking School Buses to Roosevelt Elementary School and Will Rogers Learning Center, and Bike Trains of students and parents to Lincoln and John Adams middle schools.
The dates and times for all of the “Bike It! Walk It!” events are listed below.
Roosevelt Elementary: May 7 (SRTS Pilot Project School)
Lincoln Middle School: May 8 (SRTS Pilot Project School)
John Muir Elementary: May 8
Santa Monica Alternative School House (SMASH): May 8
Edison Language Academy: May 10
Grant Elementary: May 10
Franklin Elementary: May 10
McKinley Elementary May 10
John Adams Middle School: May 10 (SRTS Pilot Project School)
Juan Cabrillo Elementary: May 10
Will Rogers Learning Community: May 10 (SRTS Pilot Project School)
Malibu High School: May 10
Events at the four pilot schools mark the culmination of the Car-Free Contest, a friendly competition geared to making walking and biking to school a healthy habit.
Students tracked trips made to school by bike, walking, and transit, and these “Car-free” miles counted towards monthly incentives.
Recognition ceremonies will commence following student arrivals on the morning of each pilot school’s Bike It Walk It Day.
These events are part of a Safe Routes to School pilot project managed by the City of Santa Monica in partnership with the Santa Monica‐Malibu Unified School District, and Parent‐Teacher‐Student Associations.
Funding for the project has been provided by Metro, Caltrans, and the City of Santa Monica.
The goal of the project is to help school-aged children become comfortable bicycling and walking to school.
Throughout the 2012‐2013 school year, a range of educational workshops, classes, fun events and contests are teaching children and parents greater confidence in safe walking and bicycling, and raising awareness of the many benefits of arriving at school by foot or by bike.
Events so far have included Santa Monica’s first Family Bike Fest, walking school buses, bike skills classes, Kidical Mass, walk/bike audits, and much more.
For more information, visit www.bikeitwalkit.org.
