Walking School Bus

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone led two walking school buses last week to the Capuano School and Kennedy School and invites parents to join in this enjoyable way to get kids active in the morning and ready for school – and for parents to spend more quality time with their children.

Walking school buses are part of Somerville’s Safe Routes to School, the City’s effort as part of a national initiative to get kids walking and riding to school. The program began in October 2012 at the Kennedy School, which has three safe routes to school on Monday and three different routes on Friday. Walking school buses are also held periodically at other schools. 

Families who live farther away from school can also take part in healthy exercise each morning by parking at least two blocks away from school and walking the rest of the way.

Safe Routes to School is part of a larger Shape Up Somerville push to get children more physically active during the school day. Research shows that children who are more physically active on school days have fewer behavioral problems and improved academic performance.

“This is a great way to start the day for both children and their parents, who not only enjoy healthy activity first thing in the morning, but get to spend some additional social time with other parents and children,” Mayor Curtatone said. “We have to get our children active every day and make it habitual, part of their daily normal routine. ‘Eat Smart, Play Hard, Move More’ is our mantra, and we’ve found that overwhelmingly even our youngest students are embracing that lifestyle and also helping their parents to understand the benefits of being active every day.”

Shape Up Somerville is working with other schools to develop more comprehensive daily active programs in the classroom and throughout the school day. At the Arthur D. Healey School classroom, students participate in Cool Moves, a program where teachers and/or students lead different movements in a classroom setting for three to five minutes each day. At Winter Hill Community School, students in one classroom participate in yoga sessions.

“We’re excited about programs in the works to get kids moving every day both inside and outside of the classroom,” Shape Up Somerville Director David Hudson said. “Making the healthy choice the easy choice means putting those healthy, active options at every child’s fingertips so they become the rule rather than the exception. That goes beyond fresh food options in cafeteria; it has to include physical activity that integrates into the school day.”

The new Somerville Safe Routes to School Facebook page shares updates on routes, special route activities, Shape Up tips and volunteer opportunities and provides a forum for community input. Visit it at www.facebook.com/SomervilleSRTS. For more details about walking school buses and other programs to get students active during the day, please also contact Shape Up Somerville Director David Hudson at dhudson@somervillema.gov.