Six primary schools across the Gannawarra Shire are
participating in this year’s program with students encouraged to ride, walk,
skate or scoot to and from school, or the school bus.
Other schools participating are Quambatook Group School,
Kerang Primary School, Kerang South Primary School, Cohuna Consolidated Primary
School and St. Mary’s Primary School Cohuna.
The Ride2School Program is an initiative of the Bicycle
Network with more than 2,000 schools across Australia registered to take part
in Friday’s National Ride2School Day and more than 350,000 students expected
to ride, walk, scoot or skate to school.
The Ride2School program promotes the importance of children being Active and Healthy in their communities and fitting at least 60 minutes of physical activity into their daily lives. Getting actively to school, the school bus, or while at school not only helps keep children fit and healthy, it also helps them to stay alert, to concentrate and improves learning outcomes.
The Ride2School program promotes the importance of children being Active and Healthy in their communities and fitting at least 60 minutes of physical activity into their daily lives. Getting actively to school, the school bus, or while at school not only helps keep children fit and healthy, it also helps them to stay alert, to concentrate and improves learning outcomes.
Murrabit was selected to launch the Gannawarra Ride2School
program due to its long-term commitment to incorporating a formal Bike
Education program into the annual school curriculum. Bike education teaches
children important road safety information, builds children’s confidence and
responsibility for road use and also enables children to put these skills into
practice riding around their communities.
As a special reward, every second year students from years
3-6 participate in a 68 kilometre bike ride spread over two days. A number of
parents support the bike education program and act as the support crew on the
bike ride.
Cr. Oscar Aertssen launched a Murrabit Group School Get Active Statement demonstrating a local
partnership approach between schools, Gannawarra Shire Council and partner
agencies to supporting every child to have a great start to life.
The Statement is a partnership project between Council,
Northern District Community Health, Kerang District Health, Cohuna District
Hospital, Mallee District Aboriginal Service, VicPolice and the Southern Mallee
Primary Care Partnership. All primary schools in the Gannawarra Shire have been
asked to contribute to a Get Active Statement for their own school and are at
varying stages of consideration.
Murrabit School Principal, Neil Hopkins, said that he had no
hesitation in adopting the Get Active Statement as it supports Murrabit Group
School’s commitment to incorporating physical activity within the school
curriculum. He said that primary school students who are supported and encouraged
to develop their fitness during their primary school years are more likely to continue
to keep fit and healthy though to adulthood and beyond. Learning outcomes are also improved when students
are healthy and well.
Students then watched the Gannawarra Ride2School Media Clip
which highlights the four key messages Stop, Look, Listen and Think and
demonstrates how to check a bike using the ABC method – Air, Brakes and Chains.
This clip was developed in partnership with three local primary schools in 2015
after the Gannawarra Shire Council successfully secured one of two Bicycle
Network Victoria grants available across Victoria.
School leaders, Alistair and John, assisted by Jessie and
Kate, demonstrated how to fit a helmet correctly and how to check a bike to
ensure that it is ‘road safe’.
Students then headed outside for
their daily fitness routine before enjoying a healthy fruit and vegetable snack
and heading off to class.
Ride2School
is a Bicycle Network initiative. For more information about
the Ride2School program or National Ride2School Day visit https://www.bicyclenetwork.com.au/general/programs/179/
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