ENCOURAGEMENT Goal: Explore strategies to promote walking and bicycling through the identification of safe routes, organizing events, rewarding participation and educating adults. 1.
Edit the Waubun-Ogema-White Earth Public School District Transportation and Wellness Policies to include language that is not only supportive but actively promotes walking and biking to and from school as long as students’ routes are deemed safe and within a reasonable distance to the school as defined in the MnDOT Walk/Bike Zone concept. A review of the Waubun-Ogema-White Earth Public School District Transportation, Wellness, and Health and Safety Policies (Appendices F, G, H) found no reference to walking or biking to and from school. One or more of these policies should have specific language that supports and actively promotes walking and biking to and from school for students, as long as it has been found to be safe and those students live within an appropriate distance. A sample Wellness policy amendment specific to Minnesota and SRTS was produced by the Public Health Law Center at the William Mitchell College of Law and can be found in Appendix D. An additional policy resource specific to Minnesota is the Minnesota SRTS Model Policies Tip Sheet which can be found in Appendix E. Finally, the SRTS National Partnership in cooperation with ChangeLab Solutions (a multi-disciplinary, multi-government agency policy partnership) has developed an on-line SRTS District Policy Workbook. This resource is a comprehensive SRTS policy guide covering everything from general policies supporting SRTS to more advanced policies like “No Idling Policies” and “School Siting Policies.” This resource is best accessed on-line and can be found at: http://www.changelabsolutions.org/safe-routes/welcome.
2.
Develop informational messages to be included in the monthly school newsletter or email blast, encouraging students to walk or bike to school and highlighting associated health benefits. Monthly informational messages can raise awareness about the positive health and academic benefits associated with increased physical activity, such as walking and bicycling. To get information to parents, a short message could be included in the monthly school newsletter.
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