The start of school August 6 will mean that 40 Allen County School buses return to the roads of Allen County. As the bus drivers start a journey that will see students transported almost 450,000 miles this school year, Allen County Schools Director of Transportation Wendell Spears points out that a few changes are coming in the district’s transportation plan.
“We have five buses that run in the city limits,” Spears said. “Buses (number) 1, 21, 24, 25, and 26 are two-tier buses which mean they run two rounds in the morning and two rounds in the afternoon. Buses 24, 25, and 26 have been running half a route, coming to school, and going back and completing the route. However, bus 25 had been running a route in which only Primary and Intermediate Center kids were picked up on the first swing. Then the bus would repeat the route and pick up middle and high school students. This year, it is changing. Bus 25 will pick up all K through 12 students on the first half of his route; bring them to the schools, and then go back and completing his route picking up all students.”
The change in the pick-up schedule for Bus 25 should be a benefit for the approximately 75-100 kids which rode the bus on a regular schedule last year. Spears believes the change will help parents.
“I think parents will love this,” Spears added. “Last year, if a parent had kids in the Primary Center and middle school, you had two different pick-up times. Now, the pick-up time for the parent’s children will be the same in the morning. We feel like that’s just a better way to do it. It’s also a safety issue in that an older kid will not have to walk their younger kids to a bus stop and then stand around for 20 minutes till Bus 25 returned. The afternoon schedule will not change but parents need to remember that the bigger kids will get home first just like last year.”
Spears will be trying to spread the word along the route of Bus 25 in the days leading up to the start of school as to what time the bus will arrive the first day. After that, parents---like all parents on all routes---will know the regular time for pick-up.
“The main thing for all parents in the morning is to have their child at the bus stop five minutes before the bus arrives,” Spears explained. ”We will be a little out of whack the first few days of school but by the end of the week we will be down to within a minute as to the time we make a stop. We also encourage parents with small children, especially with community bus stops, to bring the child and stay with them if at all possible until the bus arrives.”
Spears added that children preparing to get on the bus should be focused on boarding the bus and not distracted by other children or electronic devices.
“If a child has to cross the road to board the bus, make sure the child knows to make eye contact and wait for a signal from the driver to cross the road,” Spears added.
Motorists are advised to be attentive as the buses return to the streets and never pass a bus when the bus is unloading or loading children---not just on highways but in parking lots as well.
In the afternoon, parents of students who attend the Allen County Primary Center are reminded that the policy of the district requires someone to be at home before the bus driver will let young children off the bus.
“Our policy in Allen County is if a child is in preschool, kindergarten, first, second, or third grades, we don’t let the child off the bus unless we see someone---mom, dad, a grandparent, or some body that’s approved to take the child off the bus,” Spears explained. “If someone is not at the stop, we will not let the child off.”
When no one is at a stop to receive the child---as was the case numerous times last year---the child is kept on the bus. If the bus’s route swings back by the residence, another attempt is made. If no one is at the stop or a drop-off or connection point with parents can not be arranged, the child is returned to the school. The parent will have to come to school and pick up the child.
Spears asks parents to have a consistent afternoon schedule for their child. Parents must call a school by 1:30 and arrange for a child to ride a different bus than normal. If a call is not received by 1:30, a change will not be made. However, problems arise when children are getting three or more notes to switch buses a week.
“Consistency is the key,” Spears noted. “We have had parents call in on Wednesday needing a child to ride a different bus the rest of the week. The bus driver gets that note. But then Thursday, the parent calls back and requests the child do something different. So Thursday afternoon, you have a bus driver looking for that child since they (the bus driver) have a note. Kids can ride different buses but this back-and-to is not good. The child needs consistency too. Parents need a schedule that is consistent if at all possible.”
This year, eight bus routes will have new drivers. Parents who need more information about the bus their child will be riding or the name of a bus driver can contact Spears at 270-618-3181.
The new school year means that all students in the system will receive a yellow handout outlining the district’s rules and regulation regarding transportation. The packet is to be reviewed, signed and returned to school.
“The rules are simple but they must be followed,” Spears added. “We urge parents to read over the rules with their child. Remind them that the bus is an extension of the classroom.”
The handout also contains safety tips including reminders about backpacks and drawstrings.
“We ask parents to remember to get a backpack apportioned to their child’s height,” Spears added. “If they have a little child, don’t buy a huge backpack. Also, we always remind parents about drawstrings on backpacks and coats---make sure they are secure and cannot catch on bus doors.”
Buses began arriving on the school campus around 7 each morning to start the unloading process. In the afternoon, the schools will dismiss and load buses the same way as when the school year ended in June. Students first load at the James E. Bazzell Middle School, then the Allen County-Scottsville High School, followed by the Allen County Intermediate Center with the Allen County Primary Center being the last location to load.
Officers with the Scottsville Police Department and the Allen County School Resource officer will be stationed on the New Gallatin Road to direct drop-off traffic in the mornings and pick-up traffic in the afternoon. The school zones have a 25 mph speed limit---with flashing warning lights---during the posted time frame.
The drop-off and pick-up traffic patterns remain the same for the Bazzell Middle School, the Intermediate Center and the Primary Center. Construction on the new Allen County Career and Technical Center will necessitate a minor change this year for student drivers at the high school. (More information will be released prior to school starting on the adjusted traffic flow pattern for ACSH students who drive to the high school.)
Parents with any questions about the transportation polices of the Allen County School District can contact Spears at the Allen County Board of Education.