walk to school | 511 Contra Costa

Walking School Bus

It’s back-to-school time! If you live within walking distance of your child’s school, you might consider forming a walking school bus.
A walking school bus can be as simple as two families taking turns walking their children to school. You can definitely go bigger, by including more parents and children, but it’s easiest to start with a small group of interested families.
For details on how to start your own walking school bus, read Street Smarts Diablo’s ‘how to’ guide.

Image courtesy Active & Safe Routes to School

Drive with Care: October is Walk to School Month (2016)

WBTS_LogoInternational Walk to School Day is October 5. This means that in October, cities across the US (and throughout the world) will hold Walk to School events to encourage students and their families to get to school on foot and experience the benefits and joys of walking in their community.
streetsmartsdiabloSchools in Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Concord, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill and Walnut Creek will be teaming up with Street Smarts Diablo for Walk to School events. Events in Antioch, Concord, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill and Walnut Creek will happen on October 5, while Brentwood and Oakley schools will celebrate on October 19.
With more students walking to and from school with this national event, motorists are reminded to drive with extra care, stay alert for children crossing the road, and be especially aware of school zone speed limits.
For a list of participating schools and event dates, visit the Street Smarts Diablo website.

October is 'Walk to School' Month (2015)

WBTS_LogoInternational Walk to School Day is October 7. This means that in October, cities across the US (and throughout the world) will hold Walk to School events to encourage students and their families to get to school on foot and experience the benefits and joys of walking in their community.
streetsmartsdiabloSome schools in Brentwood, Oakley, Concord, Pittsburg, and Walnut Creek will be teaming up with Street Smarts Diablo for Walk to School events. The events in Concord, Pittsburg and Walnut Creek will happen on October 7, while Brentwood and Oakley schools will celebrate on October 21.
With more students walking to and from school in October, motorists are reminded to drive with extra care, stay alert for children crossing the road, and be especially aware of school zone speed limits.
In honor of Bike to School Month, we thought we’d give you a look at what walking to school looked like 50 years ago with this walking safety video from 1964. Enjoy!

Contra Costa Schools Celebrating 'Walk to School Day': October 7 & 21, 2015

WBTS_LogoWalk to School Day began in the US in 1997 as a one-day event aimed at building awareness for the need for walkable communities. Now the event is part of a year-round movement for Safe Routes to School, with an annual celebration each October.
streetsmartsdiabloThis year, 11 Contra Costa County schools in 5 cities are teaming up with Street Smarts Diablo to celebrate Walk to School Day! School events in Concord, Pittsburg and Walnut Creek will happen on October 7, while Brentwood and Oakley schools will celebrate on October 21.
Here are some great reasons to encourage students to walk to school:

Whether it’s Bike to School Day or any other day, please remind children to walk safely:

  • Use crosswalks
  • Stop, look & listen before crossing, and
  • Walk with a buddy!

 

walktoschoolimageOctober 7

Pittsburg: Highlands Elementary
Walnut Creek: Indian Valley Elementary
Concord: Cambridge ElementaryMeadow Homes ElementaryOak Grove Middle SchoolWestwood Elementary

October 21

Brentwood: Marsh Creek ElementaryPioneer Elementary
Oakley: Almond Grove ElementaryGehringer ElementaryLaurel Elementary
For more information, visit the Walk to School Day website.

Kids Who Walk or Bike to School Have Greater Concentration

Safe Walking with Bikes to School
A family participating in National Bike to School Day. Photo credit: San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
As if there weren’t enough economic, social, environmental, safety, or physical health benefits of walking and cycling, one new study is showing yet another reason to embrace active transportation, especially among children– better concentration ability.
The Atlantic Cities summarized the findings of this new study, which comes to us from Denmark – perhaps no surprise since the country is home to Copenhagen, one of the great cycling cities in the world:

The survey looked at nearly 20,000 Danish kids between the ages of 5 and 19. It found that kids who cycled or walked to school, rather than traveling by car or public transportation, performed measurably better on tasks demanding concentration, such as solving puzzles, and that the effects lasted for up to four hours after they got to school.

Niels Egelund, co-author of the study, notes that among the findings was that “the exercise one uses to transport oneself to school is reflected in the level of concentration one has circa four hours later,” which is much longer than most people would expect. In fact, the physical exercise children had walking or cycling to school was shown to have a greater impact than eating breakfast or lunch– imagine that!
To read more about the findings of this study, head over to The Atlantic Cities

2012 International Walk to School Day

Int’l Walk to School Day- October 2013

Please join us on October 9, 2013 for Int’l Walk to School Day!
Brentwood, Byron, and Oakley Union School Districts Participate after Fall Break on October 16, 2013!

Int’l Walk to School Day aims to promote permanent change by giving students and their families the opportunity to experience the benefits and joys of walking in the community.  This fun event promotes student health and fitness, pedestrian safety, and concern for the environment while decreasing traffic congestion around campus. An annual event, Int’l Walk to School Day builds connections between families, schools and the community at large. Elementary schools throughout Central and East Contra Costa County are currently registering to participate.  Please join us!

Participating Schools: Int’l Walk to School Day 2013

Cambridge Elementary, Concord
Gehringer Elementary, Oakley
Hidden Valley Elementary, Martinez
Laurel Elementary, Oakley
Murwood Elementary, Walnut Creek
R. Paul Krey Elementary, Brentwood

Sequoia Elementary, Pleasant Hill
Timber Point Elementary, Discovery Bay

Contact Kirsten Riker at Street Smarts Diablo to get involved!   Walk on!
kriker@511contracosta.org     or    925-969-0841 x209

Talk for Families on How to Travel Greener @ Pleasant Hill Library

511 Contra Costa will be leading a talk for families at the Pleasant Hill Library on Wednesday October 14 at 7pm. Stop by to learn how you and your family can make the journey to and from school greener. You’ll receive a kid-friendly book and activity wheel that’ll show you how a green commute can be both fun and easy.
In the mean time, don’t forget about Walk to School Day!