PHOTO BY BOB ROCHE
Alex Freedman keeps a group of Drewicz third graders inside the crosswalk as they cross Hood Street.
By THOR JOURGENSEN
LYNN — Amy Romero, a student at the Drewicz Elementary School, knows how to safely cross a street.
But her teachers leave nothing to chance when it comes to ensuring the third grader and fellow students are careful pedestrians.
They taught them to walk, not run across streets, and make sure cars stop at crosswalks before the children step off the curb.
Kathe Landergan, safe routes coordinator, worked with Alycia Goodwin, the state’s Safe Routes outreach coordinator, last week to help Drewicz’ students memorize safe crossing rules and make them aware of the dangers.
These staffers travel Massachusetts to reinforce safety rules at school visits. The state program encourages students to get more exercise by designating May 4 as Bike/Walking to School Day.
Goodwin said it’s easy for schools to reinforce safe crossing by organizing walking parties where parents escort children to school and remind them about pedestrian safety lessons.
“Principals can also look at other options,” she said.
Kayla Yim, a Drewicz third grader, walks to school with her brother, Sylvester, because she enjoys listening to the music he plays on his phone.
Alicia Marescalchi, the school’s social worker, said many Drewicz students walk to school. She said street crossing risks need to be underscored.
“A lot of our kids do have some basic knowledge, but lessons have to be reinforced,” she said.
Marescalchi said children assume a driver is going to stop at a crosswalk and that children are prone to running into the street on impulse to get to the other side.
Landergan said Lynn educators are surveying parents citywide to find out how their children get to and from school. Information from the survey will be used to design a map that will pinpoint streets that see high volumes of walkers.
Romero and third grader Noelia Perez spent last Thursday morning learning rules like “sneak/peek” encouraging students to stop at the curb, lean forward to check for oncoming vehicles and look in both directions before looking left a second time to check for traffic.
“When you cross the street, you always want to look where you’re going,” Romero said.
Thor Jourgensen can be reached at [email protected]