Pictured: Karen Sue Wend,
Little Mountain teacher and
Walking School Bus volunteer

Safe Routes to Schools, Mount Vernon style

The Walking School Bus program is in full swing with Lincoln, Jefferson and Little Mountain elementary schools kicking off programs this spring. The schedule is Wednesdays for Jefferson, Thursdays for Little Mountain, and Wednesdays and Fridays for Lincoln.

Earlier this year, students were provided with a pedestrian education lesson and a walking field trip to promote safe walking habits. Tammy Oommen, Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) Coordinator for the district, provided the education program in partnership with school physical education teachers. "We educate the students about how to cross the street in a variety of situations and how to be safe when walking by themselves or in a group," said Oommen. "Then we follow with a practical session where the kids go out for a walk and practice what they have learned."

An important feature of the Walking School Bus program is the adult presence. Volunteers include teachers, parents, grandparents and interested community members who agree to walk a designated route on a set schedule and must pass the volunteer screening that is required by the district. Some volunteers walk every week and some walk occasionally when it fits their schedule. "We've surveyed parents repeatedly and they tell us there are two main concerns that stop them from letting their students walk to school," said Skagit Valley Hospital's Liz McNett Crowl. "First, they cite issues around stranger danger and second, they are concerned about all of the traffic in the school zone, which tends to be parents driving the kids to school." The Walking School Bus program is designed to address both issues.

The Mount Vernon Police Department has increased its presence in the school zones and stepped up efforts to enforce drivers' adherence to the traffic laws (e.g., yielding to pedestrians and driving at the posted speed limit of 20 miles per hour). Yard signs along school zone sidewalks and on city garbage trucks are also used to increase awareness of the pedestrian law and remind drivers to yield to walkers.

The SRTS project is a partnership of the Mount Vernon School District, Mount Vernon Public Works Department, Mount Vernon Police Department, Mount Vernon Healthy Communities Project, and Skagit Valley Hospital. With the help of a $192,000 Washington State Department of Transportation SRTS grant, there have been several school zone engineering improvements including flashing speed detection signals, new sidewalks and signage.

Karen Sue Wend, Little Mountain teacher and Walking School Bus volunteer enthused, "The students love the Walking School Bus. They talk and laugh all the way to school. And, as a Walking School Bus driver, I get the benefit of extra exercise each week!"

For more information about the Walking School Bus program, please contact coordinator Tammy Oommen at (360) 428-6104.