ALL ABOARD THE WALKING SCHOOL BUS!
Walking School Bus
Community
People Get Ready!
There’s room for ALL to get on board!
A Walking School Bus is defined as a group of students walking to school with one or more adult leaders. It can be as informal as two families taking turns walking with students to school or as structured as an established walking route with designated “stops”/meeting points, a timetable, and a schedule of trained volunteers.
The Us Bus
Arlington’s inter-generational Walking School Bus, known as the “Us Bus,” pairs adult volunteers of all ages with elementary schoolers who live in the one-mile walk zone to help students walk safely to school.
Established in 2021 through a unique Arlington County partnership among the Commission on Aging’s Age-Friendly Arlington Initiative, Arlington County’s 55+ Program, WalkArlington, and Virginia Safe Routes to School and a successful pilot with Oakridge Elementary School in Spring 2022, the Us Bus is making tracks and getting noticed!
CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell – “Walking School Bus Grows in Popularity”
AETV Crosswalks – “Oakridge Walking School Bus
WalkArlington – “Get on Board the Walking School Bus”
Patch – “Walking School Bus Plans Route Expansion in New School Year”
Us Bus Expansion
Thanks to a grant from the Arlington Community Foundation and support from community organizations like Civic Associations, elementary school PTAs, the Healthy Communities Action Team, Arlington Housing Corporation, and Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing, the Us Bus is taking steps to expand to other schools and neighborhoods around the County.
But the Us Bus needs adult volunteer “drivers,” student “passengers” and
community “fuel” to make it go!
How can you help?
- Do you know Arlington families who might want to join the Us Bus?
- Do you know Arlington adults who might want to lead the Us Bus?
- Do you want more information on the Walking School Bus in Arlington?
If you’re interested in finding out more about Arlington Walking School Buses and the inter-generational Us Bus program, complete this CONTACT FORM and we’ll be in touch!