Grasslands walking school bus

Grasslands Public Schools (GPS) knows that walking is a great way to get kids active on their way to and from school. But many families living within walking zones were sending their kids to school on the bus or driving them.

Brooks is a diverse community with many new Canadians, learning about the Alberta education system for the first time. Some of these families were worried about safety, making it the main reason their kids weren’t walking to school. This got the wheels turning for the assistant superintendent on how to encourage safe and active travel to school. She reached out to her AHS health promotion facilitator for help to start the Grasslands Walking School Bus program.

The program started at one school and now includes all three schools in Brooks with elementary students. There are approximately 170 students participating in the walking school bus program. All students in kindergarten to grade 6 that live within the walking zone can join. Families just need to register them for the program.

The bus

Just like a motorized school bus, the walking bus makes regular stops along a designated route to pick up and drop off students. GPS hired staff called “Grassland Walkers” to lead the routes and make sure the students get to school and home safely. Students have a bus pass that matches with their Grassland Walker, so they know they are walking with the right group each day.

The walkers

The Grassland Walkers work one hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon to operate their walking buses. Many the of the Grassland Walkers also work as education assistants at the schools. Getting to know the kids on the way to school helps them create trusting relationships with students, building a stronger school community.

The operations

With its growing popularity, the walking school bus is now managed by the GPS transportation department. Like driving school buses, the walking routes are optimized using the transportation mapping system.

The Grasslands Walkers also have access to the same equipment as other bus drivers including high visibility winter jackets, ice cleats, and first aids kits. And when the Alberta weather doesn’t allow for the walking bus to operate, the call to cancel the walking school bus comes from central office in the same way that driving school bus route cancelations work.

The benefits

The walking school bus program is a great success. GPS sees the many benefits for students, parents, staff, administrators, and the greater community. Participating in the walking school bus:

• engages students in healthy, active school travel
• teaches students safety skills including navigating cross walks and following traffic signals
• cultivates respectful and caring relationships with walkers and students
• improves parent confidence in their child’s ability to walk to school safely
• saves money for the school division by hiring Grasslands Walkers, rather than operating bus routes within the walking zone

The future

GSP continues to expand the walking school bus program. Several GPS schools in the larger villages near Brooks are interested in starting their own walking school buses in their communities.

The school division is planning a graduation program for older students to become walking mentors. This will give them the opportunity to show their safety skills, teach and support younger students, and eventually advance to walk on their own.

The assistant superintendent at GPS is proud of the walking school bus program. She encourages all school divisions to consider this type of program in their system. The program is an easy way to address safety concerns, increase physical activity, and manage transportation costs. Building a strong sense of community and positive relationships keeps the program going.  

Feeling inspired?

For more information and tips to take action, go to:

• Encourage safe and active travel
• Engage families
• Support healthy relationships