Bicycle Network: National Ride2School Day

Schools LOVE National Ride2School Day!

Jeparit Primary School, VIC

“National Ride2School Day provides the perfect opportunity to get the school to work together as part of a team and do things together. It is great fun and easily incorporated into our curriculum,” 

Edenhope College, VIC

“It was all easy to organise as our student leaders took lead in planning our National Ride2School Day… and they really enjoyed it!”

Tweed Heads Public School, NSW

“Our parents and students loved the event so much, they have requested we run the event again before next year!” 

Fountain Gate Primary School, VIC

“National Ride2School Day has become a part of our school culture,” 

Matong Primary School, NSW

“The event opened our parents and students eyes to an alternative mode of travel to school,” 

Brunswick North West Primary School, VIC

“We use National Ride2School Day as a way to kick-start a year of active travel,” 

St Mary's Primary School students James and Liam are looking forward to National Ride2School Day 2013.

National Ride2School Day 2012 - "We had a fantastic day..."

April 2, 2012. They rolled in on bikes and scooted in on scooters, some walked, some skated – every which way students from across the country arrived at school on March 23, the sixth annual National Ride2School Day.

Big schools and small, they all had a few things in common – students with colour in their cheeks, fresh air in their lungs and more often than not a smile on their faces. Friends who would normally be delivered to school separately in the back of a car instead shared a journey through their neighbourhood.

More than 1100 schools registered to take part, a total which translates into some 140,000 children.

For many riders (and the parents and teachers who accompanied them) it was the first time they’d arrived at school under their own steam, hopefully their first glimpse of a whole new world of active travel.

Conversations about riding a bike to school have started in lots of school communities; here’s a taste of what’s being said:

“Our ride, scoot or skate to school day was met with great enthusiasm. Over 70 out of our 300 students got to school by their own steam. Lunchtime was spent pedalling around our oval.” Stanthorpe State School.

“Many of our students are bus travellers, some who travel up to 50km to attend school each day. It was very exciting to see the bus pull up and the driver hop off and unload bikes from underneath the bus from students who rode to their bus stops so they could join in on the day. We had dads walking to school with their children – something that very rarely happens – so they could support the day and their children” Ouyen P-12 College.

“We had a fantastic day and we made the front page of our local newspaper” Murringo Public School.

“Montague Bay had 142 students with bikes at today’s Ride2School Day out of 265. Others walked. We are really pleased with this effort.” Montague Bay Primary.

“We had a great day on Friday - even though it was a bit rainy 35 of our 55 students rode, scooted or walked to school. We had a healthy breakfast and a special assembly. One of our students, Melissa, had fractured her leg quite severely at the end of last year so it was a major achievement to be attending school for her first term in prep let alone riding her bike.” St Mary's Primary School, Rushworth.

“Having staff out on the street, meeting families and walking along certainly encouraged more to be involved. Was fabulous to see parents walking with dogs and little ones. Many left cars a couple of blocks before the school. Others dropped off junior students with scooters. They scootered along with me and parents met them at the school gate to put scooters back in the car. I intend to continue to meet and greet out on the street to encourage school community walking, riding, scooting and chatting.” Cobram Primary School.

As well as students, parents and teachers, political leaders from every tier of government also got on their bikes on the day. We can only thank them for taking up the cause and, literally, joining the movement. We look forward to working with them further. National Ride2School Day is about showing what’s possible, and how much better life is on a bike. The Ride2School Team is now focussed on turning one day of active travel per year into one day per month, then one day per week and so on until riding to school is a normal, comfortable everyday act.
 

Students take to the streets

22 March 2012. Primary and secondary students will take to the streets across Australia tomorrow using bikes, scooters, skateboards or simply walking as part of National Ride2School Day. The annual event is Australia’s largest celebration of an active journey to and from school.

At many schools, 100% of students will arrive under their own steam and then take part in a host of school-based festivities including parades, breakfasts and community rides.

“Studies show that children who are involved in sport and recreation at a young age have a greater ability to concentrate at school, are more confident, independent and are more likely to continue being active well into their adult years,” Minister for Sport and Recreation Hugh Delahunty said.

Ride2School Program Manager, Kelly Pearson, said: “We know children love the experience of riding to school and this is their day to get on their bikes and leave their parent’s car behind.”

“National Ride2School Day is a great opportunity for students and their school communities to get a taste of how fun and easy riding or walking to school can be and then look to schools to adopt the behavior longer term.

“Health authorities say children need a minimum of 60 minutes of physical activity each day and riding, scooting, skating or walking to and from school is an easy way to achieve this,” Miss Pearson said.

Many schools participating in tomorrow’s National Ride2School Day have joined the Ride2School program to build ongoing active travel behaviours in their student populations. 

Ride to the beach

To celebrate National Ride2School Day 2012 and to promote the idea that Part Way is Okay, the school community at St Mary's Primary School gathered as a group on the beautiful Altona Beach at 8.10am on Friday 23rd March.

43 students, 23 parents and teachers, two police officers, a dog and a baby in a pram joined together to walk to from the beach to St Mary's. Although cool and windy the journey was made more pleasant because we were out there together.

National Ride2School Day was a fantastic edition to their current Stride and Ride program.

National Ride2School Day at Australian Christian College

Many students at Australian Christian College - Hume (formerly Benalla Christian School) braved the cold weather to ride, ripstick or scoot to school in support of National Ride2School Day.

Those that traveled by bus brought their favourite mode of transport for activities later that day. At recess, students enjoyed a healthy fruit, yoghurt and pancake brunch cooked to perfection by a team of dedicated parents. The cool weather made sure that the hot fresh pancakes were in great demand until all stomachs were full.

Students spent a busy art lesson decorating their bikes, scooters, ripsticks and roller blades with streamers and balloons before the afternoon Physical Education lesson. Demonstrations on how to ride were given by students.

An opportunity for them to put their riding skills to the test around the school grounds capped off the day as bikes snaked around cones; rip sticks, scooter blades and skateboards zoomed up and down paths. There were smiles on every face.

All students rode out winners at the end of the day having had a great day of fun and fitness.

Students leadership at St John's Primary

Kerry and Will are year six sports captains at St. John's Primary School in Mitcham, Victoria.   In their sports captain roles, and because it is fun, they took on the responsibility of organising the school's National Ride2School Day celebration. 

They have organised:

• a breakfast at school
• a drop off zone at a local park where children on bikes will meet before riding to school
• staff and parents to ride with these groups of students
• promotion of the event by putting up posters around the school
• temporary bike parking for the day
• and a  'decorate your helmet' activity, with the winner being announced at assembly. 

The boys have also planned a bike riding obstacle course, which will be part of the PE lesson that day. This is what they are most excited about!

On Ride2School day they hope to get the whole school riding or walking to school. Kerry and Will agree that riding to school is better because it is faster and easier than walking.

Well done Kerry and Will!