Los Gatos- Monte Sereno Safe Routes to School, Teachers, Home & School Clubs, Safe Routes to School Committees (SR2S), Los Gatos Union School District, Los Gatos/Monte Sereno Police Department, and the Town of Los Gatos are working together to promote a SOS Zone (Safety for Our Students Zone) around our school. The benefits of a SOS Zone are as follows:
REDUCE CONGESTION: 85% of school children in our nation are transported to and from schools in motor vehicles, resulting in traffic congestion and poor air quality in our school zones that pose a risk to the health and safety of students walking and biking to and from school.
REDUCE SPEEDING: In a nationwide driver speed survey of 63 school zones conducted during school commute hours, two out of three drivers exceeded the posted speed limit in school zones.

INCREASE SAFETY: Federal and State Department of Transportation (DOT) conclude that slowing traffic down in school zones and other traffic and pedestrian safety measures reduces the risk of injury to our children commuting to and from school.
EMPOWER COMMUNITY: DOT sponsors SR2S programs to address these problems by empowering communities to make walking and bicycling to school a safe and routine activity with corresponding improvement in traffic congestion, air quality, and child health and safety.
PEOPLE POWER: SR2S programs include education, enforcement and infrastructure enhancement programs that: (1) encourage children to safely walk and bicycle to school (‘People Power’) and (2) reduce the risk of injury to children from traffic within the SOS Zone.

GOAL: The purpose of this SR2S Parent Driver Contract is to create a SOS Zone around our school by encouraging families to commit to actively promote child health and safety in our school zone by agreeing:
• We will respect the signals and directions of crossing guards & traffic attendants
• We will adhere to our school’s traffic rules while on school property
• We will adhere to posted School Zone signage including posted speed limits
• We will not rush going to and from school (walking, cycling or driving)
• We will be alert to the presence of children walking/biking to and from school, keeping in mind that children may behave unexpectedly
• We will help reduce traffic congestion & pollution when we can by walking, biking, car pooling, using safe drop-off points away from the school, and/or minimizing idling near the school
• We will encourage and train our children to walk and bike safely to school
• We will promote and participate in SOS and SR2S programs by setting a good example