Principal Starts Bike Bus at Moreland

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On Friday, the first bike bus arrived at Moreland Arts and Health Sciences Magnet School. Principal Rob Sahli led a group of nine students and four parents on the bike commute to school.

“The bike bus is an amazing opportunity for our community to come together, rally around our students, and exemplify what it means to be a Moreland Monarch,” Sahli said.

What’s a bike bus?: An organized group of bike riders traveling to a specific destination together. They’re typically organized around schools. Sometimes they follow a set route with students joining the bus along the way. Many recent stories cite physical education teacher Sam Balto from Portland, Oregon and his TikTok videos as an example. A Racket story recently highlighted bike buses in Minneapolis.

How’s it work: Sahli asks students and families to meet him in the Oxendale’s parking lot at 7:15 a.m. on Fridays. They follow Smith Avenue to Moreland Avenue to get to school, a ride of exactly one mile. Students can also join the bike bus along the route.

• “Any and all students are welcome to join,” Sahli said. “We ask that students are able to independently ride a mile, that they wear a helmet, and that they are ready to have fun!”

Why: Sahli had several motivations, including seeing a teacher in Oregon start a bike bus and the district’s Wellness Week.

• “My final motivation is that I ride my bike to work every day of the school year,” Sahli said. “My school community sees me biking in quite regularly, and I thought it would be an even better ride into school if students joined me.”

Reaction: “This was our very first week and it was absolutely fantastic!” Sahli said. “Students and parents alike were giving each other high fives at the end of the ride. When we arrived at school we had multiple students and parents already asking, ‘Can we do this again next week?'”

What’s next: Sahli plans to continue the bike bus every Friday for the remainder of the school year (which is only two more Fridays).

• “The feedback from families has been great, and I absolutely plan to make this a regular thing as we come back to school next fall!” Sahli said.
• Sahli hopes to partner with local restaurants and stores to offer treats for participating students.

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