One of the simplest, cheapest, yet most important things a student can do is walk (or bike) to school every day.
Walking is good for health - it provides a strong foundation of regular daily physical activity, promoting healthy physical development and good lifetime habit-building.
It is good for education - children who walk or bike to school arrive more alert and ready to learn than those who ride in a bus or car.
It is good for the budget - the costs to the school board are lowest for walking children. They don't require buses or bus drivers, and unlike children who are driven to school by parents, they don't require parking places or cause smog from idling vehicles. (Although good, secure bike racks should be made available).
Walking to school should be the basic pattern in an urban environment. However, our school board seems to be on a trend of closing smaller, older, local schools and busing children to newer, larger ones. I believe this is not good for the health or education of our children. As a member of Barrie's Active Transportation Working Group and Committee and of Living Green, I have already been working to help promote a safe walking and cycling environment for several years, and as your Trustee I will advocate for smaller, more local schools and for the promotion of safe routes for students to get themselves there.
