‘He’s very ready:’ Kids get practice runs on school buses before school starts

Kids got a practice run for their first day of school Wednesday by learning how to ride the bus.

The First Ride transformed the parking lot of the Conexus Arts Centre into a school safety seminar zone.

Twylla West, media co-ordinator for Regina Catholic Schools, said her school system and Regina Public Schools wanted to make safety a top priority.

“It’s really important for us to get a good headstart with the kiddos so they know all those safety rules ahead of time,” West said.

She said the big yellow school bus gets a lot of attention, but it’s also important for kids to learn road safety for before and after school. Crosswalk safety, emergency bus evacuations and riding bikes to school are all topics that are covered.

Erin Benjamin took her five-year-old son Tyson, who is starting kindergarten in the fall.

For her, it might be a sad day when Tyson leaves on the school bus, but she’s excited to see him start classes.

“He’s very ready, eager and ready to start kindergarten,” said Benjamin.

Tyson said he’s eager to learn the alphabet and eat the sandwiches his mom packs for him in his lunch.

The First Ride event has grown to involve SGI, CAA and the Saskatchewan Safety Council to help students walk through safety precautions for the first time.

West said this event also helps calm the first-day-of-school jitters for kids and parents.

“This event is just as important for the parents as it is for the kiddos,” said West. “Sometimes it’s really scary to take your kids for the first time and let them get onto the school bus without you.”

Toyosi Oluwadare’s son is starting school for the first time in Canada after moving from Nigeria.

“It’s like a new experience for him and it’s really important for him to know how to navigate everything when he’s at school,” said Oluwadare.

She feels a little bit more relief knowing there are people to help her kids cross the street, and the rules that are set in place for school zones.

“I’m sure the kids are safe,” she said.

Last year, the First Ride saw 250 students at both the afternoon and evening sessions. On Wednesday, the afternoon session saw 200 students alone.

“For us, it really kind of stamps the start of the school year,” said West.