Last Thursday, February 10th, I had the privilege of presenting an update on our Safe Routes to School program to the members of the Durham Public Schools (DPS) Board of Education. And we were able to be there in-person! This was a great opportunity to tell the story of the outstanding reception that we’ve been getting to our work in the schools and to share our plans for deepening our impact in the future.
You can watch the video of the presentation here (it should be set to start at the 2:14:40 mark). The presentation is 15 minutes long and remarks from the Board members are another 12 minutes. You can also view the slides independently here.
We have been developing and delivering Safe Routes to School programming under contract with the City of Durham since March of 2021. Our work is shaped in part through bi-weekly video calls with Dale McKeel of the City’s Transportation Department and Mathew Palmer, DPS’s Executive Director of School Planning, Design and Construction where we discuss our plans and get support and advice from Dale and Mathew. This opportunity came about through discussion of our desire to deepen the relationship we have, not just with leaders at individual elementary schools, but with district-level leaders. We are scheduled to make a similar presentation to the Durham City Council on March 24th.
We are seeking additional Bicycle Safety Educators
If you are interested in working with the Safe Routes to School team teaching bicycle safety skills to 4th or 5th grade students, please see the job description here.
Black History Month Slide Deck for Elementary School Students
Stephen Mullaney of our Safe Routes to School Team, and a DPS outdoor learning specialist put together a slide deck for Black History month that highlights Black individuals on bikes from historic figures across the country to current day here in Durham. This has been shared with all Durham elementary schools. You can view it yourself here.
May 4th is Bike and Roll to School Day
Every May is Bike Month, and this year the national Bike and Roll to School Day is May 4th. Last October, more than 5,000 students at thirteen DPS elementary schools participated in Walk and Roll to School events. We want this May to be even bigger! We will be supporting administrators, teachers, and parents with planning activities for this May. More details to come. If you’d like to discuss ideas for your school now, please email us at saferoutes@bikedurham.org.
Photo from October 2021 Walk and Bike to School Day at Eastway Elementary