Safe Routes to School Plan

WALK/BIKE TO SCHOOL DAYS

PARK & WALK

National Walk to School Day and Bike to School Day attract millions of students and families to try walking, biking, and rolling to school every October and May. In addition, Minnesota celebrates Winter Walk to School Day in February. Additional education, encourage ment, and enforcement programming can be used to promote the event, increase awareness, and expand participation. Walk/bike to school days can also take place more frequently (e.g., Walking Wednesdays) if there’s interest and capacity.

During a drop and walk event (also called park and walk or remote drop-off) bus drivers and caregivers drop students at a designated off-campus location and students walk the rest of the way to school. Remote drop-off events can help reduce drop-off congestion on campus and provide students who live further from school with an opportunity to walk to school.

Which schools : Eagle Creek, Sun Path, and Sweeney Elementary; Shakopee West Middle

Timeline: Short term (one to two years)

Which schools : District-wide

Program lead/partners: School district, school admin istration and staff, caregiver volunteers

Timeline: Immediate (within one year)

Program lead/partners: School district, school admin istration and staff, caregiver volunteers, students

Implementation considerations:

• There may be opportunities to integrate Park & Walk into school curricula • Communicating benefits to students, caregivers, and staff is key to building buy-in • Important to identify drop-off locations that don’t require students to cross major roadways

Implementation considerations:

• Caregivers can participate and support, especially with more people working form home

• School prizes can be used to incentivize participation

• SHIP funding is available to support staff time and supplies expenses • High school teams could help to develop messaging and promote event days

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SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PLAN SHAKOPEE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, SHAKOPEE, MN