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RESOURCES
SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL:
National Center for
Safe Routes to School
saferoutesinfo.org
Lively interactive website with resources for connecting the trip to school with safety, community and choice.
NJ Safe Routes to School
saferoutesnj.org
New Jersey's SRTS website. Check out the Montclair schools that won recognition awards this year!
Bike & Walk Montclair
bikewalkmontclair.org
This local communiy organization advocates for bicycling and walking as a safe, appealing and feasible choice for all users and all trips, building a strong community fabric on a more human scale.
PROMOTING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN SCHOOLS:
Let's Move - Active Schools
letsmoveschools.org
Resources for staff and parents to promote physical activity in school
Action for Healthy Kids
actionforhealthykids.org
Resources for parents and local organizations to promote health schools
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 This newsletter is made possible by a grant from the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.
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| Message from the Associate Director |  Dear Parents and Caregivers,
As we conclude the school year and move into summer, I'm pleased to introduce this new issue of HEALTHWISE. In the spirit of partnership, Director Joanne Aidala and I will be sharing this role. Our hope is to provide you with a broader perspective.
Speaking of partnership, we were delighted to see so many of you at our Partnership Networking Breakfast on May 23. You can see photos of the event by visiting our Facebook page.
A new research report by the non-profit Institute of Medicine shows that regular physical activity has multiple benefits for children's physical, emotional and cognitive health. The report recommends programs and policies to strengthen physical activity within the school environment - including before, during and after school.
Safe Routes to School is one way to help kids get some exercise on the way to school. We applaud everyone who participated in the SRTS workshops, held in ten schools this year. Please read the article below by Alex Kent, SRTS Township Coordinator and Health and Wellness Partnership Community Liaison. We've also included online resources about SRTS and ideas for parents to promote physical activity in school.
We wish you and your family a safe, healthy and rejuvenating summer break!
With best regards,
Karen Straim
Associate Director |
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Feature Article
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Safe Routes to School: A Collaboration of Parents, Schools and Community By Alex Kent
Safe Routes to School Coordinator, Montclair Township Health and Wellness Partnership Community Liaison
Over the course of the school year, every Montclair elementary and middle school hosted a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) workshop, made possible by a SRTS grant to the Township. The Health and Wellness liaisons at each school, in conjunction with a designated SRTS parent Team Leader, promoted and facilitated the workshops.
The Workshops
During each workshop, parents, school staff, Montclair Township Engineer Kim Craft, and Montclair Police Department Traffic Chief, Sergeant Stephanie Egnezzo discussed barriers to walking and biking to school, as well as pedestrian safety issues around the school. The workshops were led by the RBA Group, an urban planning consulting firm that does a lot of work on Safe Routes to School.
A number of schools came up with suggestions and solutions, including the following:
- Nishuane - re-route the drop off line through the school parking lot, rather than have it on the street in front of the school.
- Bullock - add signage and sidewalk striping to make drivers on the car line more aware that they are crossing an active sidewalk.
- Mt. Hebron - have students arriving by car be dropped off on Lorraine Avenue, rather than on the busier Bellevue Avenue.
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