Active Living KC's Safe Routes to School Program in the Hickman Mills School District

For the March 2012 Missouri Safe Routes to School Network meeting, Ashley Winchell of Active Living KC program gave a presentation about the Safer Routes portion of the Active Living KC program.

Active Living KC has been working with the the Hickman Mills School District for the past two years.

• Powerpoint presentation (PDF)

• Dobbs Elementary Active Living KC summary (PDF)

Some highlights and helpful points for the presentation and discussion by Missouri SRTS Network members:

• Student Travel Tallies - they have created a modified version of the travel tally and parent survey form originally from Marin County.  This form has a far higher response rate than the standard SRTS travel tally forms.  They print it on colored paper when sending it home to parents.  It's in the "Dobbs Elementary" handout, linked above. They went from 50 responses last yr to over 100 per school with the new/better forms.
   
• Walking School Bus - getting parents to volunteer as leaders didn't work in their neighborhoods. Teacher/staff leaders has been far more successful. 
   
• Walk to School Day
  • Teachers involved, send lots of flyers out
  • 3 flyers, 3 wks 'save the date', 2 wks half sheet & map, 1 wk full sheet with map, all needed info
  • Principals do calls to remind about WTSD the day before.
  • The parents are less interested/enthusiastic about biking (based on their parent surveys) so for bike to school day they will be sure to include/emphasize walking as well
  • WTSD events in fall & spring
  • Trailnet has used the names "Family Walk to School Day" and "Community Walk to School Day" - which has greatly increased participation in WTSD events. One school uses "Family and Dog Walk to School Day."
     
• Safer Routes Workshops - with PTA meetings mostly, they get people informed about the program and most important, gets community feedback that affects their Safe Routes  Action Plan
   
• Safer Routes Action Plan - specific list of action items that can be done for that school to improve biking/walking to school. It is a city program--so what can the city do?  Example Action Plan is in the Dobbs Elementary handout.