Students riding e-bikes, scooters or skateboards to Olentangy schools will need to power down and dismount the moment they hit campus when classes begin Aug. 20.
The district published a transportation safety reminder spelling out specific rules for its more than 24,000 students across 29 buildings:
- E-bikes and electric scooters must be powered off and disabled on school grounds.
- All bikes, e-bikes and scooters must be walked or pushed once on school property.
- Skateboards must be carried, not ridden.
- Students must dismount upon entering school property.
The rules apply before, during and after the school day, including arrival and dismissal.
Law enforcement partnership
Olentangy said it partners with the Delaware County Sheriff's Office and local police to reinforce the expectations. That partnership has teeth: Sheriff Jeff Balzer told the Board of Education on Aug. 7 that deputies responded to more than 600 calls for service at district schools during the 2025-26 school year, as we reported Aug. 10.
The district also plans to partner with the Delaware County Public Health District on a broader e-bike safety campaign covering road rules, safety tips and e-bike classifications. No launch date has been announced.
Powell police already coordinating
Powell Police Chief Ron Sallows laid the groundwork for school-based enforcement over the summer. At the city's June 16 Operations Committee meeting, Sallows told the committee he had met with Olentangy's Director of Compliance, Director of Safety and Security and a resource officer to plan e-bike education at Tyler Run and surrounding schools at the start of the school year.
Sallows told the committee there have been "several close calls and a couple of serious incidents with injuries" in Powell related to e-bikes. He described high-visibility patrols planned around schools, neighborhoods and multi-use paths, along with enforcement priorities.
Citizen representative Amy Gestosani said at the same meeting that she had seen kids ignoring signage and riding far faster than allowed on roads. She called school-based presentations on safety rules "a great idea" and said getting into schools is the best way to reach students who use the bikes.
What families should do before Thursday
The district strongly recommends helmets for all students using bikes, e-bikes, scooters or skateboards. It also encourages front and rear lights and reflectors, especially during low-visibility conditions in early morning drop-off.
Students are expected to obey traffic signs and signals, stop at intersections and crosswalks, travel in the direction of traffic, use hand signals on bicycles and e-bikes, and avoid distractions while riding.
The district asks families to review its transportation guidelines and Safety, Security, & Preparedness Guide before the first day.
City survey on micro-mobility
Separately, the City of Powell posted a community survey on micro-mobility devices on its Facebook page, asking residents about safety concerns and how e-bikes, e-scooters and similar devices affect their neighborhoods.
