Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Gold Status for the Safe Routes for School programs at Glennwood Academy, Winnona Park, Clairemont and Oakhurst!!


Awesome: The Georgia Safe Routes to School Resource Center has awarded "Gold" status to Glennwood Academy, Oakhurst Elementary, Winnona Elementary, Clairemont Elementary for their Safe Routes to School programs.

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Dear Friends and School Champions,

Happy New Year from the Georgia Safe Routes to School Resource Center! I hope you all enjoyed the holidays and are gearing up for a great 2010. I wanted to reach out to all of you to give you a few updates for Metro Atlanta.

Metro Atlanta Partners:
We have just welcomed our 22nd Safe Routes to School Partner into the Metro Atlanta region! Welcome Sagamore Hills, Hawthorne, and Torah Day School- all who recently joined us!

It has been a pleasure working with each of you! Thank you for all that you do and I hope your programs continue to thrive in 2010. Together, Georgia has 85 schools who participate in the Safe Routes to School program as partners of the Resource Center. Below are the Metro-Atlanta partners. I encourage you to network with each other and share ideas, and possibly even partner on events.

Schools in DeKalb County:

Livsey Elementary- Gold
Knollwood Elementary- Gold
Glennwood Academy- Gold
Oakhurst Elementary- Gold
Winnona Elementary- Gold
Clairemont Elementary- Gold

Kingsley Charter Elementary- Silver
Henderson Mill Elementary- Bronze
Briarlake Elementary- Bronze
Mary Lin Elementary- Bronze
Oak Grove Elementary- Gold
Sagamore Hills Elementary- Bronze
Hawthorne Elementary- Bronze
Torah Day School- Bronze


If you have not marked your calenders yet, Georgia Walk to School Day will be held on Wednesday, March 3rd. I hope you all are able to participate and remember I am always here to help as you are planning your event.

School Newsletter Blurb:
These quotes and others can be found in The National Safe Routes to School Partnerships Annual Report:

"From 1969 to 2001, the percentage of students walking and bicycling to school declined dramatically from 41 percent to 13 percent. At the same time, the percentage of children being driven or driving themselves to school nearly tripled, from 20 percent to 55 percent. These changes in the trip to school mode have had a significant impact on traffic congestion and safety, as well as on children’s health and the school environment."

"Over the past four decades, childhood obesity rates have increased dramatically for all age groups, and now nearly one in three young people in the United States—a total of 23 million children and teenagers— are either obese or overweight. These young people are at increased risk for a range of costly health issues including heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes."

"A pedestrian hit by a vehicle traveling 20 mph has a 95 percent chance of surviving. If the vehicle is traveling at 30 mph, chances of survival decrease to 55 percent.
At 40 mph, only 15 percent of pedestrians can expect to survive. Because of the direct relationship between vehicle speed and severity of injury, traffic calming
features and speed limit enforcement projects, all aimed at slowing vehicles, are common objectives of Safe Routes to School."


I hope this new year brings us all a refreshed sense of purpose and commitment to the safety and well-being of our children. As New Year's resolutions are made to get back in shape, let's remind our parents that walking and biking to school with their children is a great and sustainable way to jump-start their efforts!

Abby Mattera, School Outreach Coordinator - Metro Atlanta

Georgia Safe Routes to School Resource Center

http://www.saferoutesga.org/

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