Well done to Whangaparaoa School TravelWise Team for working hard this year on a number of initiatives to encourage wise and safe travel to our school. They earned a GOLD award at the recent TravelWise Celebration for Auckland Schools.

The team helped to organise and run activities like wheels day, Winter walking, ‘Valet Parking’ at the drop off zone, Slow down around schools campaign, Road Safety Week, TravelWise games at lunchtimes, Speed Camera checks around the school. 

Well done to those who think about their travel to and from school and are able to make wise and healthy choices. We realise not everyone can walk, bike, bus, carpool, or park and walk, but maybe your family could try one of these once a week to start some healthy habits for your children. Let’s see if we can get a ‘greener’ pie chart next year!

Have to drive? Why not park at Manly Park or the far side of Edith Hopper Park, and walk to school from there? Then your kids will get to experience the benefits of walking too.

Benefits of walking:

• It’s free

• Road Safety Skills - Getting children walking from a young age is an investment for life, developing road awareness in time for independent walking as a teenager and creating good habits for an active life as an adult.

• It’s sociable – children love walking with their friends, especially on the journey to school

• It makes them feel good – the exercise makes them feel calmer and happier and it improves their concentration, making it easier to focus in school

• It’s fun and interesting – you get to notice things along the way and meet people in your neighborhood