Students and parents at John Rogers Elementary school got a little extra something before being sent off into summer break. The Safe Routes to School program and Seattle Police Department came together last week to reward students and parents for safe walking, biking and driving behavior.
Before the first morning bell, students and parents who showed excellent drop-off behavior – like looking both ways before crossing or driving slowly in the school zone – were rewarded with Safe Routes to School lights and reflectors, or $5 coffee shop gift cards. These little rewards are perfect for keeping students safe while walking or biking during the long summer days or beating the heat with an iced coffee.
This day of positive reinforcement is part of a series of events Safe Routes to School has held at several Seattle-area schools throughout the school year. With these events, the Safe Routes to School Program encourages everyone to contribute to safer school zones by starting or continuing behavior that contributes to an incident-free conflict-free right-of-way. Families can locate or improve their existing walking and biking route this summer using the biking and walking maps or applying for the Mini Grant Program.
As the school year comes to an end and students start enjoying the outdoors, now is prime time to think about how students can stay safe while moving around the neighborhood.