Press Releases
Montgomery County to Celebrate ‘Walk to School Day’ at Arcola Elementary School in Silver Spring on Wednesday, Oct. 2
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, October 1, 2019
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) on Wednesday morning, Oct. 2, will join the faculty, staff and students of Arcola Elementary School in Silver Spring to highlight the County’s participation in the 22nd celebration of “National Walk to School Day.”
Walk to School Day is observed on the first Wednesday of October to raise awareness and support for health, community environmental benefits and safety and to promote walking and biking to school.Montgomery County to Celebrate ‘Walk to School Day’ at Arcola Elementary School in Silver Spring on Wednesday, Oct. 2
Arcola Elementary School is located at 1820 Franwall Ave. in Silver Spring. Starting at 8:30 a.m., volunteers will meet students at bus stops in the vicinity of the school and encourage them to join monitored walks to the school.
Arcola staff and community leaders will meet families at the morning bus stops on Blueridge, at University Towers and at Wexford Apartment buildings. The walk will begin at approximately 8:50 a.m. All students will have access to their assigned buses if desired. Students whose buses cross University Boulevard or Georgia Avenue will be met when they arrive at the school by staff members who will walk them around the property.
Car riders will also be met and walked around the school property, but families are strongly encouraged to walk their students to school. There will be extra safety patrol, community support and adult presence on all walking routes.
At 9:30 a.m., Pre-K through second graders will gather outside of the school for a safety presentation with representatives of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service. At 10 a.m., students in Grades 3-5 will assemble in the auditorium for a safety presentation and remarks.
Among those joining the morning activities will be County Councilmember Will Jawando, Arcola Elementary Principal Emmanuel Jean-Philippe; MCDOT Deputy Director Chris Conklin and Traffic Division Chief Michael Paylor; and representatives from the Fire and Rescue Service, Montgomery County Police Department, Montgomery County Project SEARCH interns, Park Police and Arcola Elementary students, patrols, staff and parents.
“National Walk to School Day is a time when we recommit ourselves to creating a more walkable community and raising awareness around pedestrian safety,” said County Council President Nancy Navarro. “This year, I want to encourage students and parents to participate in developing Montgomery County’s Pedestrian Master Plan to improve pedestrian safety and accessibility countywide. The plan, which is being developed by the Montgomery County Planning Board with support from pedestrian planning experts, includes a study of world-class pedestrian plans from around the world that can be replicated in our community to make our streets and routes to school safer for everyone.”
National Walk to School Day is sponsored by the National Center for Safe Routes to School. Participation in the nationwide event included a record 5,600 registered events in 2018.
The schedule of Walk to School Day events at Arcola Elementary School:
- 8:30 – 8:45 a.m.: Volunteers will be in the vicinity of the school with posters, stickers and giveaways to distribute to children as they walk to school.
- 8:30 a.m.: Volunteers will meet students at school bus stops to encourage them to walk to school. Volunteers have been designated along routes so that all students are monitored. Departure time will be approximately 8:50 a.m.
- 9:10 a.m.: Officials will greet children with giveaways as they arrive in front of the school.
- 9:30 a.m.: Pre-K-second graders will gather outside of the school for a safety presentation with Montgomery County Fire Rescue.
- 10 a.m.: Grades 3-5 will assemble in the auditorium for a brief safety presentation and remarks.
Another Walk to School Day event will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 2, at Bethesda Elementary School. County Councilmember Andrew Friedson will be joining that walk.
# # #Media Contact: Neil H. Greenberger 240-777-6532