MERRIMAC — Superintendent Justin Bartholomew and Principal Stephanie Dembro share that the Dr. Frederick N. Sweetsir School and the Helen R. Donaghue School have been recognized for promoting safe and sustainable transportation methods to students.
MassDOT’s Safe Routes to School program, which is funded by the federal government, works to increase safe walking, biking, and rolling among public elementary, middle, and high school students. The schools were honored as a Silver Level participant. Levels are determined through the completion of various activities, each with a designated point value, throughout the school year.
The program focuses on the “6 E’s” – Education, Encouragement, Engagement, Evaluation, Engineering, and Equity.
In 2023, Donaghue and Sweetsir students participated in three events promoting safe and sustainable transportation:
- International Walk, Bike & Roll to School Day in October, in which students were encouraged to use active forms of transportation to travel to and from school, such as walking, riding bikes or scooters, or rollerblading.
- A Winter Walk, held in February.
- The Massachusetts Walk, Bike, and Roll to School Day in May.
“Participating in these three events helps bring our Merrimac community together by educating students to be smart and aware while traveling to and from school, as well as excite and encourage students to use alternative modes of transportation,” Principal Dembro said. “We are proud to participate and partner with Massachusetts Safe Routes to School each year, and are thankful to receive this recognition.”
