Here's the memo outlining the specifics on how Wake hopes to make sure kindergarten and first-grade students get to and from school without incident this year.
The memo, which was referenced to in a prior post, lays out the specifics about the identifying information that should be on the name tags for these young bus riders.
The memo also says that kindergarten and first-grade students should sit on the right side of the bus, beginning with the first seat. If possible, they're to be seated by stop location.
Whether these steps avoid a repeat of how two young children were dropped off at the wrong location last month remains to be seen.
Comments
As I posted yesterday, in
Tue, 08/26/2008 - 16:52 — Kristine (not verified)As I posted yesterday, in another region of Wake County, on the route I drive to work each morning, the school busses stop at individual student's driveways. These kids don't even have to walk 10 feet between stops. It's amazing your child's transportation unit can't provide for a safer stop while another area in WAKE allows the bus drivers to stop and hold up traffic every 10 feet. WHY are some students being coddled while others are being placed in harm's way?
Sounds like you're on a thoroughfare
Wed, 08/27/2008 - 10:34 — Bob_SconceIt sounds like you're talking about a fairly heavily travelled country road not, say, a road in a subdivision. As I understand WCPSS transportation policy, the bus stops are laid out so that kids don't have to walk along these types of road -- if I recall correctly, I believe this was in response to the girl who was killed last year trying to get to/from just such a stop.
What is the actual distance between stops? 10 feet is clearly hyperbole. Recognize that distances in a car seem shorter than they are on foot.
If you hit this problem every day, you may need to just leave the house 10 minutes earlier.
If this were the case in
Fri, 08/29/2008 - 14:41 — Anonymous (not verified)If this were the case in that the road is heavily travelled, I could see your position. However, this is not the case. There are just a large number of homes which are nearly on top of each other, but the bus drivers stop at the driveways of each home....many of the driveways practically adjoin one another. The student residents are not elementary aged children, they are MS and HS AND I MIGHT ADD, quite large enough that the little amount of exercise it would require them to walk a little further would certainly be of benefit to both the snarled traffic and their over-sized bodies.
This is the response that I received from my District
Tue, 08/26/2008 - 12:20 — Anonymous (not verified)******************************************
The current stop at the corner of Garner Road & Avery Street is an Express stop for students that have Express Transportation to Garner High. Currently we have 5 students that will use this stop. We ask that the parents assist students to bus stops until the bus arrives.
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Meanwhile what happens after school. Needless to say, I was totally upset with this response. I have responded, I have not received a return response. If feels like they are pushing me off.
Busing
Tue, 08/26/2008 - 17:56 — Anonymous (not verified)sounds like we have the same problem - my kindergartner is going to be dumped on a 45mph street - and transportation says the bus goes into the schools bus loop - its doesn't I watched - and they DON't CARE -I am thinking of going to the local new station - express busing is just not safe- my MS express bus has a stop in a Walmart parking lot - now that's safe huh??? of course thats another area of transportation!
I need help - How does Wake Co. Schools determine safe routes?
Tue, 08/26/2008 - 10:22 — Anonymous (not verified)I submitted a written request of a new stop by fax after speaking with them regarding my child's bus stop (first year high school); I also submitted an email to the board member of my district and one of the head's of transportation, as well as the person listed on the request for a new stop form. I was willing to wait the 7-10 day period for the change. But upon discovering additional information I was alarmed. I have not received a response from anyone, I sent the info off yesterday.
I am so upset because, obviously when bus routes are created, they do not consider registered sex offenders addresses at all. I don't live a mile from North Garner Middle School, there are 5 living within a 1 mile radius; and 30 within a 3 mile radius; The 3 that live on my child's route to her bus stop that is .8 miles away (too long), all have been convicted of indecent lib w/minor;
I want a new stop closer to our home before 7-10 days; How do they decide routes anyway? It wouldn't take 3 days for someone to observe a child's pattern if walking alone everyday from .8 miles away. I know that .8 miles is over the limit for bus stops, she was registered on time, and Garner High is the Magnet School for our area.