Walking and biking school buses have recently gotten national attention for creating a safe and fun container for kids to use their own power to get to school. And… did you know that we have a walking school bus right here in Kingston?
I recently sat down with Kimmer Gifford, a licensed social worker who has worked at George Washington Elementary School in Kingston, NY for 15 years. Kimmer is responsible for resurrecting the walking school bus that traverses down Franklin Street, across Prospect and up Henry Street every school day, averaging 15 to 30 kids.
The walking school bus was originally created by some teachers and the principal about 15 years ago. “They were the pioneers,” says Kimmer. “They only did it on Friday mornings and they would have like 35 kids in tow. We have changed hands a couple times, and obviously COVID kind of changed the landscape.
“We had asked a couple times to bring it back, and finally PTO got wind of it and they wanted to lend a hand… I grabbed onto it and I decided that if it was really going to work and be effective it was going to have to be every day. So now, I stand in front of the school every morning at 8 o’clock and I just cross my fingers. I have a bunch of regulars, the coach [Frank Passante] always goes, Sean Paul, Linda O’Reilly, and a couple guest stars.”
Kimmer re-started the walking school bus this past January, but at first it was a bit discouraging. “I had about a week where it was just me, and it was like 15 degrees, and I was out there thinking it would never work, and all of a sudden it got a little bit warmer, and I had like 30 kids and it was great.”
Kimmer says the walking school bus works wonders for creating a sense of community. “I can’t imagine, when I went to elementary school, the idea of anyone who worked in the school just showing up in the community and knocking on the door in the morning…
“It’s almost like a club at this point. They all know each other. It’s created friends across the age line, so the fourth graders now know the little ones who come. It’s also interesting… these kids all go to school together but they didn’t know where each other’s houses are. Some of that is just the world we live in, some of it is the COVID landscape, but now they do.
“We know half the neighborhood, everybody knows us. The parents are very familiar with the staff here and they like seeing us out in the community… There was a lot of talk about how scared the kids were about the shootings that took place on Cedar Street, and I think it is important for the kids to see the staff in their neighborhood. The more presence and the more connection the school has to the neighborhood, the better for all of us.”
Kimmer says that not only is the program provided at no additional cost to taxpayers, it’s easy to implement and has resulted in an increase in regular attendance. “Forever, school districts are in these debates, and these meetings and these best practice ideas about attendance. A lot of the kids who are able to walk are kids who had kind of spotty attendance, and this is such a fix for that. And it costs absolutely nothing. And the benefits are so multi-faceted. Getting a bit of fresh air in the morning, starting your day off with exercise, making sure you’re in school on time, setting up a routine. Again, that’s why it’s important that it’s every day.”
The walking school bus also helps get kids into the habit of walking. “A lot of these kids would normally get a ride from a house that you can see down Henry street. So much just changed [with COVID] and we became so much more insular and operating in our little areas.”
The walking school bus is not just a benefit to kids; it’s also had an impact on the adults involved. “It’s amazing how positive it feels. When the kids run out of their front doors, all scrubbed and dressed and ready for school, it’s a really positive, powerful, uplifting feeling.”
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I love this article. It’s so simple and so powerful. Thanks so much for reporting on it !
What a great idea and how wonderful it feels to be part of a child's day in this way. I so agree with every day - this is the way kids think and live and it's the way change happens.
PS I had some difficulty getting on to make my comment. I suspect others have read this and would have already written but may have had the same problem.
Great article!