Back to School resources

Welcome back to school!

Have you thought about how you are traveling to school? The decisions we make everyday have a collective impact on our health, community, and planet. Our actions matter. Walking, rolling, and riding around the city are great ways to care for each other and our climate. It doesn't take much to shape a better future for everyone and together, we can shape a better future for Portland.

• Help reduce traffic around your school and promote clean air; walk, bike, take transit, or carpool whenever you can.
• If your family is getting to school by car, remember to drive carefully and look out for kids crossing the street.
• No matter how your family gets to school, be sure to obey all traffic laws and road signs.
• Be aware of your surroundings and take it slow as you travel to school.

Continue reading to learn about all the resources Safe Routes to School is offering to students and families to plan their trip to school and get there safely.

SmartTrips to Schools

SmartTrips to Kindergarten and SmartTrips to Middle School are Safe Routes to School programs that help families with kindergartners and 6th grade students build skills, knowledge, and habits to get to and from school confidently and safely. We share tips, tricks, and prizes to promote safe travel during important transitional milestones. 

Tips for feeling prepared 

Planning ahead reduces stress. Start planning your school trip now to limit first-day jitters. Get the resources you need to roll into your new year confidently! 

• Try your route before the first day
  • We recommend trying your route before school starts, especially if you're attending a new campus. If you have time, try different routes and compare what feels best and most comfortable.  
• Get back on a sleep schedule
  • Take it one day at a time and adjust your child's sleep schedule incrementally by 15 minutes every day in the weeks leading up to going back to school. Check out the Sleep Foundation's Back to School Sleep Tips for more information about good bedtime routines, back to school sleep hygiene tips, and more!
• Leave early the first week of school
  • Give yourself plenty of time to work out the kinks when returning to your school routine. Leaving early allows for some breathing room if the morning doesn't go as planned.
• Make a checklist
  • Create a short checklist of things your student needs each morning for school (backpack, lunch, sports equipment, etc.). Post it by the door or somewhere visible so everyone can see. 
• Get ready the night before
  • Lay out everything you need to get to school the next day.
• Be mindful and prioritize mental and physical health
  • Back to school can bring stress. Make time to rest. Spend some time outside and do things that make you feel energized and inspired. Exercise regularly, avoid too many extracurricular activities, limit napping, and avoid caffeine. Listen to Portland teens talk mental health and therapy access on @the_allinyourheadpodcast. 

Route planning

Find maps and other helpful stuff — plus some fun videos we like about active transportation! Start planning your school commute now and get the resources you need to make it a great first day back!

Try your route

Safe Routes to School suggests that you and your family try your route before school starts in different ways. Walking, biking, taking transit, and carpooling all help increase safety and reduce traffic and greenhouse gas emissions around schools. 

Walking

Walking is a great way to get to school and get some fresh air and exercise along the way. Did you know that Multnomah County Libraries have free bike and walk maps available? Pick one up to see which routes to school will work for you. Bonus: walking is the ultimate earth-friendly way to get around!

Caminar es una excelente forma de llegar a la escuela, respirar un poco de aire fresco y hacer ejercicio durante el camino. ¿Sabía que las librerías del condado de Multnomah tienen mapas disponibles para peatones y ciclistas? Pida uno para que revise qué ruta hacia la escuela es la que más le conviene. Ventaja: caminar es la actual forma de traslado menos dañina para el planeta. 

Ходьба — полезное упражнение и прекрасный способ подышать свежим воздухом по пути в школу. Знаете ли вы, что в округе Малтнома предлагаются бесплатные карты велосипедных и пешеходных маршрутов? Возьмите такую карту и найдите подходящие для вас маршруты передвижения в школу. Дополнительная польза: ходьба — самый экологически сознательный способ передвижения!  

步行上学可以沿路呼吸新鲜空气，也能达到运动的目的。您知道 Multnomah 县提供免费的自行车及步行路线地图吗？请拿取一份来了解哪些路线最适合您。更棒的是：步行是对地球最友善的交通方式！ 

Đi bộ là một cách tuyệt vời để đến trường và hít thở không khí trong lành cũng như tập thể dục trên đường đi. Quý vị có biết rằng Các Thư viện Quận Multnomah có sẵn bản đồ đi bộ và đạp xe miễn phí không? Hãy lấy một tấm bản đồ để xem những tuyến đường đến trường phù hợp với quý vị. Gợi ý bổ sung: đi bộ là cách đi lại thân thiện nhất với trái đất!  

• Bike and walk maps
• Portland Walking Guide
• Starting a walking school bus
• Pedestrian safety tips
• Request printed transportation resources (including walk maps, walking guides, and safety information)

Biking, skating, and scooting

Get ready to head back to school by taking a bike ride to campus before school starts. Check out this online Portland bike map to find the route that's right for you. Or ask for a free bike map at one of Portland's bike shops. Bicycling is a great way to get some exercise every day and reduce climate impact.

Prepárese para regresar a clases y haga un recorredo en bicicleta hasta el campus antes de que inicien las clases. Revise la página portlandbikemap.com para encontrar la ruta que le corresponda o pida un mapa para ciclistas gratuito en alguna de las tiendas de bicicletas de Portland. Andar en bicicleta es una excelente forma de hacer un poco de ejercicio todos los días y reducir el impacto climático. 

Подготовьтесь к возвращению в школу заранее, проехав к ней на велосипеде перед началом занятий. Найдите свой маршрут на сайте portlandbikemap.com или возьмите бесплатную карту велосипедных маршрутов в одном из пунктов аренды велосипедов в Портленде. Поездка на велосипеде — полезное ежедневное упражнение и способ уменьшить наше воздействие на климат. 

让我们在开学前就先试行您的骑车上学路线，来为新学年做好准备。请造访我们 portlandbikemap.com 网站来寻找您的路线，或是在波特兰市大部分的自行车店拿取一份免费的自行车路线地图。骑自行车不但可以达到运动的目的，还能降低您对气候的影响。 Chuẩn bị sẵn sàng cho việc trở lại trường học bằng cách thử đạp xe đến trường trước khi các lớp học bắt đầu. Hãy truy cập portlandbikemap.com để tìm tuyến đường của quý vị hoặc lấy bản đồ đạp xe miễn phí tại hầu hết các cửa hàng xe đạp ở Portland. Đạp xe là một cách tuyệt vời để tập thể dục trong ngày và giảm thiểu tác động của quý vị đến khí hậu. 

• Bike and walk maps
• Portland Family Biking Guide
• Starting a bike train (also known as a "bike bus")
• Bike theft and how to prevent it
• Bringing your bike on public transit
• Places to bike, skate, and scoot in Portland

• Request printed transportation resources (including bike maps, biking guides, and safety information)

Riding transit

Riding transit helps reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions. Even just one or two transit trips a week makes a difference. Check out Google Maps or TriMet trip planner to plan out your route to school by bus, Portland Streetcar, or MAX. 

Utilizar el transporte público ayuda a reducir la congestion vehicular y las emisiones de carbono. Incluso uno o dos recorridos a la semana en el transporte público marca la direrencia. Revise en Google Maps o en el nuevo planeador de recorridos en línea TriMet para planificar su ruta hacia la escuela en autobús o MAX. 

Поездки на городском транспорте способствуют уменьшению плотности дорожного движения и объема выбросов углерода. Полезны даже одна или две поездки на городском транспорте в неделю. Сверяйтесь с картами Google Maps или с новым приложением TriMet для планирования поездок, чтобы определить маршрут своих поездок автобусом или поездом MAX. 

搭乘大众运输工具可以降低路上壅塞及碳排放。就算一星期只搭乘大众运输工具一次或两次，也能帮助减量。上网查询 Google 地图或使用新的 Trimet 路线产生器来计划您的公车或 MAX (轻轨) 路线。

Sử dụng phương tiện công cộng giúp giảm tắc nghẽn giao thông và lượng khí thải carbon. Thậm chí chỉ một hoặc hai chuyến đi bằng phương tiện công cộng một tuần cũng tạo ra sự khác biệt. Xem Google Maps hoặc công cụ lập kế hoạch chuyến đi TriMet mới để lên kế hoạch cho tuyến đường đến trường của quý vị bằng xe buýt hoặc MAX. 

• Tools for planning your transit route
• What to know for your first transit trip
• How to buy and use TriMet Youth Fare (reduced fare for youth ages 7–17 and students in high school (grades 9–12) or pursuing a GED)
• Bringing your bike on public transit

Park-and-walk

Parking a couple blocks from school allows you and your family to get a short walk in and reduces traffic congestion around the school. Give it a try before school starts to get familiar with your route. 

Estacionarse un par de cuadras antes de llegar a la escuela le permite a usted y su familia realizar una caminata corta y así reducir la congestión vehicular cerca de la escuela. Inténtelo antes de que inicien las clases para que se familiarice con la ruta. 

Парковка в паре кварталов от школы позволит вам и вашим близким совершить короткую прогулку пешком и уменьшить плотность дорожного движения вокруг школы. Попробуйте такую парковку прежде, чем привыкнуть к своему маршруту поездки в школу. 

在校区几个街区之外就把车子停妥，可以提供您与孩子有段共同短走的机会，并可改散校区附近交通壅塞的情况。开学前就试试看，这样可以对路线更熟悉。 

Đỗ xe cách trường một vài dãy nhà cho phép quý vị và gia đình quý vị đi bộ một đoạn đường ngắn và giảm thiểu tình trạng tắc nghẽn giao thông gần trường học. Hãy thử trước khi năm học bắt đầu để quen với tuyến đường của quý vị. 

• Park-and-walk
• How to start a park-and-walk

Carpool

Ask your neighbors if they are interested in setting up a school carpool. Carpooling allows you to share driving responsibilities and it helps reduce traffic congestion around the school and greenhouse gas emissions. A win-win! 

Pregúntele a sus vecinos si les interesa organizar traslados hacia la escuela en vehículos compartidos. El traslado en vehículos compartidos le permite compartir las responsabilidades de manejo y también reducir la congestión vehicular cerca de la escuela y las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero. ¡Así, todos salen beneficiados! 

Спросите соседей, заинтересованы ли они в совместном пользовании автомобилем при поездках в школу. Совместное пользование автомобилем позволит вам делиться с другими ответственностью за вождение, а также уменьшать плотность дорожного движения вокруг школы и объем выбросов парниковых газов. Двойная выгода! 

问问邻居是否对共乘上学有兴趣。共乘可以大家分摊开车的责任，也可有助减轻校区附近交通壅塞的状况，降低燃油排放的温室效应。双赢！ 

Hãy hỏi những người hàng xóm xem họ có muốn sắp xếp đi chung xe ở trường không. Đi chung xe cho phép quý vị chia sẻ trách nhiệm lái xe và nó giúp giảm thiểu tình trạng tắc nghẽn giao thông gần trường học và giảm phát thải khí nhà kính. Đôi bên cùng có lợi! 

• Online tool for finding carpool groups to school - SchoolPool 

Creating a safe public space

Street safety is more than just using crosswalks. It's also about how to respond when something uncomfortable or scary happens.

Street harassment trainings

• Right to Be Active Bystander Training
  • We all play a role in creating safe public space by supporting each other when we're harassed.
• Stand Up Against Street Harassment Training
  •  Right to Be and L’Oréal Paris have teamed up to help ensure that nothing gets in the way of our self-worth. They have built tools to help educate and empower us to stand up safely to street harassment. 
• City of Portland's Safe Blocks Program
  • The Safe Blocks Program provides no-cost trainings and services to Portlanders. Trainings range in topics from personal safety to creating fun and safe spaces.

Hate and bias reporting

• ReportHatePDX.com
  • A reporting tool built for and by communities most targeted by hate violence. Coordinated by Coalition of Communities of Color and Portland United Against Hate. 
• StandAgainstHate.Oregon.gov or Non-Emergency Bias Response Hotline: 1-844-924-2427 (BIAS)
  • If you believe you are the victim of a bias crime or incident, we want to hear from you.
    • A bias incident is any hostile expression that may be motivated by another person’s race, color, disability, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
    • A hate crime, known as a bias crime under Oregon law, is any crime where the perpetrator’s motivation is based on bias.
    • Both bias crimes and incidents can be verbal, physical, or visual and can target someone in a protected class, a family member, or even someone incorrectly perceived to be in a protected class.
  • Examples could include:
    • Name calling; using a racial, ethnic, or other slur to identify someone; or using degrading language.
    • Creating racist or derogatory graffiti or images/drawings.
    • Imitating someone with a disability or imitating someone’s cultural norm or practice.
    • Assaulting, injuring, or even touching someone in an offensive manner because of their perceived protected class.
    • Threatening to physically harm a person, their family, or their property based on their perceived protected class.

For more tips and resources, follow Safe Routes on social media! 

Facebook: @PBOTSafeRoutes
Instagram: @saferoutespdx