Ruby Bridges Walk to School 2022
This fall the Safe Routes to School team supported fall walk and roll to school events, including three Ruby Bridges walks!
Ruby Bridges was the first African-American child to desegregate the all-white William Frantz Elementary School in Louisiana during the New Orleans school desegregation crisis on November 14, 1960. Her story has inspired schools to honor her bravery with an annual Walk to School Day, supported by Safe Routes to School.
- Learn more from the Ruby Bridges Foundation.
- Learn more from Oregon Safe Routes.
Three East County schools participated in a Ruby Bridges walk event: Butler Creek Elementary, Meadows Elementary, and Wilkes Elementary. The afterschool SUN coordinators championed the walks, and the SRTS program created maps and flyers for school wide distribution.
We look forward to ongoing efforts to encourage walking and rolling to school, promoting health, safety, and equity for our east County families.
Back to School 2022
We are excited that schools are back in session!
We are looking forward to a busy year of events and lessons, and have started reaching out to schools for fall Walk and Roll events.
And don't forget to share these safety videos with your family - in Arabic, Chinese, English, Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese.
Summer 2022 Update
The Multnomah County SRTS Program is launching into summer and is ready to support your school with SRTS resources and programming. We have educational and encouragement materials to get students excited about walking, biking, and rolling to and from schools!
If you are interested in participating, please connect with MaryJo at maryjo.andersen@multco.us. The East Multnomah County SRTS program is a collaboration between schools, community members, and multiple agencies.
Davis Elementary Walk to School Event - June 7, 2022
In partnership with Safe Routes to School, Davis Elementary (Go Dragons!) held a walk-to-school event on June 7, 2022.
On a beautiful spring day, Davis Elementary School held their first Safe Routes to School walk event since 2019! School staff met families for the walk. About 85 people attended the event. Special guests Reynolds District Superintendent, Dr. Danna Diaz, and Deputy Superintendent, Dr. Christopher Ortiz joined the fun.
Rockwood Bike Ride - May 21, 2022
Gresham celebrated bike month with a community bike ride in the Rockwood area on May 21st. The bike ride started on a beautiful spring day at Kirk Park on NE Multnomah St. The group of 12 riders explored the bicycle-friendly routes on the new Gresham Greenway. Some of the younger and less experienced riders were able to practice “taking the lane” and riding with traffic, a huge milestone for them!
The route included some friendly goats and a visit to the new Rockwood Market Hall. The group explored the new space and delicious food. The ride was a collaboration between bike works by p:ear, the City of Gresham, and Multnomah County Office of Sustainability and Safe Routes to School.
Spring 2022 Updates
The Multnomah County Safe Routes to School program is gearing up for spring and is ready to support your school with SRTS resources. We have plenty of educational and encouragement materials to get kids excited about walking, biking, and rolling to and from schools! Our team can help your school address traffic concerns by creating a site circulation map to show pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers the routes to and from school. By sharing our video about Safe Routes to School you are able to encourage drivers to watch out for kids walking, biking, and rolling. To plan your own April Earth Month event, reach out to MaryJo, who can provide how-tos and tips.
Site Circulation Maps
Our team supported Butler Creek Elementary and Hollydale Elementary by creating easy-to-read site circulation maps to help parents navigate the school arrival and dismissal area. These maps identify walking routes walking and nearby parks that can be distributed to students, parents, and community members. They also help to identify bike parking, crossing guards, and marked crosswalks around the school.
- Butler Creek Walking Map (131.98 KB)
Safe Routes to Schools Multilingual Video Series
Share the new and improved site circulation safety videos with families and facilities. These videos urge parents to keep an eye out for little ones and stay attentive to the rules of the road. Sending out this video is an outstanding way to get parents to pledge to safe driving around school areas.
April is Earth Month
April is Earth Month, which means it's time to encourage green options and sustainability. Our activities and incentives seek to reduce waste while keeping the encouragement fun. Check our toolkit if you are interested in participating and don’t forget to connect with MaryJo.