Students hit the streets for Walk to School Day
POTTSTOWN >> Pottstown students hit the streets Oct. 10 for International Walk and Bike to School Day.
Because of the borough’s compact size, nearly all students live within a mile of their elementary school so Pottstown prides itself on being a “walking school district,” although the addition of bike lanes in town recently as part of a Safe Routes to School grant has also made biking to school safer as well.
At Rupert Elementary School, whose students have some of the longer walking distances, something called The Walking School Bus has been established.
Parents and community volunteers meet students at certain “stops” on a pre-arranged route and accompany them to school every morning.
“We already have established
routes that are available to parents on our website. Our Walking School Bus Routes are established by our Wellness Coordinator, Shelby Iezzi. She develops these and gives them to the volunteers,” Rupert Principal Matthew Moyer recently told a reporter for WKYW Newsradio.
“The school publicizes this with parents and students, through social media and other means. The volunteers for our Walking School Bus are all community members,” said Moyer.
“Walking isn’t always seen as a way to engage with others. But, it is a great way to spend time with children and build relationships,” Moyer said.
On Oct. 10, Rupert had 106 students walk to school, representing 28 percent of the total student body.