Walking School Bus Project
ATTENTION: Due to the pandemic the Walking School Bus Programs are not officially running. Feel free to use the maps below if they are helpful for walking to school in the meantime:
- R. Tait McKenzie/Holy Name of Mary – Almonte (Augusta Street Park Route – A.M.)
- Kemptville Public School
- Holy Cross Catholic School
- South Branch/Rivière Rideau Schools – English
- South Branch/Rivière Rideau Schools – French
You can use these helpful resources to support your children to walk to school (or other locations) safely:
- Teaching Children to Walk Safely
- Tips for Walking Through the Seasons
- Tips to Encourage Safe Backpack Use
Walking School Bus Program Information (Not Currently Active due to Pandemic)
Walking School Bus Registration
Almonte Route and Schedule
Kemptville Routes and Schedules
- Kemptville Public School
- Holy Cross Catholic School
- South Branch/Rivière Rideau Schools – English
- South Branch/Rivière Rideau Schools – French
To register your child for the Walking School Bus programs please complete the Walking School Bus Registration Form.
What is a Walking School Bus?
A Walking School Bus is a group of children walking to school under the supervision of a trained adult leader. Like a yellow school bus, the Walking School Bus follows a fixed and safe route with designated “bus stops” and “pick up times”. Walking to school is not only a convenient and fun way for your child to travel to school with their peers, but it also promotes a healthy and active lifestyle.
Walking the Rural Way (Walking School Bus) Project
The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit, with their active school travel partners in Brockville, Smiths Falls and Mississippi Mills, was successful in receiving $100,000 over two years to pilot the “Walking the Rural Way” Project. The project is supported by Ontario Active School Travel, a program of Green Communities Canada with funding from the Government of Ontario. The goal of the project is to increase the number of students in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark who choose active school travel for the journey to and from school. To do this, the project will offer Walking School Bus programs unique to each school and community.
The Walking the Rural Way project is a partnership between many organizations and agencies from Brockville, Smiths Falls, Mississippi Mills, and recently Prescott (November 2018) including:
- Student Transportation of Eastern Ontario (STEO)
- Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit
- Upper Canada District School Board
- Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario
- Green Communities Canada
- City of Brockville
- Town of Mississippi Mills
- Town of Smiths Falls
- Town of Prescott
- Brockville Police Service
- Smiths Falls Police
- Ontario Provincial Police
- Bartholomew Community Hub
- YMCA of Brockville and Area
- Volunteer Centre of St. Lawrence Rideau
- LifeFit Athletics
- Mills Community Support
- Commonwealth Public School
- Westminster Public School
- Duncan J. Schoular Public School
- Chimo Elementary School
- St. Francis de Sales Catholic Elementary School
- R. Tait McKenzie Public School
- St. Mark Catholic School
- Wellington Elementary School
Which schools are participating in the Walking School Bus Program?
For the 2019–20 school year, there will be 7 schools from 2 communities (Almonte and Kemptville) participating in the Walking School Bus program. The schools participating are:
- Holy Name of Mary Catholic School (Almonte)
- R. Tait McKenzie Public School (Almonte)
- Kemptville Public School (Kemptville)
- Holy Cross Catholic School (Kemptville)
- South Branch Elementary School (Kemptville)
- Académie catholique Notre Dame à Kemptville (Kemptville)
- École élémentaire publique Rivière-Rideau (Kemptville)
Additional schools may be added at a later date.
Who can participate in the Walking School Bus?
Any student attending the participating schools listed above is welcome to join! Students using mobility aids may also participate, however a barrier-free route cannot be guaranteed.
Parents/guardians will be required to register each child they wish to participate in the program. Space on the Walking School Bus will be assigned on a first come first serve basis. When all the spaces available on the route have been filled, a waiting list will be created.
Information for Parents/Guardians
- Walking School Bus Frequently Asked Questions
- Walking School Bus Code of Conduct
- Teaching Children to Walk Safely
- Tips for Walking Through the Seasons
- Tips to Encourage Safe Backpack Use
- Remember Your Walk to School Poster
- Active and Safe Routes to School Infographic
- Active School Travel Safety Tips
Information for Schools and Teachers
- Active School Travel Resource for Educators
- School Travel Planning Toolkit – A Guide for Facilitators
- Active and Safe Routes to School Infographic
- Liability from Active School Travel
