Middletown Public Schools will join schools from around the world to celebrate International Walk to School Day on October 3, 2012.   

Approximately 200 students from Aquidneck Elementary School, Forest Avenue Elementary School and JH Gaudet Middle School and Learning Academy will be walking and rolling to school on Wednesday along with parents, teachers and community leaders. School Principals, Michelle Fonseca, Stephen Ponte, Michael Mancieri and Linda Beaupre along with district Wellness Committee Members and Chartwells Food Service will be on hand to mark this annual event with a special walk to school followed by breakfast.

The event will begin at 7:15 for Gaudet and 8:25 for the elementary schools with kids, parents and community leaders walking from locations close to their neighborhood schools.     

In 2011, International Walk to School Day was celebrated at more than 4,000 events at schools across the United States, along with children and adults in 40 countries around the world.

Walk to School Day events raise awareness of the need to create safer routes for walking and bicycling and emphasize the importance of issues such as increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, traffic congestion and concern for the environment. The events build connections between families, schools and the broader community.

This event is being organized by the district Wellness Committee in conjunction with Parent/Teacher Groups of each school and Chartwells Food Service.

Take special care on Wednesday to ensure the safety of all of these students as they walk and bicycle their weay to school on this day and every day.