Now that winter is here it is time to recap the SK-Safe Routes to School fall activities. This season has been a whirlwind of activity, and we look forward to share what we have done and have worked toward during the past few months. The start of the 2025-2026 school year marks the beginning of Bicycle Safety Education and Learn to Ride instruction at eight Salem-Keizer Public Schools. Fall term also indicates that it is go-time for our biggest walk to school event of the year, Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day.
Bicycle Safety Education and Learn to Ride
We are particularly excited to announce that SK-SRTS and Salem-Keizer Public Schools (SKPS) have entered a two-year commitment to integrate Bicycle Safety Education (BSE) and Learn to Ride (LTR) into PE classes. This agreement will enable thousands more students to gain exposure to bicycle safety, fostering greater independence and mobility. The Bicycle Safety Education program equips students in grades 3 to 5 with essential skills for safely navigating their roads. Meanwhile, the Learn to Ride initiative focuses on grades K to 2, emphasizing comfort and proficiency on bicycles.
To prepare the school district for such a huge commitment, we collaborated with Cycle Oregon to train every PE teacher in the Jump Start Walk and Roll Curriculum. Now, no matter what school we go to, our PE teachers will be armed with the right tools to teach their students how to ride a bike safely to school. Thanks to the school districts dedication, BSE started earlier than any other year previously. We have already completed education at two schools, reaching over 650 students. For many of these students it was their first time learning to ride a bike. Whether these students had ridden bikes before, or learned for the first time, every student learned valuable skills that they can take with them to keep them safe on the roads.
For the past three years Cycle Oregon has graciously loaned us their fleet of bikes. However, it is time for their bikes to support other schools and enrich more students’ lives. We are actively seeking funding to establish our own fleet, including bikes, trailers, helmets, cones, chalk, signs, tools, and cleaning materials. While it is taking a while to find exactly the right equipment for our students, we are on track to have our own fleet of bikes early in 2026.
Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day
As our premier event of the year, Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day presents many logistical challenges. Since planning wrapped up to the night before the event; we were sprinting to the finish line. Despite difficulties, the event itself exceeded expectations. 2025 marked our first Ruby Bridges event after the passing of Senate Bill 450, which designates Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day as a state holiday. In recognition of this monumental milestone, we partnered with SKPS Office of Student Equity, Access, and Advancement to help increase our outreach to the schools. With their help, this year’s Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day was the most successful yet. We had 11 schools sign up to host a walk that we were able to support. This year, many of these schools organized pre-education events aimed at providing students with historical context regarding the significance of this walk. These events featured black community members, parents, and SKPS staff reading Ruby Bridges’ books to students. Afterward, students were encouraged to ask the guest speakers questions, offering insight into the importance of Ruby Bridges’ walk on November 14th. The future of this event holds tremendous potential. More schools sign up every year, and with the implementation of pre-education days, we anticipate that almost every elementary school in the district will find a way to engage in this meaningful holiday.
