Massachusetts Walk to School Day

Photo: International Walk to School Day.

Wednesday, Oct. 3 marks the 22nd International Walk to School Day, which has become an annual event of pedestrian fun for students, parents and staff of Wellington Elementary.

For nearly a decade, the Wellington has celebrated the day with “celebrity walkers” – teachers, staff, town officials, and a few celebs – who lead groups parents and students from designated locations east and west of Common Street down to the Wellington.

Beginning in 1997, Walk to School Day is a global event that involves 4,800 schools in more than 40 countries who are all walking and biking to school on the same day with the goal of beginning a worldwide movement for year-round safe routes to schools for walkers and bike riders. The event is sponsored by The National Center for Safe Routes to School which is committed to empowering communities to make walking and bicycling to school a safe, appealing, preferred choice for families.

Want to join? Here are the locations; you can walk from as far away as Grove Street and Unity Avenue (that’s a hike!) to as short as School and Goden streets. Come join the fun.

WHO WHEN WHERE
Ms. Becca Pizzi World Challenge Marathon Women’s Champion Ms. Colleen McBride 2nd Grade Teacher	7:30 a.m.	Grove St. and Unity Ave. triangle
Fire Chief David Frizzell Belmont Fire Department Mrs. Susan Tudisco Retired SPED Professional Aide Mr. Craig McMahan Music Teacher	7:45 a.m.	Elm St. and Lewis Rd.
Mr. John Phelan Belmont Schools Superintendent Mr. Steven Tenhor 4th Grade Teacher Mrs. JoAnn Papalia Retired Main Office Clerical Aide	8:00 a.m.	Payson Rd. and Common St.
Ms. Aimee Doherty Physical Education Teacher Mrs. Melissa Hart Belmont Soccer Assoc. Board Member & Coach	8:00 a.m.	Oakley Rd. and Payson Rd. triangle
Ms. Mina Vahedi & Ms. Lindsay DeBello Kindergarten Teachers Mr. Ray Johnson PTO Co-President	8:05 a.m.	Horace Rd. and Brettwood Rd.
Mr. Stephen Lambert Wellington Interim Principal Ms. Annemarie Stewart Wellington Assistant Principal Ms. Sheila Walsh Wellington Guidance Counselor	8:15 a.m.	Hillcrest Rd. and Common St.
Ms. Joanna Kaselis-Tzouvelis Mrs. Ali Skelly Pre-K Teacher Mr. Jason Greenwood Speech Therapy	8:15 a.m.	Orchard St. and Amelia St. triangle
Mrs. Kristen (Mrs. B.) Bell 1st Grade Teacher Ms. Ellen Fink Kindergarten Teacher Ms. Christina Cammarata Art Teacher	8:15 a.m.	Hillcrest Rd. and Goden St.
Ms. Meghan Clow 3rd Grade Teacher Mrs. Meryl Junik PTO Co-President	8:15 a.m.	Clark St. and Thomas St.
Ms. Rachel Overbeck Children’s Librarian, Belmont Public Library Officer Kristine Pugliese Belmont Police Department	8:20 a.m.	School St. and Goden St.
The Moozy Cow Moozy’s Ice Cream and Yogurt Emporium “Joey” Launch Mascot Launch Watertown	8:20 a.m. Waving to greet everyone	Entrance to Wellington School

The Mary Lee Burbank School celebrated Massachusetts Walk to School Day on Wednesday, May 7, with a record 255 students who walked or biked to school, or walked a circuit around the school before the day began.

Walk to School Day and related programs are organized by the Burbank Walks PTA Committee in partnership with Massachusetts Safe Routes to School.

Built in the 1930s as a neighborhood school, Burbank still has a relatively small district. The majority of students live within half a mile of the school. While many families do walk to school regularly, Burbank’s PTA has made a huge push this year to actively encourage more walking and biking in order to reduce traffic congestion around the school which was leading to concerns for student safety.

“It’s terrific to see so many students and families walking” said Burbank’s Principal Tricia Clifford.

“Walking to school promotes wellness and strengthens our community,” she said.

Celebrity Walkers were out to greet students and walk with them to school, including Laurie Graham of the Belmont School Committee, Belmont Police Officer Michael Horan, and John MacDonald of the Belmont Fire Department. Ten Burbank staff members also took part as Celebrity Walkers and helpers.

When students arrived at school they signed their name in chalk on the Burbank Walks Hall of Fame.

Burbank also launched a new initiative on Walk to School Day: Walking School Buses. In partnership with Massachusetts Safe Routes to School, the Burbank PTA conducted a Walking Assessment and then planned four new Walking School Bus routes. In a Walking School Bus a group of children walk to school together accompanied by parent “bus drivers” and following a set route with stops to pick up ‘passengers’ along the way. On Walk to School Day more than 60 children participated in a Walking School Bus and had fun walking with their neighbors.

Burbank is encouraging students to continue to walk regularly through the spring term. Walking School Buses will operate every Wednesday, dubbed Walking Wednesdays, through the end of the school year. The pilot Walking School Bus program will be reviewed and expanded for the new school year in September.

On each Walking Wednesday this spring, Burbank’s classes will compete for a Burbank Walks Trophy. The grade Kindergarten to two grade class with the most students walking or biking to school will win the Golden Sneaker Trophy, while third and fourth grade classes compete for the Silver Sneaker award. The trophies are presented to the winning classes by Principal Clifford, to be displayed for a week in the classroom until the following Walking Wednesday contest.

The Butler elementary school also celebrated Massachusetts Walk/Bike to School Day on May 7.

The Belmontonian

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Wellington Walk: Celebrate International Walk To School Day This Wednesday

Burbank Students, Parents Take A Walk To School

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