School Begins Walking the School Bus Program
By David Huck | Correspondent at October 10, 2023 | 8:00 pm | Print
To help crack down on chronic absenteeism, officials are launching a new initiative called the “walking school bus” that aims to get more students and parents involved in getting to school every day.
The initiative kicks off this month at Smith Elementary School, though officials are hoping to spreads the concept to other schools in the district. School leaders are touting the “walking school bus” as a way to create more excitement among parents and students about attending school, improving physical health, and making routes to school safer.
The school system’s Director of Truancy, Joseph Vaverchak said he learned about the concept while attending a conference about a year ago. The speaker was from Springfield, Mass., and explained that the concept grew from five or six students per “bus” to upwards up 40 during the first year.
“I started listening and it was just so intriguing,” he said. “Springfield is similar to us in a lot of ways and they were having major problems with chronic absenteeism, as we are, and this was just one component—the walking school bus—to address this.”
The concept consists of parents in a neighborhood coming together and choosing a spot where the community would meet each morning and walk to school together. The routine would be repeated in the afternoon.
“It showed some great success in Springfield, Mass.,” Vaverchak said, adding that the “walking school bus” is also in place in Michigan and Chicago.
Vaverchak called the concept a “win-win.”
“Not only does it address our chronic absenteeism issue, it ties in to health, it ties into exercise, it ties into everything we’re doing about the neighborhood school concept,” he said.
Smith Elementary School Principal Christine Bruemmer said the “walking bus” is a “wonderful opportunity to improve attendance and promote physical fitness.” There are 672 students at the school this year with a report showing a 97.23 percent attendance rate during the first month of school.
Vaverchak said he has reached out to the New Britain Police Department, Central Connecticut State University, Department of Children and Families, and the Boys and Girls Club.
“I’m trying to reach out to every stakeholder in this city and try to get them on board with this,” Vaverchak said. “It’s a safe way for our kids to walk to school, especially with the neighborhood schooling and especially with more of our younger kids that are walking to school.”
Smith Social Worker Erin Naspo said the idea was presented to parents during the back to school breakfast earlier this school year.
“We talked about the wonderful benefits of being able to walk to school together, much the way we used to many years ago,” Naspo said. “We were very surprised that we had families on board right away, many for different reasons.”
In a letter to parents, school officials pitched the idea as away of avoiding traffic on Jefferson Street, a means of saving time and gas, and to help get their children out of the house in the morning.
“Our goal this year was really to just see if we could get even one walking school bus up and running,” Naspo said. “After that first meeting we had two amazing women step up.”
The two groups have decided not to settle on one specific meeting place, but to follow a path to school that stops by several houses to pick up students and parents along the way.
Melissa Melendez, a mother of six children, said she knows what it’s like to have attendance issues. She volunteered to help her area, giving her the opportunity to walk with her fifth-grader and other parents.
“I’m a stay at home mom, so I can relate to the whole ‘Hey, if it’s could outside, yeah you can stay home,’” Melendez said. “But it’s important for them to get an education first.”
Another parent volunteer at Smith said she is excited about helping out other parents who can’t help get their children to school on time. She’s lived in the area for several years and already the legwork in helping to get the “walking bus” moving has helped her make new connections with other parents, the mother said.
Both parents have agreed to take part in the “walking bus” rain or snow. Those participating in the program were required to sign a form releasing the school system and the walking parents from any injuries that may occur on the way to or from school.
Slade Middle School is also trying to promote physical activity. The community health center that operates there has agreed to offer bike locks, helmets, and racks for students riding a bicycle to school.
