Safe Routes to School
The Role of Healthcare Professionals in California
Activity Guide
2010
1.
Evaluation - Monitoring and documenting outcomes and trends through the collection of data, including the collection of mode share
data before and after the program intervention(s).
o Evaluation Activity Example(s):

Contact local city to find out if the city is applying for Safe Routes to School funds—and if not, start the process

Before

Evaluate travel surveys: This information includes what percentages of students are walking, biking, taking
the bus, being driven alone, and carpooling to school, including a record of the weather and time of year.
o Templates are available at www.saferoutesinfo.org

After

Report Safe Routes to School involvement to:
o National Center for Safe Routes to School
www.saferoutesinfo.org
2.
Engineering - Creating operational and physical improvements to the infrastructure surrounding schools that reduce speeds and potential
conflicts with motor vehicle traffic, and establish safer and fully accessible crossings, walkways, trails and bikeways.
o Engineering Activity Example(s):

Contact local city to find out if the city is applying for Safe Routes to School funds—and if not, start the process

Contact Elected Officials to promote SRTS:

Letter Writing

Phone Calls

Face-to-Face Meetings

Testify in front of Elected Officials, especially Transportation Commissions and Committees

Community Wellness Policy
3.
Education - Teaching children and parents about the broad range of transportation choices, instructing students on important lifelong
bicycling and walking safety skills, and driver safety campaigns in the vicinity of schools.
o Education Activity Example(s):

School Wellness Policy

Contact School District Officials to recommend the inclusion of SRTS strategies
o California School Boards Association (CSBA) Policy

Student Wellness

CSBA Sample
Board Policy – Student Wellness
BP 5030(a) – Students

Safe Routes to School (SRTS)

CSBA Sample
Administrative Regulation –
Safe Routes To School Program
AR 5142.2 – Students

CSBA Sample
Board Policy -- Safe Routes To School Program
BP 5142.2 – Students

Visit the California Department of Education website to locate:

County Offices of Education List: http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/sd/co/

California School Directory: http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/sd/
o Provide School Based Presentation(s)

School Student Body

School Faculty and Staff

Parent-Teacher Association

School Board Members

School Physician Advocate
Safe Routes to School
The Role of Healthcare Professionals in California
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4.
Encouragement - Using events and activities to promote and increase walking and bicycling, such as walk to school days, walking school
busses and bicycle trains.
o Encouragement Activity Example(s):

Walk to School Month/Week/Day: October 4-8, 2010

Work With Currently Participating Schools

Recruit New Schools to Participate

Contact Elected Officials to promote SRTS

Provide School Based Presentation(s)

Media Involvement: Media coverage of the event brings visibility to the event’s purpose and any changes
that need to be made to make it safer for kids to walk and bike to school. When media cover an event, they
help spread the word of the great health, safety, environmental and social benefits of more children walking
to school every day.
o Press Release: The customizable local press release offers the media more detailed information on
your Walk to School event, such as the impact it will have on the community or information on an
ongoing program. To pitch walk to school programs and your event in particular, to the local
media, use this press release.
o Public Service Announcements: Public service announcements are a cost-effective method to
partner with your local media to promote your Walk to School event. Call local radio stations, and
ask to speak with someone in the public affairs department or the news department. Request an
on-air reading of the PSA(s).
o Media Advisory: The media advisory is simply meant to give the media all of the general details of
your Walk to School event – this includes the who, what, when, where and significance of your
event.
o Talking Points: Talking points offer helpful information on topics such as trends in school travel,
safety, physical activity, environment and air quality, background on the event, Safe Routes to
School and a list of participating countries. You may find it helpful to use these for interviews with
local media, meetings with parents or any other communications planned for the event.
o Proclamation: Get public officials involved and bring visibility to your event by having your mayor
or governor proclaim your walking date as the Official International Walk to School Day or Month
for your community. Your proclamation can be customized to highlight the walking and biking
issues that are important to your school and community, or to fit the dates you've chosen to
celebrate.

Walking School Busses

Bicycle Trains
5.
Enforcement - Partnering with local law enforcement to ensure traffic laws are obeyed in the vicinity of schools (including enforcement
of speeds, yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks and proper walking and bicycling behaviors), stepping up law enforcement around
schools to protect children and initiating community safety activities such as crossing guard programs.
o Enforcement Activity Example(s):

Contact Elected Officials to promote SRTS

City councils

County boards of supervisors, if living outside city limits
o California Policy Example(s): AB 321
Safe Routes to School
The Role of Healthcare Professionals in California
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Safe Routes to School
The Role of Healthcare Professionals in California
Commitment to Change
2010
Please fill out this document and return it to the Obesity Prevention Project.
Please save a completed copy of this document for your records.
Check all you can commit and have interest in committing to with regard to the Regional Physician Advocates Project.

Evaluation Activity Example(s):
o
o


Encouragement Activity Example(s):
o
Evaluate travel surveys
Report Safe Routes to School involvement
to:

Safe Routes to School National
Center

www.saferoutesinfo.org
Engineering Activity Example(s):
o
o
o

Before

After

Contact Elected Officials to promote SRTS

Letter Writing

Phone Calls

Face-to-Face Meetings
Testify in front of Elected Officials
Community Wellness Policy
o
o
o

Enforcement Activity Example(s):
o
Education Activity Example(s):
o
o
School Wellness Policy

Contact School District Officials to
recommend the inclusion of SRTS strategies

Testify at School Board Meetings
Provide School Based Presentation(s)

School Student Body

School Faculty and Staff

Parent-Teacher Association (PTA)

School Board Members
School Physician Advocate (i.e. Walk With Your Doc)
Walk/Bike to School Month/Week/Day

Work With Currently Participating Schools

Recruit New Schools to Participate

Contact Elected Officials to promote SRTS

Provide School Based Presentation(s)

Media Involvement

Press Release

Public Service Announcements

Media Advisory

Talking Points

Proclamation
Walking School Busses (i.e. Walk to School
Wednesdays)
Bicycle Trains
Contact Elected Officials to implement and enforce
SRTS

City Councils

County boards of supervisors, if living
outside city limits

California Policy Example(s): AB
321
Please send your completed document to:
Vanessa S. Saetern, Project Assistant
Obesity Prevention Project
CMA Foundation
Fax: 916.779.6658
Email: vsaetern@thecmafoundation.org
Safe Routes to School
The Role of Healthcare Professionals in California
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As we move forward with this project, we would very much like to hear from you about the work you are doing and
how we can continue to support your efforts. As you participate in activities, please contact the Obesity Prevention
Project with updates and/or questions at (916) 779-6620. We look forward to hearing from you! THANK YOU!
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The Role of Healthcare Professionals in California
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