Millburn-Short Hills Schools Earn Safe Routes To School Gold

MILLBURN, NJ - Three Short Hills and four Millburn schools achieved Gold status in the May 2019 New Jersey Safe Routes to School program.

The NJ Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a statewide initiative to enable and encourage students to safely walk and bicycle to school. According to their website, the SRTS mission is to empower and assist communities with identifying issues, creating partnerships and implementing projects and programs to encourage walking and biking to and from school as a safe, daily activity.

The Short Hills schools that earned the gold status:

• Deerfield Elementary School School
• Glenwood Elementary School School
• Hartshorn Elementary School School

The Millburn schools that earned the gold status:

• Millburn Middle School School
• South Mountain Elementary School School
• Washington School School
• Wyoming Elementary School School

Municipalities and schools (public, private, orcharter) are recognized for their commitment and support of the Safe Routes to School program. Recipients are presented with a certificate or award depending on the level of recognition as well as listing and promotion on the NJ SRTS website.

For schools to achieve gold status they must:

• Complete a nomination form online
• Identify a SRTS champion
• Complete First Step achievements
• Endorsement letter from school or district
• Hold at least two SRTS programs or events
• Implement one active transportation best practice
• Complete one higher level SRTS project
• Bikeability or walkability assessment
• School-wide Student Travel Mode Tallies
• Hold two SRTS programs, events or active transportation
• best practice
• Ongoing year-round active travel program
• Show ongoing support from PTA, PTO, School Wellness Council,
• Green Team, etc.
• Complete one higher level SRTS project
• School Travel Plan
• Adopt a supportive SRTS policy
• An innovative project subject to approval

According to officials, Safe Routes to School projects can involve physical improvements to the environment, as well as encouragement programs to promote more walking and bicycling to and from school.

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