The WakeEd blog is devoted to discussing and answering questions about the major issues facing the Wake County school system. How much will the new Democratic majority on the school board do to undo the changes made by Republicans since 2009? Will the new student assignment plan be a hybrid of the last two models or primarily be a return to the use of busing for diversity? Who will replace Tony Tata as the new superintendent of the state's largest district? How will voters react to a likely request in 2013 to borrow potentially more than $1 billion to build and renovate schools?
WakeEd is maintained by The News & Observer's Wake schools reporter, T. Keung Hui. While Keung posts information and analysis on the issues, keep us posted on your suggestions, questions, tips and what you're doing to cope with the changes in Wake's schools.
How is your child's bus service going so far?
Parents around Wake County are complaining about buses being late or not arriving at all this morning. For instance, as of 9:30 a.m. one of Richland Creek Elementary's three buses hadn't arrived yet.
How much of the problems are the usual ones associated with the first few weeks of school? How much are associated with the new bus routing system?
How much, despite the denials of school officials, has to do with the new choice plan?
Comments
Contacting the Transportation Department
Tue, 08/28/2012 - 20:14 — AngelaWhttp://www.wcpss.net/transportation/contact.html
Unacceptable
Tue, 08/28/2012 - 18:16 — jsbuysMy 6th grader was eventually just dropped off at an elementary school where some lady took pity and let him and the other kids call home. How can that be acceptable? I am new to this area, and I had no idea this system was such a mess. Not knowing where my child was for three hours scared me to death. I will drive from now on.
transportation
Tue, 08/28/2012 - 19:35 — turnerk1is terrible to deal with, but usually if the problem is just that the driver doesn't know the route, or they've screwed up the route, or something like that, it will eventually get fixed in a few weeks. But, they'd rather your kid walk five miles or have a parent quit his/her job to pick a child up from school than add a stop to a route, no matter how compelling the family's reason is for needing the stop. That's when it really gets impossible.
I'm so sorry you didn't know where your child was. That's happened to me before too, and it is very scary.
Just ignore FSandYOU posts
Tue, 08/28/2012 - 14:36 — jonesciPeople - disregard the posts by FSandYOU. This has to be a fake poster on here just to aggitate the already aggitated responsible parents. A real person could not be that ignorant and obnoxious.....I hope.
It's my understanding the FS
Wed, 08/29/2012 - 08:25 — annettahoggardIt's my understanding the FS and U is Dallas Woodhouse, of Americans for Prosperity. So, this is a vehicle for him to agitate. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
But don't worry, we're not
Wed, 08/29/2012 - 14:20 — shearertwBut don't worry, we're not going to confuse you as being "somebody"....
I'm certainly nobody to
Wed, 08/29/2012 - 18:35 — annettahoggardI'm certainly nobody to you.
That is most certainly true.
Wed, 08/29/2012 - 19:28 — shearertwThat is most certainly true.
Thank God.
Wed, 08/29/2012 - 19:38 — annettahoggardBut, I do wonder why you are so hostile? Why the misogyny? This is a rhetorical question and doesn't require a response...unless of course, you can't help yourself.
You are the one who attacked
Wed, 08/29/2012 - 22:52 — shearertwYou are the one who attacked the wrong person...
I didnt attack "anyone".
Attack?
Mon, 09/03/2012 - 09:42 — annettahoggardAttack?
So...
Wed, 08/29/2012 - 13:16 — Bob_SconceDallas has posted here before, but always did so under his own name. His writing style is different than FSandU's. I don't think you have the right guy. Plus, I'm pretty sure Woodhouse is busy in Tampa right now.
It's just what I've heard.
Wed, 08/29/2012 - 18:39 — annettahoggardIt's just what I've heard.
LOL
Wed, 08/29/2012 - 12:32 — FSandYOUAnd you are actually Cinderella, right?
...
Wed, 08/29/2012 - 19:55 — SideburnsWow, you're moving up (or down?) in the ranks, FS. Let me know when you become someone else. Fascinating.
Sometime around midnight
Wed, 08/29/2012 - 19:59 — FSandYOUI will turn into General Tata.
So I hear.
no response
Wed, 08/29/2012 - 18:37 — annettahoggardno response
No response
Wed, 08/29/2012 - 19:51 — FSandYOUis a response.
Cinda.
From the floor of the GOP Convention, DW over and out.
this is funny
Wed, 08/29/2012 - 20:06 — annettahoggardThis is funny.
Just look in the mirror
Tue, 08/28/2012 - 14:39 — FSandYOUThe reality I speak of will make perfect sense.
Olive Chapel ES & Ligon MS - Our 1st day
Tue, 08/28/2012 - 12:08 — jenandjonLet's start with the good - thank you Cary/Apex parents for working together to form a great carpool group to Ligon. Yes, its takes some schedule management and organization. But we have a carpool group that takes 5 kids from the area to Ligon in less than an hour. They are having a great time in the morning, chatting, eating breakfast and have plenty of room. There are at least three other carpool groups leaving the area for Ligon with times of 40 minutes to an hour.
The bad - My 4th grader has been at OCE Track 1 and has not had any problems, any of the last 4 years, when traditional schools have started. The ES bus was 45 minutes late in the morning and an hour late in the afternoon. No communication from bus driver regarding times, couldn't get anyone at transportation to answer, just an I'm sorry bear with us message from the principal. We live less than 5 minutes from school. No, she can't walk because the main road is too dangerous. Going to work on a carpool for my neighborhood school now :) .
@TropicalGirl - maybe its a good thing I don't have two in magnet schools this year; sorry your experience was so horrible yesterday.
At least when we were at a
Tue, 08/28/2012 - 13:14 — tropicalgirlAt least when we were at a Magnet, we weren't provided transportation and made our own arrangements so e knew what we were dealin with. It was wearing and costly, but so far a better experience than trying to get our daughter to the school 4 miles from our home.
And carpool with my nieghbors is not an option because we couldn't get into the same school as our neighbors - she is the only one going to this school and we have absolutely no transportation safety net. I feel like I'm just holding my breath until next year when she and all the kids around us are at the same middle school and we're not alone when something like this happens.
How did today go?
Thu, 08/30/2012 - 09:25 — jenandjonAny improvement yet? Sorry it's so bad.
At OCE our morning has improved but our afternoon is still horrible. It felt like there were 500 parents picking up yesterday as walkers and the carpool line looked like it was a VERY long wait.
Yesterday the bus never
Tue, 08/28/2012 - 08:55 — tropicalgirlYesterday the bus never showed and after waiting 40 minutes, my husband who was already late for work drove our daughter and waited out the carpool. She told us the kids on her bus arrived at 9:25 - how if that good for education. Her afternoon bus didn't get the kids until 5:05 from the school - 1 hour and 20 minutes after dismissal.
This morning, my husband waited another 40 minutes and as of 8:50, no bus. He did have two other buses stop that are going to other schools who offered to take her but he said he would do it. Now he is extremely late again.
If it was just us, that would be one thing - but this is a system-wide disaster and someone's head needs to roll for such a monumental screwup. The kids are getting stressed out as well as the parents. Again how is this good for education??
I know there are always kinks at the beginning of the year but this is beyond ridiculous!
Oh and when my husband got
Tue, 08/28/2012 - 09:20 — tropicalgirlOh and when my husband got to the school at 9 or so, he said it was "pandelerium" in the carpool line. He thought ahead to just park a distance from the school and walk her in but he's quite sure if he hadn't, he'd still be in that line.
Ironically, the bus that comes to our nieghborhood for the school that all our neighbors go to - the school that we could not get into under the "choice" plan - has not had any problems. Talk about rubbing salt into the wound!
I like
Tue, 08/28/2012 - 06:36 — bpuli9999the right wing nuts quandary - hate the bus mess but can't blame Tata!
Who's responsible for this.?
What don't you get about responsibility?
Tue, 08/28/2012 - 09:19 — FSandYOUIt's THE PARENTS responsibility.
Not really that hard to understand. They are YOUR kids!
Bus delays anger Wake County parents
Tue, 08/28/2012 - 05:40 — AngelaWhttp://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=8788789
More Holes
Mon, 08/27/2012 - 22:10 — sam123456Here we go again....read the the posts below for more examples of holes in the new "choice" plan. We had a similar example with a kid on a bus for a VERY long time. Unfortunately with the "choice" plan pulling from a very large area now --- the bus rides appear to be very long and the children are negatively impacted. Would someone please me remind me as to why the choice plan is such a good plan -- I am trying to remmber????
Holy Holes Sam
Tue, 08/28/2012 - 06:21 — FSandYOURelax, all will be corrected next year,
when Brannon and Barber get their way.
Just pass the bond.
What did you expect?
Mon, 08/27/2012 - 21:57 — waketaxpayerWe have an assignment plan designed by Tata, Malone, Tedesco, Goldman and Prickett where no child has a base assignment and instead can be assigned to any of 5 or 6 different schools. Therefore, 5 or 6 elementary buses, 3 or 4 middle school buses and 3 or more high school busses all have to drive by every home in the county. Of course, transportation is a nightmare! All this talk about reducing busing and what do they do? Design a plan guaranteed to increase it. Not only is the transportation unmanageable, but many parents already went through a nightmarish registration process in a system where they have no base school so have to go to (not so) Central Office to register. They promised neighborhood schools, but it only worked out that way for the lucky. Many students couldn't get into a school anywhere near their homes. Many people found their homes were less valuable because they were stripped of their base assignments. Maybe the old way wasn't perfect, but this is a disaster!! It is time for Tata to go! It is unbelievable that one person has been allowed to do so much damage in such a short time.
life
Mon, 08/27/2012 - 20:55 — RKCurtrightI will have to say I appreciate all the bus drivers, staff, and transportion today. It was a true test of patience, trust, and understanding that life is about how we choose to handle lifes' difficulties and finding in the end we all did our very best under very chaotic circumstances. Did anyone thank their bus driver today even if they were late? I hope so b/c it was not easy for them either:)
Everyone did their very best. It was not fun and at times it was frustrating. When we choose to look outside ourselves and see beyond our own issues we see it is about people really doing all they can to keep our kids safe and to and from school as best they could under these circumstances.
My youngest childs bus driver deserved a big hug for driving all over until very late to get our kids where they needed to be.
disasterous
Mon, 08/27/2012 - 19:36 — AngelaWmissing busses in the AM, buses not leaving until 5 pm.....unbelieveable.
Well this afternoon wasn't
Mon, 08/27/2012 - 17:59 — momof5Well this afternoon wasn't any better than this morning's no show bus. My son at Apex Elementary didn't get off the bus until 5:00, an hour and 25 minutes after school got out. The bus driver told me tomorrow morning the pick up time would be 7:45 instead of the 8:09 on the transportation letter. That's for a school that starts at 9:05.
My other son at Apex Middle couldn't fit on his bus home. They removed kids from the bus saying it was over crowded and told them the transportation dept would have to send out another bus. Like there are any extra buses! After an hour and a half a neighbor was able to pick him up while I remained waiting for the elementary bus.
Great start to the new year!
Inexcusable
Mon, 08/27/2012 - 19:02 — annettahoggardMy third grader just got off the bus...at 6:50 PM. Several buses, apparently, didn't show up at Hunter until after 5:00 (schools out at 3:45). So my son waited for a bus for over an hour and then rode the bus for almost 2 hours!! The very young male driver only had 3 passengers, but apparently stayed lost for most of that time (we only live about 3.5 miles from the school). NOT "par for the course" for first day of school. Pitiful.
Don't the buses have GPS systems installed now?
Mon, 08/27/2012 - 23:20 — CaryMomof4I keep reading about al of the "lost" bus drivers today. I thought that $1.3 million dollar GPS system was supposed to be instaled and up & running before the start of the traditional school year. Looks like maybe that wasn't such a good purchase after all.
Yikes! I can't believe your
Mon, 08/27/2012 - 18:08 — jenmanYikes! I can't believe your middle schooler sat at the school waiting for an extra bus. We missed the bus this morning for Wakefield High (or perhaps it didn't come) but my son rode it this afternoon. He said it was really crowded with 3 kids to a seat with some barely able to fit. Then the bus driver asked how many kids were getting off at each stop. My son's stop had the largest number of kids so she had them get off the bus and another driver drove an extra bus to take them home. Of course, WHS is one of the transportation hubs so luckily there was an extra bus lying around.
our story
Mon, 08/27/2012 - 16:55 — turnerk1We gave up on the bus after 45 minutes this morning. The school had posted sheets with the physical bus number for each route so that kids could find their busses in the afternoon--except none of the Cary routes had bus numbers listed. Fortunately I happened to be in the area, and was able to squish she and four of her friends in my car built for 5 (not 6) because they couldn't find their bus because they had no idea what the bus number was. I emailed the principal about it and he said they'd been trying all last week to find out what the bus numbers were for those routes, and only found out AFTER the busses came in the afternoon what the numbers were. I'm wondering if the bus actually ever made it to the school at all.
Every year it's the same moaning
Mon, 08/27/2012 - 13:16 — FSandYOUfrom those who should be thankful they aren't having to do the driving. Since apparently it's too much to ask because 'the boss' won't understand.
I love how it's all because of the 'new plan' this time around.
Wonder what they'll complain about next year, when the next 'new plan' is put into play.
END ALL BUS SERVICE, except for the truly poor and disabled, and then mommy & daddy will only have themselves to blame.
End all Trash Pickup
Mon, 08/27/2012 - 18:29 — Apexcitizen1Same time we're ending all bus service lets end all trash and recycle pickup. Why do you expect your garbage to be picked up and not do it yourself? Perhaps we can make an exception for the poor and disabled. Too lazy? After ending trash pickup lets stop all road building and repair. So what if it takes two hours to drive to the office on crumbling roads. People will have to just get over it.
Sure, let it pile up
Mon, 08/27/2012 - 19:55 — FSandYOUI have no problem with that, I put my trash in my neighbors. In 3 years they've yet to notice.
Everything will be ok, just pass the bond!
Hook up...
Tue, 08/28/2012 - 08:02 — bpuli9999your power to their meter next. See if they notice. And eventually maybe you can move into their basement. From your parents' to the neighbors - shouldn't make much difference to you.
end all bus service? as
Mon, 08/27/2012 - 16:24 — apexdad2100end all bus service? as soon as we end social security for you. if there was no bus service, then I would act accordingly. but don't promise service and then perform like crap. we'd all be fired if we performed so incompetently at our jobs.
Sure, end it and pay for teachers and programs
Mon, 08/27/2012 - 17:14 — FSandYOUWhich do we need worse, diesel and bus tires or teachers, TA's, clean schools and quality edu programs?
As for SS, uhhh, by the time I retire that will have been history for years. Especially if the voters keep electing the same morons.
Just so you know, wral called today's first day a big success!
This stop on the media tour will call it a total failure and blame it on the 'new plan'.
wral comments are rife with
Mon, 08/27/2012 - 17:21 — apexdad2100wral comments are rife with people with bus horror stories. surely the bus issues are related to the new choice plan and resulting bus route changes, but the absolute failure of execution in new bus routes is ridiculous. you don't leave kids sitting at schools for hours, or at busstops in the morning for hours.
lastly: i guarantee you that one bus is cheaper to operate than 55 people idling in a carpool, not to mention lost work time to the economy.
That's what they reported at 5pm on air
Mon, 08/27/2012 - 17:48 — FSandYOUI don't bother with their site. This one is bad enough.
As for 55 people idling, that's the individual's problem, me included. I'll idle all day if that's what it takes to keep mine off a bus.
Even with gas about to surge in price. Again.
Hope you get it worked out. If not, contact Martin, Evans or Hill. I'm sure they'll help you out. ;-)
End all..
Mon, 08/27/2012 - 13:46 — bpuli9999bus service? You are talking about the same parents who could not handle the early releases?
yes - the parents who
Mon, 08/27/2012 - 13:59 — jonesciyes - the parents who actually work for a living and need busses to get kids to school can't handle early releases all the time either!
You obviously are not
Mon, 08/27/2012 - 13:41 — jonesciYou obviously are not reading the comments below or are not bright enough to understand them. Bus plans are not rocket science. When we are told by the county that there will be busses to take the children to school and all arrangements are made around those plans, then people deserve to complain. We are paying for these services (well, I don't know about you, but I am!) Not everyone can sit around and write stupid comments like yours - we have jobs and families to support. I don't want to have to worry about my child being left on some strange corner or not able to get to or from school. If they stuck with neighborhood schools, then we wouldn't have to rely on busses!
The "new plan" may not be the only reason there are bus problems, but it is one of them. Maybe if there wasn't a "new plan" every year, there wouldn't be all these problems and everyone could get comfortable with the system.
...
Mon, 08/27/2012 - 13:58 — SideburnsIf they stuck with neighborhood schools, then we wouldn't have to rely on busses!
Now that's funny.