October 4, 2010: The Halton District School Board (HDSB) and the Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB) are collaborating this school year in the Active and Safe Routes to School (ASRTS) Project.

ASRTS engages young students in active transportation such as walking, biking and in-line skating as healthy, sustainable ways to get back and forth to school. This collaborative initiative is being launched as part of the two boards’ region-wide celebration of International Walk to School Day (iwalk) on October 6, 2010. 

iwalk Day is an annual international event, held the first Wednesday of October, where school communities around the world are encouraged to use active forms of transportation to and from school. Schools throughout both boards will celebrate the day, and the following schools that are part of the ASRTS project will be showcasing a “Walking School Bus” to celebrate iwalk.
 
· Robert Little Public School, Halton Hills (41 School Lane)
· St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Elementary School, Burlington (5070 Dryden Avenue)
· James W. Hill Public School, Oakville (2860 Kingsway Drive)

“We know parents are concerned about their child’s safety and the ASRTS program helps to alleviate those concerns by offering walking school buses,” says Jennifer Jenkins, ASRTS Project Manager. “A Walking School Bus is much like the yellow school bus. It’s lead by an adult volunteer and travels a specific route, picking up children along the way and taking them to school.”

The Halton District School Board currently has 18 schools participating in the ASRTS project while the Halton Catholic District School Board has joined the project this school year with five schools participating. James W. Hill, a newly built school, has opened it doors as a ‘walk-only’ school. The goal is to encourage non-bussed students to use active transportation to get to school.

For additional information, contact:
      Jennifer Jenkins, Active & Safe Routes to Schools Project Manager
      (905) 335-3665, ext. 2228; 1 877 618-3456