Students will get chance to ride the walking school bus

Healthy Schools Coordinator Kelsey Chrisman, left, discusses ideas for the walking school bus during a Thursday meeting at Thorpe J. Gordon Elementary School.
Healthy Schools Coordinator Kelsey Chrisman, left, discusses ideas for the walking school bus during a Thursday meeting at Thorpe J. Gordon Elementary School.

It won't be long before students at Thorpe J. Gordon Elementary School will be able to ride the walking school bus.

The bus is a program developed through Healthy Schools/Healthy Communities that will allow some groups of students accompanied by adults to walk to school for about 10 days this spring.

The program will expand next fall, organizers promise.

Developed as a fun, safe way for children to exercise, the program's "bus" walks along a set route with one or more adults leading it. The walking school bus picks up children along the route at designated stops, and the adults lead the children to school.

Although the primary goal is to make children more active, it also improves their traffic safety habits, increases family engagement and resolves tardiness issues, Thorpe Gordon Principal Chris Schmitz said.

"It's safe. It's timely. It's fun," Schmitz said. "It really cuts back on tardiness. When kids walk, they'll get to school on time. It's something for them to look forward to."

During an early planning meeting Thursday for the kick-off of the school bus, organizers discussed possible routes. Although they haven't been formalized, three potential routes have been identified, Sarah Wilkinson said.

Organizers also discussed rewards for children who participate and getting the word out to volunteers.

Kelsey Chrisman, Healthy Schools coordinator for Jefferson City, said one of the biggest challenges to operating a walking school bus is finding enough adult volunteers to manage and operate the program.

Thorpe Gordon might already have found a partner to help overcome that hurdle, Wilkinson said.

The First United Methodist Church has people looking for volunteer opportunities early in the morning, ideal for the walking school bus, she said. When the bus is operating, the volunteers will be dropped off at potential stops at about 7:30 a.m. They'll then begin walking to school, picking up children as they go.

This spring, the bus is expected to operate on 10 school days. Those will be April 9-13, then each Monday until the end of the school year. Exact times and routes are yet to be determined.

People who wish to get involved in the effort should email Chrisman at [email protected].