Sandy Hook Second Graders Learn Bicycle Safety

By Eliza Hallabeck

Sandy Hook Elementary School second graders learned on Thursday, October 21, to tell a parent if they drop their helmet, how to properly wear a helmet while riding a bicycle, and other safely tips from Officer Leonard Penna at the C.H. Booth Library.

Officer Penna is the school resource officer for Newtown Middle School, and is a member of the Newtown Police Department’s bicycle patrol unit.  

The Bicycle Safety presentation was one part of the annual second grade tour through Newtown. The second graders also toured the rest of the library, the Newtown Meeting House, and more.

During the presentation, Officer Penna demonstrated how to wear a helmet.

“If you can fit more than two fingers inside, it is too loose,” said Officer Penna. Adding, “If you can’t open your mouth, it is too tight.”

Other bicycle safety tips Officer Penna shared with the students included wearing well-fit shoes, wearing tight pants or shorts when biking, and if parents have concerns about bicycle safety, a good tool to use is YouTube. Officer Penna said videos are available on YouTube that demonstrate bicycle safety.