Bikes in Schools - FINALLY!

Well, after YEARS of preparation and funding proposals, our 'Bikes in Schools' programme is finally here.  We managed to fundraise $60,000 to pay for this programme to be in our school, and the facility to be open to our community.
Bikes in schools offer our students an opportunity to learn about road safety on bikes and encourages a healthy, active lifestyle.  Over the last 6 weeks we have had our tracks designed and built, a storage container modified and fitted for over 50 bikes, and we've purchased 50 bikes in a range of sizes to suit our students. 

Having bikes in school has had a huge impact on our students playground activity.

Before we had our track, there would be an average of 5 students who would ride bikes to school in the morning.  Since the track was finished on day one of this term, we average 15 students bringing their own bikes to school.  We always thought our students were pretty active, always participating in games on the field or on the courts.  But, having bikes in the playground has taken participation up another notch.
Students who have their own bikes are free to ride them at break times and students who don't are able to ride the school bikes when their class is rostered to ride on our bike timetable.  Every week, each class is rostered a lesson time and a break time.  There are blank blocks of time on our timetable also, so anyone who wishes to get in an extra session in during the week, is welcome to book one by writing their block time on the staff message board.

We are also very fortunate to have 2 satellite classes in our school with 10 beautiful students with special needs.  Our school is next door to Sommerville special school.  We have rostered our satellite classes and Sommerville to also use the tracks and bikes.  Part of the programme implementation was bike training for teachers from Auckland Transport.  All teachers, including Teacher Aides, have participated in the PLD, and this has also been extended to Sommerville.  It's all very exciting! 
Teachers on duty, and those whose class have the bikes at breaktimes also get out on the track with their students.  We included 2 teacher bikes in our bike collection.  These bikes are all white and are 'step in' bikes with comfortable seats and mud guards.  Staff joke at how we all look like Mary Poppins on our retro bikes.  Children love to ride with the adults and there is always laughter and fun coming from the tracks at lunchtime and session times.

So, if you were considering bringing bikes in schools to your school, I would highly recommend it.  It doesn't matter what socio-economic background your community come from...there is funding out there if you look for it and have people committed to finding it.  This initiative is one of the best things to happen in our little school and just makes our place that little bit more special!