Ride2School Cohuna Consolidated School

Students from Cohuna Consolidated Primary School tucked into a healthy breakfast on arrival to school Friday morning as part of National Ride2School Day.

National Ride2School Day supports schools across Australia to promote a healthy school community where students are encouraged to actively travel to school all year round.

Cohuna Consolidated students joined more than 350,000 other students from across Australia who rode, walked, scooted or skated to school as part of the nationwide celebration of active transport.

Cr. Lorraine Learmonth helped serve the breakfast and enjoyed time talking with students, teachers and families. Council provided a crunchy apple for students to enjoy as part of Ride2School Day.

A crazy hair theme added to the event which saw 70% of students actively travel to school on the day. Twenty one students rode to school, eleven scooted and eighty walked. A fantastic effort.

In Victoria Ride2School day is coordinated by Bicycle Network Victoria with support and funding from the state government.

Participation in National Ride2School Day is part of Gannawarra Shire Council’s healthy lifestyles priority area and strengthens and promotes a partnership approach to address health and wellbeing issues at a local level.

Ride2School Kerang Primary School

Students from Kerang Primary School joined over 300,000 school students from across Victoria either riding, scooting, skating or walking to school this morning as part of National Ride2School Day.

Lots of decorated bikes and scooters added colour to Friday morning assembly where students, teachers, parents and visitors joined in singing the National Anthem and applauding students who received rewards for positive behaviour.

Following assembly students divided into three groups and participated in Ride2School activities.

An obstacle course allowed students to learn and demonstrate road safety rules like wearing a helmet, leaving a safe stopping distance between riders and how to move with the bike by weaving around safety cones. Students also experienced different riding surfaces like asphalt, sand and grass.

Cr. Brian Gibson and Council’s community health team participated in the obstacle course and spoke to students about the importance of getting out in the sunshine and fresh air and being physically active. Riding bikes, walking, scooting or skating are great ways to get out and about in the community and how to be safe and sensible on the roads were important take home messages for the students.

Police officer Chris talked about bike safety with another group while the final group enjoyed watching a locally produced You Tube video on bike safety at the Kerang Skate Park and also the correct way to wear a helmet.

Toothbrush and toothpaste pack prizes were awarded to students from each year level for the best decorated bike or for the way in which they demonstrated road safety and leadership on their bikes. Prize winners were: Beau Roberts and Kai Roberts – Prep, Aleeyah Wilkinson and Jaxson Neil – Grade 1, Phoenix Freeman – Grade 2, Hannah Gardner – Grade 3, Bridie McNeish – Grade 4, Kylah Clapham – Grade 5 and Hunter Hein – Grade 6.

Ride2School finished at Kerang Primary School with Fresh Fruit Friday where students enjoyed platters of fruit and vegetables like banana, orange, red and green capsicum, celery, cucumber and carrot. Council provided students with an apple each to enjoy crunching on throughout the day.

Ride2School Day Kerang South Primary School

National Ride2School Day kicked off early with Kerang South Primary School students participating in a traffic safety day on Wednesday March 11, 2015.

Students learnt how to cross at designated school crossings under the watchful eye of the School Crossing Supervisor. There were lessons around Stop, Look, Listen, Think followed by a visit from the local police.

Constable Annie showed students the features of the police van and spoke about police being approachable if children needed assistance. There was also advice about being safe on the roads by riding with a bigger person, wearing a well-fitted helmet and being sensible. The students had lots of stories and questions for Constable Annie.

Council’s community health team encouraged students to get actively to school everyday whether this be through riding, scooting, skating or walking to either school or the school bus.

Children received an apple from Councillor Brian Gibson who is also a local policeman. Cr. Gibson said that Council wanted all children to be safe on the roads and being involved in Ride2School day is a great way for Council to work in partnership with local primary schools to promote road safety as well as the importance of healthy lifestyles.

Ride2School will continue at Kerang South Primary School on Friday when children learn how to maintain their bikes so that they are ‘road safe’.