Schools
Transit Notes: Bus Issues, Survey and More!
Kathy Schrenk, Menlo Park City School District's Traffic Safety Coordinator, shares the latest news about transportation issues that will impact parents with kids in the school district.
Welcome to the second edition of , a twice-monthly newsletter about transportation in the Menlo Park City School District. Please feel free to share with anyone you think would like the info.
During the first week of school I got lots of emails from parents with suggestions about ways to make the streets around our schools safer. Keep them coming! You all are on the front lines of traffic safety, and the more I hear from you, the better able I am to work with city administrators, police and school leadership to make improvements.
Bus Route Change
Sam Trans cancelled the morning run of route 83, which served students from University Avenue and points west. The route was discontinued due to low ridership, but some parents believe it was underutilized because few people were aware of it. If you used Route 83 in the morning or think you could and would like to lobby to reinstate it, contact me at kschrenk@mpcsd.org.
Hands-on Bike Safety Class for Parents
I have the opportunity to schedule a great training for people who want to improve their safe riding skills and those of their kids (middle school age kids can take the class, too). The timing is flexible, but has to be before the end of the month. Cost will be $75-$150 per person, depending on how many people sign up, so spread the word! Let me know if you'd like more info.
Gear Review
If you have younger children who don’t ride their bike on their own yet, you might be wondering how to get them to school, or bring them along when helping siblings ride. Check out this post I wrote for an environmental blog on the various accessories I’ve used to tow my kids, sometimes two at a time! I haven’t used a rear seat (one where the kid rides right behind the parent) so if you have used one that you particularly like, let me know and I’ll include some recommendations in the next newsletter.
Dates to remember:
Sept 12: All parents in the district (and all of San Mateo County) will be asked to fill out a survey about how their kids get to school and their attitudes about transportation. This is required by Safe Routes To Schools and is essential to establishing a baseline and gauging our progress in the future. If you haven't already, click this link to fill out the survey. Teachers will complete a hand tally in class as well.
Sept 21: Back-to-school picnic at , including bike rodeo!
Sept 24-28: Bike Safety Week at Oak Knoll Elementary
Stay Patched in!
