Jefferson Elementary School will take part in National Walk to School Day on Tuesday, October 2, 2018. The entire Jefferson student body will be walking to school together from Orchard Park in Maplewood with parents, teachers, staff, and special guests from the District Administration and the Township of Maplewood to celebrate healthy habits, community, and safety.
Around the country communities are working to improve health and increase the appeal of walking and bicycling to school. And there are signs of success that help shed light on what could help bring positive changes to even more places. While there is much work to be done, we are on the right road.
- One-time events like Walk to School Day can increase the number of students who walk or bicycle to school even weeks after the day of the event.
- Walk to School Day events often turn into regularly occurring walking and bicycling programs, which over time can get significantly more students walking and bicycling to school.
- Parent survey data collected by 6,500 schools from 2007 through 2014 show that parent-perceived school support for walking and bicycling for the school trip increased from 24.8 percent to 40.8 percent from 2007 to 2014.
International Walk to School Day is a global event that involves communities from more than 40 countries walking and biking to school on the same day. It began in 1997 as a one-day event. Over time, this event has become part of a movement for year-round safe routes to school and a celebration – with record breaking participation – each October. This October, thousands of schools across America – from all 50 states – participate every year.
We’re happy and excited for Jefferson School to take part again this year in Walk to School Day!