National Bike to School Day, May 9th - how to organize a great event in your community

A great new event is coming up during National Bike Month this year: National Bike to School Day, May 9th.

Student Bicycle Group

Sarah Shipley of the  Missouri Safe Routes to School Coalition gave a presentation on organizing and planning a Bike to School Day event in your community or at your school.  

To help you get off to a good start in creating your own Bike to School Day, Here are the notes from her presentation.

• This is a new program, a way of incorporating SRTS into National Bike Month
• his will complement to International Walk to School Day (WTSD), not replace it
• Be sure to registre your event online at: http://www.walkbiketoschool.org/
• Just roll planning for this into your WTSD planning--use the same committee, same contacts, and so on.
• Follow the same general procedures as for organizing a WTSD.
• Coordinate with your local bicycle club, bicycle advocacy group, or whoever is working with Bike Month in your community
• Considerations particular to the BIKE to School Day:
  •   some kids have no helmets  (advertise helmet policy, find free helmet donations)
  •   some have no bikes, or in disrepair (repair day or bike rodeo before the BTSD event)
  •   no bike racks or not enough space  (may need a special room or area that can be secured specially for this day)
  •   bike education prior to the event, in class, handouts, etc
• Poster competition, bike decoration competition, and other ways of promoting the event and making it fun
• Where should the students ride?
  •      Wherever parents feel comfortable.
  •      For younger kids, parents walk on sidewalk while children ride alongside
  •      Or on street with adult/bicycling monitors riding alongside
• Dates could be flexible--any time in May or late April, for whatever date works best for your school
• Possible coordination with bike rodeos held in the Spring
• Invite city council, other community leaders
• Several schools across Missouri are already planning Bike to School events for 2012.
• More information, resources, and details about planning your event:
     http://www.walkbiketoschool.org/