More than 60 Minnesota schools and hundreds of students are expected to participate in Minnesota’s Winter Walk To School Day on Wednesday, February 7. Highland Elementary School is one of the 60 schools that will be participating.
The annual event, sponsored by Minnesota Safe Routes to School, encourages students and parents to celebrate the fun of walking while increasing their physical activity, reducing traffic congestion around schools, and practicing pedestrian and bicycle safety skills.
Highland Elementary School will host Safe Routes to School (Grand Forks) on February 7, and the Crookston Fire Department and Police Department will be present during the event. Students will receive a free hot chocolate in the morning and other gifts like bracelets and trinkets.
Winter Walk to School Day also encourages parents and community members to consider the walkability and bikeability of their neighborhoods because children walk and bike to other community destinations like playgrounds, libraries, parks, and more. Keeping sidewalks clear of snow and ice, especially at corners, helps make communities safer and more accessible to children and families going for a walk.
Minnesota Safe Routes to School (SRTS) provides resources and grants to advance SRTS programs through planning, bike/walk education curriculum, and support for improving infrastructure on routes to school. “We did write a grant that we received to pay for studies (which we’re doing this year,” said Highland Elementary School Principal Chris Trostad, “The studies should open us up to a lot of grant opportunities for safe routes to schools.”
After a recent discussion with parents and staff of Highland, it is believed that the money received could be best spent by funding LED lighting on walk paths, more sidewalks leading up to the school, and installing flashing lights at intersections. The additional lighting on the walkways and roads to the school could be beneficial due to the lack of daylight during the mornings and afternoons during the school year.
Earlier this year, Highland Elementary conducted a walking audit, and a morning audit where data was collected regarding issues that occur during the school day. “We identified a lot of things,” said Trostad, “Like rolling stops, and there were really dark areas where it was hard to see kids crossing intersections. So we gathered a lot of good data.”
