In This Newsletter:
- Bike Smart Summer Scheduling
- Reminder: Free Helmets if you fill out Travel Tallies & Parent Surveys!
- Crossing Guard Survey Results + Winning Schools
- Show and Tell: Share your Photos and Tell us of your Activities
- 2024 Vermont Walk-Bike Summit
- Resources You Can Use
- What’s Next
Bike Smart Summer Scheduling
Now is the time to put in your request for a Bike Smart trailer for your summer program or camp. Deadline: Friday, June 7th. 
Summer Bike Smart Sign Up Form
Our Bike Smart program teaches students all across Vermont how to bike smartly, safely, and confidently thanks to our classrooms on wheels. Vermont schools and summer programs can now borrow the Bike Smart trailer -- full of kids' bikes and all equipment and supplies needed for on-bike skills training at a heavily prorated fee. Schools and camps must have someone on staff trained in the Bike Smart On Bike curriculum in order to be eligible to request the trailer and bikes. There are no group training opportunities scheduled at this point. We will travel to schools to conduct training on-site, or run an online training--depending on preference and availability.
Reminder: Free Helmets for Schools that fill out Travel Tallies and Family Surveys!
Data collection is at the heart of making sure our programs are successful! To qualify as a Safe Routes to School Partner, schools must perform at least one complete Travel Tally and Family Survey annually.
Travel Tallies and Family Surveys are quick and easy! Travel Tallies can be done at the same time as attendance, and take about 5 minutes to complete. Schools only need to run two days of travel tallies over the course of one week.
When you complete your travel tallies and family surveys, your school will earn 16 helmets and helmet education materials, such as helmet fit guide cards and parent’s guides to safe bicycling essentials! Schools that actively participate in Safe Routes to School (plan events, do travel tallies and parent surveys, etc) are also eligible to receive Local Motion's educational programming for free, as well as priority scheduling for Bike Smart.
Travel Tally Informational Letter to Colleagues: Travel Tally- Email- Homeroom Teachers-new SRTS schools
Go to the Travel Tally Form
Family Surveys are even easier! Just send a link to the form to families in either your newsletter or in an email, and encourage them to fill out the survey. We have sample text to send to families here: Family Newsletter Blurb
Go to the Family Survey Form
Crossing Guard Survey Results + Winning Schools
This spring, we sent out a survey to learn more about current conditions of crossing guards in Vermont. We received responses from 42 schools, and only 29% of responding schools have crossing guards. And, as promised, we will be sending five refurbished kids bikes to the winners of our raffle…. Peoples Academy and Twinfield Union School!
If you want to learn more about crossing guard training and/or information on crossing guards from other states, take a look at:
-
Local Motion’s Crossing Guard Training Info - see on https://www.localmotion.org/srts_resources
- Compiled national research on crossing guard needs, placement, etc. Gathered by Susan Grasso, Local Motion 2024
Shout out to @tenderwarriorco for documenting a day in the life of a Burlington crossing guard!
Show and Tell
Who won those Muddy Boot Awards? Did you make a Park(let) at your school? Did you have sun or rain or snow for your spring walk/roll to school day(s)? We want to know! So that we can report to our grantors AND showcase the amazing work that schools are doing with Safe Routes to School in Vermont, please send us your photos, or better yet, submit your own photos here! Be sure to use the comment tool for the photos to indicate where your photos are from.
Shout out to Saint Albans City School for their smooth data collection process. After their “Walking Wednesdays” students check in with their teacher to get their name checked in and then collect a pencil and/or sticker to celebrate their participation. 
Grand Isle School received some positive media attention with their inaugural “bike bus”. Check out the story in The Islander.
Bike Smart Stats in Spring 2024
With the season still in swing and 5 schools still to participate in June, so far:
- 19 schools were given access to our trailers in total
- 2,857 students across Vermont given access to bikes and bike education
- 60% of which showed a significant improvement in their bike skills
- 57% of schools used an adaptive bike
Please complete the Activity Report Form if your school had any Safe Routes to School events this month.
Complete the Activity Report Form
Here’s how to add photos:
- Go to the album
- Click on “add photo” in the top right corner
- Add photos
- Add comments on your photos by clicking on the photo and clicking on comments, and state the school name for the photos
2024 Vermont Walk-Bike Summit
In partnership with Vermont Agency of Transportation, and along with a number of other participating organizations and sponsors, the Northeastern Vermont Development Association will host the statewide Vermont Walk/Bike Summit in St Johnsbury on June 20, 2024
The Vermont Walk/Bike Summit is an opportunity to connect with community members, employers, planners and researchers from throughout the state for in-depth sharing on current efforts, new ideas, and networking to advance more livable communities.
Register here!
You can expect interactive demo workshops, peer exchanges, a highly-acclaimed keynote speaker, Mirna Valerio – "The Mirnavator", and a variety of dynamic presentations. Program tracks include Active Transportation and Recreation, Community Development, and Equity and Accessibility. For more information about the program, or any other questions, visit the Walk/Bike Summit website.
Resources You can Use
Free Safety Yard Signs
Interested in promoting safe driving around vulnerable users? Thank you! We have yard signs for you to post in your community! We have our Pass With Care signs, which reminds drivers that people who ride bikes or use wheelchairs are our neighbors and friends. Another is our "keep your bike rubber side down" campaign, which reminds people of essential behaviors to support their safety when riding a bike. Last is our "Slow Down- School Walking and Rolling Route" signs which are good to use for those who live near a school and want to make sure drivers are extra cautious in the area.
Webinar Recording now available From Safe Routes Partnership: “Walk, Bike, and Roll series: Engaging and Including Students with Disabilities in Safe Routes Programs”
This session explored strategies and best practices for engaging and including students with disabilities in Safe Routes programs. Expert panelists shared how they lead and participate in inclusive programs, how they partner with local champions, and how other Safe Routes practitioners can make their programs more inclusive and accessible.
Want to do some planning over the summer?
Reach out to our Regional Coordinators:
Amy Brewer, Franklin and Grand Isle Counties
Bonnie Hooper, Chittenden County
What’s Next
June 2024
June 7: Deadline for Summer Bike Smart Request Form
June 20: Walk-Bike Summit in St. Johnsbury
We wish you a safe and happy summer walking, biking and rolling,
Best,
The Safe Routes to School Team:
Amy Brewer, Regional Coordinator: Franklin and Grand Isle Counties
Bonnie Hooper, Regional Coordinator: Chittenden County
Daniel Liguori, Outreach & Logistics Specialist
Susan Grasso, Complete Streets Program Associate