Walking School Bus

Walking to school just got easier for students and families in Deschutes, Crook, Jefferson and northern Klamath counties through a new Walking School Bus program headed up by Commute Options. A Walking School Bus is an organized group of children who walk to school together with one or more adults. Much like a school bus, as the students walk towards the school, they pick up more classmates along the way. Read more in the Cascade Business News article from May 2017. A big thank you to the Central Oregon Health Council ‘s Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes Prevention Workgroup for funding this new Commute Options program!

Lets Walk and Roll….

- A Walking School Bus is a group of students walking or rolling to school with a trained, adult Leader and volunteers!
- The group will meet at a designated location and follow the suggested route
- Meeting location and schedules for before and after school are set and communicated
- Park and Walk. Live too far from school? You can drop off your student at your school’s meeting location.
- Is there a Walking School Bus at your school? Contact kersey@commuteoptions.org or ask at your school office to find out.

Walking School Buses provide many benefits for students and families!

- Minutes of physical activity increased!
- Community involvement
- Learn how to be safe pedestrians
- Students arrive on time and engaged
- Less congestion at arrival and departure times
- Cleaner air around school
- Support for families – children who need to walk can now walk with a group
- Saving money on gas and time
- Fun for students, families and the community!

Students

Students need to register before joining the Walking School Bus in your school neighborhood.

- - Registered students can join at the designated meeting location or along the route
  - Students can participate as a pedestrian or bring their bicycle, scooter, skateboard, etc. along with their helmet

Take me to the student sign up form.

Contact Kersey Marion if you need a paper form to fill out.

Steps to become a safe pedestrian

Stop at the edge of the curb
Look left, right, and left again
Wait for all vehicles to stop completely
Cross when it’s clear

Leaders

Commute Options trains and employs adults to guide students to and from school!

Leaders commit to a minimum of 1 school, 2 days per week.

Leaders meet students at the designated meeting location and walk with the students along the suggested route.

Adults must pass their school district’s background check and are then provided a thorough training from Commute Options.

Contact your school district to complete your background check and email the confirmation to Kersey Marion before proceeding.

Take me to the leader sign up form.

Schools

Elementary and Middle Schools can have their own Walking School Buses.

Commute Options will help initiate this free program for your students.

Get your student clubs, parents and staff involved with event days, marketing within the school and the community and getting your Walking School Bus moving!

Contact Kersey Marion to find out how to get your school involved.

Organizations

Community Organizations can be a great partnership to bring Walking School Buses to neighborhoods! Your organization can recruit the children already using your facility to provide this free opportunity to them and their families.

A few examples of partners are:

Boys and Girls Clubs

Parks and Recreation Districts

Apartment Complexes

Contact Kersey Marion to find out how to get your organization involved.

Volunteers

Support the Walking School Bus as a Volunteer! Assist the Leader when you are available. Volunteering is a great way to spend time with your children and the community. Walk with the group to and/or from school to provide additional support.

All volunteers must register before participating in the Walking School Bus.