Safe and Savvy Kids T he national Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program aims to motivate students to walk and bike to and from school with safety and awareness in mind. This spring, the Cambridge SRTS program is targeting second and sixth grade students in Cam- bridge Public Schools to achieve just that. Second graders will learn the importance of safe walking and the basic elements of infrastructure that make our community walkable. Students will practice crossing streets and intersections and will learn how to safely navigate parking lots. A final bicycle education lesson will explain the rules of the road, proper helmet fit, appropriate bicycling clothing, and basic bike maintenance tips. The sixth graders will learn on-the-bike skills necessary to safely ride on Cambridge streets. Students will be taught how to ride on roads with or without bike lanes, safely ride along with motor vehicle traffic, ride away from car doors, make turns, follow the rules, and handle potholes or other unexpected items on the street. Students will also receive written home- work regarding bike safety and the rules of the road. This training culmi- nates in a group ride on city streets to demonstrate and practice the cycling skills they learned. Both trainings will be offered to all Cambridge Public Schools through physical education classes over the 2016-2017and 2017-2018 school year. Getting to School on Foot & Wheels For M O R E I N F O visit: cambridgema.gov/saferoutes GettingtoSchoolSustainably Cambridge Public Schools students are learning to make safe, healthy and sustainable choices for getting to school each day: To pass the physical education requirement, our elementary students must learn to ride a bike to complete the CYCLE Kids program. Through our Safe Routes to School Program, CPS students and families receive: ➤ Maps of Safe Walking Routes that highlight traffic signals, crossing guards and the safest intersections for walking to school. ➤ Help organizing “Walking School Buses” and “Bike Trains” that use parent volunteers to pick up students along the way to school. 1 2 PHOTO: Cambridge Public Schools By the COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT 10 | Getting Around Cambridge SRTS CAMBRIDGE S2017 SWFIN.indd 2 5/20/17 6:38 PM