How far do your kids walk to school?

[disneyfans95]

1.5 miles.. Walk

Really why all the fuss?? Yeah yeah, I will say it at this point. Heli.. ack no, can't say it.......

 

[Hannathy]

At our elementary schools children are allowed on the playground 20 minutes before the bell. They must stay on the playground till the bell rings.

No one goes inside unless it is colder than -15 (used to be -20) or it is a torrential downpour, then they mass them in the gym.

Middle school is the same. High school I think you can go in earlier.

 

[Hrhpd]

Well, I did mean middle school or older. Still, that's pretty draconian -- how on earth do they safely do all of the drop-offs/unloads in under 15 minutes? Does everyone have to park until the buzzer sounds and then shove the kids out, LOL? I can't imagine it myself; the police would never allow that kind of traffic backup on the streets around the school near me when it is entirely preventable; the local residents would riot over not being able to get out to get to work.

At our grade schools, the driveway gate is opened 30 minutes before first bell; the walking gate is always open during daylight hours. The kids are lining up with their classmates 15 minutes before first bell; the teachers are standing on the line numbers at that point. When first bell rings the lines walk, and by second bell the students must be in the classrooms and seated; otherwise they have to be processed as tardy.

With older kids I really don't see how it's that much of an issue, surely a group of them can wait right outside the gate on the sidewalk for 15 minutes without wandering into traffic or killing one another? If violence is a problem, then I would think that a guard should be in place.

Then they should just allow the children to walk or bike. 2 miles is nothing for a middle/high school child.

Our traffic is well managed, thank you very much. There is a well orchestrated drop and go lane.

If parents do arrive earlier, yes, they would have to park in the parking lot and wait until their child was allowed on school grounds.

I would much rather have our teachers planning their day before school than playing babysitter because overly concerned parents can't let their middle school/high school children walk to school.

It is not the school's problem if parents cannot work out carpools or someway to get their child to school within the 15 minute time period.

Our district does not seem to have any problems with parents being able to work within that time frame and to do it quickly and efficiently.

 

[Coconut36]

Well, I did mean middle school or older. Still, that's pretty draconian -- how on earth do they safely do all of the drop-offs/unloads in under 15 minutes? Does everyone have to park until the buzzer sounds and then shove the kids out, LOL? I can't imagine it myself; the police would never allow that kind of traffic backup on the streets around the school near me when it is entirely preventable; the local residents would riot over not being able to get out to get to work.

At our grade schools, the driveway gate is opened 30 minutes before first bell; the walking gate is always open during daylight hours. The kids are lining up with their classmates 15 minutes before first bell; the teachers are standing on the line numbers at that point. When first bell rings the lines walk, and by second bell the students must be in the classrooms and seated; otherwise they have to be processed as tardy.

With older kids I really don't see how it's that much of an issue, surely a group of them can wait right outside the gate on the sidewalk for 15 minutes without wandering into traffic or killing one another? If violence is a problem, then I would think that a guard should be in place.

Schools in our district regardless of age do not open more than 15 minutes before so even for the older kids it's 15 minutes. Plenty of parents manage it just fine

 

[QVCshopper]

Yup. This is the reason why I have started calling the school district transportation office and giving the exact address of any house I'm interested in. We looked at one recently, thinking it went to a elementary school 1 mile away, only to find out that it went to one at least 6+ miles away--which means a much longer bus ride. We ended up not even bidding, despite it being a nice house--because it backed up into a highway.

Anyway, good luck with your kids. I'd started talking to your neighbors with kids to see what they do.

 

[Coconut36]

At our elementary schools children are allowed on the playground 20 minutes before the bell. They must stay on the playground till the bell rings.

No one goes inside unless it is colder than -15 (used to be -20) or it is a torrential downpour, then they mass them in the gym.

Middle school is the same. High school I think you can go in earlier.

This used to be how my kids school worked (although 15 minutes on the playground vs 20) but this year they completely eliminated the playground time before school and they just have to go straight to their rooms and line up. No so thrilled with it..I know it was "only" 15 minutes but I think it was valuable time especially for the younger ones to get their energy out before sitting for hours on end.

 

[ZachnElli]

Here it is if you live less than 4 miles, you must find your own way to school, age doesn't matter. No, that is not a typo, 4 miles! The closest elem. school (.7 miles from my house) got overcrowded and our neighborhood got shifted to a new elem. school 2 miles away. The only way to get to the new school from our house is a very busy 6 lane highway! I was NOT happy with the boundary change! My DD made the walk from the older elementary school, but I drive my youngest (2nd grade this year) to the new one. We do have the option to pay for bussing, it's $65 a month for both ways and all grades ride the same bus (K-12).

 

[daisyduck123]

First, I'm wondering who is watching your baby? Could that person drive (pay them extra $$ pf course) your kids each day to/from school?


Otherwise, I would be introducing myself to the neighbors TODAY & asking any/all of them if I could pay them to do it (providing they have kids at the same school).

Last choice...my kids would be walking. What else can you do?

 

[paintnolish]

A friend is watching my baby, but she lives all the way on the other side of town (DH kind of passes her house on his way out of town), and she has to drop her own kids off (private school, no busses) at a time that conflicts with my kids' drop off time.
We could drop the kids off at school early on our way out of town, but I don't know what to do with them after school.
I emailed the principal yesterday, though, because the rule states that if you live 1.5 miles or more from school, you are entitled to bus service. I consulted several online maps and used them to calculate walking distance. They came back with 1.5-1.6 miles, depending on the route. DH is going to walk it with a pedometer, too, to see how long it takes and how many miles it is. The transportation department said their "software" says our house is 1.32 miles away. Well, isn't that convenient?

 

[aprilgail2]

I would see if your kids could go to school where you teach. I know here schools will waiver tution for students if there parents work for the school systems

You might have to find a daycare that picks up from the schools.

Daycare for junior high school kids? After 5th grade here there is no more after school care, kids are on their own.

Very much not the case here. Gates open 15 minutes prior to school starting. If you drop your child off before that time they are milling around outside school and there is ZERO staff outside..only supervision occurs once gates open.

wow that is nuts. Our school here are open about an hour before school starts, kids can go in and sit in the auditorium if they want to or hang out outside if they want. They have to open the doors early for the clubs that are before school and also for before school detentions!

Our buses are for kids that live at least 1/2 mile away from school- there is no way I would have my child walk a mile and a half each way all year long, in the rain, snow etc. If there were no buses I would pay someone to drive her.

 

[TJ's Mom]

I emailed the principal yesterday, though, because the rule states that if you live 1.5 miles or more from school, you are entitled to bus service. I consulted several online maps and used them to calculate walking distance. They came back with 1.5-1.6 miles, depending on the route. DH is going to walk it with a pedometer, too, to see how long it takes and how many miles it is. The transportation department said their "software" says our house is 1.32 miles away. Well, isn't that convenient?

Our district is 2 miles as the bird flies. So if it is 2.2 miles but the direct line is 1.9 miles, the kids would not get a bus. I wonder if that is what your district is doing to calculate.

 

[paintnolish]

Our district is 2 miles as the bird flies. So if it is 2.2 miles but the direct line is 1.9 miles, the kids would not get a bus. I wonder if that is what your district is doing to calculate.

That could be, but when my kids learn to fly, I'll buy that as a valid way to calculate!

 

[TJ's Mom]

That could be, but when my kids learn to fly, I'll buy that as a valid way to calculate!

Agreed! And they don't get frequent flyer miles either....

 

[Sgt Mickey]

5 miles each way, uphill both ways. Oh wait, that is what my parents claimed.

.

You forgot in the snow.

 

[disykat]

Find a spot that is convenient for you to drop them off that it 1/2 -3/4 a mile from their school. Drop them and head to school. Their now shorter walk should put them at school closer to the bell when the school is open. Let them walk home or to a spot they can hang out until you can pick them up.

 

[deegack]

Our school district only provides busing to special needs kids and even then not all of them qualify. The middle school is pretty much in the middle of town so not too bad. The high school however is at the edge of town in top of a big hill. The elementary school dds will go to is about a mile from our house. There are crossing guards at some of the streets.
I am sure once school starts there will be groups of students walking together. It not like they are wandering the back country.

 

[Jedana]

The school says if kids are under 2 miles (for elementary), they have to walk or be driven--no buses. Only special needs kids can be bused.

We are 1.9 miles from the school--not a direct line, but the route the kids should take to school. (However, they cut through a neighborhood right by the school, and go in through a gate in the fence, cutting off almost .5 mile.)

So my son rides his bike to and from school. If it's bad weather, I keep him home. (We only have one car, that DH uses to get back and forth to work, 30 minutes away. It would cost another 2 tanks of gas if I drove him to work early, then back to the school, back home, then up to pick up DS and then home, and then back out to pick up DH and then come home. Way too much driving.)

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

Our school calculates distance using google maps or something similar that looks at driving distance. We live on the edge of a park, and right by an elevated bike/walking path, so this benefits us. Our local elementary school is probably 1/3 of a mile if you walk right across the park, but if you drive around it and go the right way on all the one way streets it must be over a mile because the kids get the bus. Similarly, the walk to my son's middle school is probably 1.2 miles, with 2 streets to cross the whole way, but over 2 if you drive so we get the bus there too.

OP, is there a listserve for the school that you could join and ask? I'd be fine with my kid walking 1.5 miles, but if you aren't, perhaps posting an inquiry would lead to another mom offering to drive for a small payment, or a solution you hadn't thought of. Or maybe other parents in the same boat will join you in asking for more transparency in how they calculate the distance. Or perhaps there's someone who lives .2 miles away in the opposite direction who would allow your kids to walk to their bus stop and get on there.

Also, is there a health need with your 60 lb 12 year old? If so, you can request transportation as part of a 504 plan.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

The school says if kids are under 2 miles (for elementary), they have to walk or be driven--no buses. Only special needs kids can be bused.

We are 1.9 miles from the school--not a direct line, but the route the kids should take to school. (However, they cut through a neighborhood right by the school, and go in through a gate in the fence, cutting off almost .5 mile.)

So my son rides his bike to and from school. If it's bad weather, I keep him home. (We only have one car, that DH uses to get back and forth to work, 30 minutes away. It would cost another 2 tanks of gas if I drove him to work early, then back to the school, back home, then up to pick up DS and then home, and then back out to pick up DH and then come home. Way too much driving.)

Would it cost 2 tanks of gas to do this every day or just on the days when the weather is so bad you won't let him walk or bike?

 

[cornflake]

A friend is watching my baby, but she lives all the way on the other side of town (DH kind of passes her house on his way out of town), and she has to drop her own kids off (private school, no busses) at a time that conflicts with my kids' drop off time.
We could drop the kids off at school early on our way out of town, but I don't know what to do with them after school.
I emailed the principal yesterday, though, because the rule states that if you live 1.5 miles or more from school, you are entitled to bus service. I consulted several online maps and used them to calculate walking distance. They came back with 1.5-1.6 miles, depending on the route. DH is going to walk it with a pedometer, too, to see how long it takes and how many miles it is. The transportation department said their "software" says our house is 1.32 miles away. Well, isn't that convenient?

If you can drop them off early then they why can't they just walk home?

Here mostly everyone walks or sometimes takes public transit so this whole thing is foreign to me, I admit, but I don't get why walking is so bad?