Last year our Safe Routes to School Committee began to prepare for the 2018-2019 school year as a launching point for our Safe Routes to School Initiative. Our mission is to advance safe walking, driving, and bicycling to and from schools to improve the health and wellbeing of all kids and families. We envision a community joining together to participate in routines and practices that ensure safe arrival and dismissal for all our children.

We recognize that we can not do this alone and need your support each and every day! Whether it is being mindful of our own actions such as restricting cell phone use while driving through the parking lot or remembering to be patient on those tough weather days that make arrival and dismissal so frustrating. We also need your help in assisting the students to be vigilant about their actions such as sitting quietly when riding in a vehicle and following safety measures even when they don’t think it will matter.

We are set to launch a year long calendar of activities to help educate our students and to increase student safety awareness. Please see the calendar below for what to expect this year. We will share reminders and invitations as dates near.

We are recruiting for 1-2 adult community volunteers who can be in the parking lot for 15-20 minutes before and after school to assist in monitoring student arrival and dismissal. Please contact Alisa Cox (alisa.m.cox@gmail.com) or Rose Marie Callahan (callahan@aaps.k12.mi.us) if you can help even one day a week or would like to join the committee. Members of the Safe Routes to School Committee will meet four times this year to plan and prepare educational activities for the students of Thurston Elementary as well as assess where we may need more focus in our efforts.

We also want to make sure our entire community is fully aware of these two documents:

Student Drop Off & Pick Up Guide

Thurston Remote Parking Locations

 Thank you for your support in helping us with our mission to increase safety for all students and their families.