'Walking school bus' revives an old idea for fitness' sake

LARGO — Before Richard Franklin zipped back down the sidewalk, he leaned on the baby stroller and reflected.

"Last year, I had the road to myself, and now I have to share it with others,'' he joked.

The stay-at-home dad and his sons, Logan, 6, and Rizon, 1, have been joined in their morning walk by 100 other kids and parents during their morning walk to Belcher Elementary.

The school is the first in Pinellas County to take advantage of the "walking school bus" program led by Heart of Largo, an antiobesity initiative funded by Tufts University. The program targets first- through third-graders and their families in the Largo area.

Franklin believes the "walking school bus" is great news.

"I've always been big on walking,'' said Franklin, whose family lives 1 mile from the school. "It's good to see this.''

Parents and community partners guide the children down the streets to arrive safely at school.

"One parent will walk a group of kids one block, and then a second one will take over the next block,'' said Megan Carmichael, coordinator of Heart of Largo. "Just think, the more families are able to walk their kids into the school, the more it cuts down on the car loop lane, builds a stronger, safer community and also helps increase physical activity."

Organizations in the area are encouraged to help out by providing parking space for families that need to drive part of the way between home and school. So far, Temple B'nai Israel is temporarily allowing its south parking lot to be used by families testing out the program.

In the coming weeks, Belcher students should be able to return home using the walking school bus, but more parking space is needed, Carmichael said.

Pam Easley, assistant principal at Belcher Elementary, thinks the program is a big help, particularly with the school district's move away from the choice program and to neighborhood schools. Fewer buses are needed.

"Last year, nine school buses dropped off students," said Easley, who has been at the school for 21/2 years. "This year, we have only four buses, so 400 kids are arriving different ways, by either walking, riding bikes or being dropped off. This program helps out.''

The school has 687 students.

The joint project at Belcher Elementary was set in motion at the end of the 2008-09 school year.

Carmichael said she sent e-mail to the nine principals in the Largo area and that Easley responded within a day.

"Belcher Elementary is always willing to step up and try something new,'' Carmichael said.

With three daughters ranging in age from 8 to 14, Dawn Pasqualone has been dropping off children at Belcher since 1999. For the first time in a decade, she's arriving at Belcher in the morning in walking shoes.

"I am now walking Shelby, who is 8 in third grade,'' said Pasqualone, whose family makes the 1-mile trek from their home in Clearwater. "I didn't realize that if I managed my time better, walking is quicker than going through car lines. After all these years, I make it to work by 9 a.m.''