By Mikayla van Loon
Getting to ride to school has many benefits for primary school students, something St Richard’s in Kilsyth likes to encourage when it can.
That’s why National Ride2School Day is a major event for the primary school.
Deputy principal and wellbeing leader Rudy Vail said the school started taking part in the event three years ago because it fit with the school’s other health and wellbeing programs.
“It was an excellent opportunity for us to try to encourage children to ride to school where possible,” he said.
“To have this one day of the year as a real focus where we let the school community know the significance of a healthy lifestyle and you could achieve that by riding to school. We encourage students to ride to school on that day with the hope that in the long term we’d have kids riding more often.”
Mr Vail said although the wellbeing benefits are a focus for the school, it is also about teaching the children road safety and responsibility.
“The health benefits are a really big, important thing but that responsibility is also a really significant part.
“We encourage parents, if their kids are going to ride to school, make sure they’re familiar with how to get to school and all of the major crossings, so there’s that aspect of road safety that we’re trying to encourage them to be aware of.”
By taking part in the Ride2School day Mr Vail said it allows the students to have a sense of independence.
“If we can get some of the older children every once in a while riding to school that would be great for their own independence and for their own learning.”
With the outbreak of the pandemic, Mr Vail said he did notice some students retreat to using technology and rightly so when they couldn’t do much else but he hopes the event on 25 March will reactivate the desire to be outside.
“A lot of them have been locked down and isolated and they haven’t been outside playing and they haven’t been outside riding bikes.
“We’ve noticed that probably people are spending more time indoors and on technology. Part of our total wellbeing program is not only the physical side but the mental side and we teach that through such aspects of meditation.”
St Richard’s Primary School makes a whole day of the Ride2School initiative, starting at Elizabeth Bridge Reserve where students get to meet before being guided to the school grounds ready to start the day.
Throughout the day each year level will also get a designated time to ride around the school to encourage that extra physical activity.
Mr Vail said for some students riding to school can be daunting but it can be a great way to gain confidence, independence and share in some fun with friends.
“Some children don’t want to miss out or they don’t want to not be a part of the Ride2School day because all their mates are going but when they actually get on a bike and they have some fun, that really ignites a new passion.”
