Bicycle Education Enhancement Program (BEEP)

 

 

In 1999, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia contracted with the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) to develop and manage the Bicycle Education Enhancement Program (BEEP), a leading edge bicycle education and safety program tailored to the city’s 7th and 8th grade students. 

Funded by a ISTEA (Intermodal Surface Transportation Equity Act) grant administered through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), BEEP is designed to teach middle school students how to ride their bikes safely, confidently and legally, as well as to promote an active and healthy lifestyle through commuting by bicycle to school and elsewhere.

In March of 2001, eighteen Philadelphia middle schools were selected to participate as “mini-grant” schools to deliver the ten-part BEEP curriculum (see below) to students as an integral part of their physical education classes or as an after-school component.  These schools are: Beeber, Carnell, Cooke, Decatur, Elverson, Gillespie, Greenfield, Hamilton, Henry, Kirkbride, Masterman, Meehan, Penn Treaty, Pepper, Roosevelt, Sayre, Shaw and Tilden.

Utilizing the “Bicycle Safety Program Curriculum” book developed by the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) of Portland, Oregon, BEEP teachers provide ten hours of in-class and practical, on-road instruction to their students.  The curriculum also suggests a number of optional exercises and activities to complement the formal lessons.  With a primary emphasis on safety, the curriculum covers such topics as:

·        Identifying parts of the bike

·        Injury prevention – wear that helmet!

·        Rules of the road and the law

·        Cyclists’ rights and responsibilities

·        Basic repair and maintenance

·        Safe cycling techniques

·        How to securely lock your bike

·        Group riding and more

As the manager of the BEEP program, the Coalition’s role is to:

1. Develop two teacher-training curricula (“Bicycle Safety Program” and “Transportation Alternatives and Solutions”) and train the BEEP teachers;

2. Survey Philadelphia’s 139 middle and high schools for bike rack installation;

3. Research and map commuting routes to the nineteen BEEP schools; and

4. Provide bikes, locks and helmets to participating BEEP schools and students

The Coalition also works in partnership with the SAFE KIDS Coalition of Southeastern Pennsylvania/Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and Thomas Jefferson University to educate students about preventing head injuries and the benefits of wearing helmets.  SAFE KIDS/CHOP has also provided free bike helmets for BEEP students.

Teacher-Training Seminars

The inaugural training seminar for BEEP teachers, covering the material in the “Bicycle Safety Program Curriculum” book, was held in November 2002.  Additional training sessions were offered in March and May of 2003. 

1. BEEP Teacher-straining courses covering the material in both the “Bicycle Safety Program” and the “Transportation Alternatives and Solutions” curricula books are planned for October, November and December of 2003 – dates and locations TBD.  The course runs from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Those (non-BEEP) Philadelphia public middle school P.E. teachers and principals who have expressed an interest in offering BEEP at their schools are also invited to attend training.  Other Philadelphia middle school principals or teachers interested in learning how they can offer BEEP as a formal component of their P.E. curricula in the future should contact: Marjorie Wuestner, Administrator for Health, Safety, Physical Education & Sports Administration, The School District of Philadelphia, 734 Schuylkill Ave. Rm. 634, Philadelphia, PA 19146: mwuestne@phila.k12.pa.us.

 

Bike Racks at City Schools

Tthe BEEP staff had surveyed all of the city’s 139 middle and high schools to determine bike rack location and the number of racks to be installed at each school requesting them.  SDP administrative staff will install the racks later this year.

Commuting Routes to BEEP Schools

The BEEP staff have researched potential bike commuting routes within a 1-2 mile radius of the eighteen participating BEEP schools.  The goal is to provide easy-to-follow maps and narratives of low traffic, on- and/or off-road bike commuting routes for use by students, faculty and staff in a effort to increase the number of trips by bicycle, promote health and fitness, reduce automobile congestion and air pollution and encourage cycling as a lifelong activity.

Bikes and Accessories for BEEP Participants

In early April of 2003, BEEP schools were surveyed to determine the number of bikes, helmets and locks they anticipate needing for their programs this year.  Based on demand and available grant funds, we anticipate providing these items to the schools requesting them later this year.

The 3rd Wheel

The 3rd Wheel is the official quarterly newsletter for BEEP teachers and partners.  Highlighting the program’s progress, developments, cycling issues and demographics in Philadelphia, teacher training, recognition and other special topics of interest, The 3rd Wheel provides readers with practical cycling tips and useful links to related cycling organizations and resources in support of their in-school bicycle education program.

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