When students and families walk, bike or carpool to class, everyone wins. Kids learn healthy habits early, plus fewer cars at dropoff and pickup locations alleviate roadway congestion for all travelers. Keep reading to learn how easy it is to adopt a safe and sustainable school commute.
About Bellevue SchoolPool
Bellevue SchoolPool, a collaboration between City of Bellevue, King County Metro and Bellevue School District, is a program that encourages families and students to explore sustainable transportation options for their commute to and from school in order to alleviate congestion at drop-off and pick-up times and zones around schools.
Sign up for our fun and informative SchoolPool newsletter by clicking on the emoji!
How SchoolPool Works
The Bellevue SchoolPool program is split into two sections – one for elementary schools, and one for middle and middle/high choice schools.
The SchoolPool team assists Partner schools with running two month-long challenges during the school year – one in the fall and one in the spring.
The SchoolPool team also assists all schools, including non-partner and private schools, interested in helping parents find carpools, walk pools ("walking school buses"), bike pools ("bike trains"), and bus buddies for school buses or public transit.
How to Become a SchoolPool Partner School
The program is open to all elementary, middle and middle/high choice schools in the Bellevue School District. For a school to become a SchoolPool Partner school, the principal must submit a SchoolPool Partner sign-up application to BellevueSchoolPool@bellevuewa.gov.
Applications are accepted annually.
SchoolPool During COVID-19
The Fall SchoolPool Challenge usually happens during the month of October, which is National Walk to School Month.
Due to COVID-19, the Fall 2020 SchoolPool Challenge has transformed into the Fall 2020 Walk and Bike Challenge. Students are invited to participate in the challenge by playing Walk BINGO and Bike BINGO! If you are a student, please be sure to check in with a parent or guardian before participating.
You can get a Walk and/or Bike BINGO by completing five squares in a row, column, or diagonal line. Each of the squares contain walk or bike related activities and there are educational links for some of them. Please COPY and PASTE the links in your browser.
Complete a bingo line and we will mail you a small prize! Email a photo of your BINGO card to BellevueSchoolPool@bellevuewa.gov to receive the prize. Cards must be sent by November 15, 2020 to qualify.
The BINGO cards are available in English and Spanish and can be downloaded below. If you would like hard copies of the BINGO cards, please email us at BellevueSchoolPool@bellevuewa.gov and let us know where to mail them.
Click below for downloadable and printable versions of the BINGO cards:
School Attendance Area Pedestrian and Bicycle Maps
This is a great time to test out your walk or bike route to school! Go to our Interactive Routes to School Map and click on your school to find printable maps of pedestrian and bicycle facilities in your school’s attendance area.
Email us at BellevueSchoolPool@bellevuewa.gov to receive a hard copy of a map.
Resources for Schools and Families
- If you are a school interested in receiving assistance with setting up a network on Rideshare Online, contact us at BellevueSchoolPool@bellevuewa.gov.
- We also encourage you to try out Pogo Rides, an easy to use smart phone app which matches you with other parents looking to carpool.
- Check out our info sheets on Walking School Bus, Bike Train, and Carpooling.
- If you need help or information about King County Metro Transit or Sound Transit buses for your school, contact us at BellevueSchoolPool@bellevuewa.gov.
Additional Resources
- Safe Routes to School Programs - US DOT
- Safe Routes to School - Federal Highway Administration - US DOT
- Safe Routes to School National Partnership
- National Center for Safe Routes to School
- Safe Routes to School - WSDOT
- Safe Routes to School – CDC
- SchoolPool and Safe Routes to School - King County Metro
- Walk and Bike to School
- Safe Routes to School Guide
- Kids Walk-to-School