Parents angered over mixed ridership

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:56:00 GMT

The Weare School Board has approved a plan to mix elementary and high school students on the same buses.

The board gave the nod to this plan at the Tuesday, June 16, School Board meeting. At an informational meeting about the busing policy on Monday, June 15, concerned parents expressed their dislike for the plan, and many said they would even drive their children to school before putting them on the bus.

According to SAU 24 Superintendent Doug White, the district looked at various busing scenarios, and this was the option that would save the most money – approximately $110,000. It would also reduce the fleet by two buses.

The new busing schedule would also change the school start times, but not as drastically as originally discussed. Schools will start in the same order as they do now, but with starts adjusted slightly. Middle school hours will be from 7:30 a.m. to 2:05 p.m., elementary school hours from 8:40 a.m. to 2:55 p.m. and high school hours from 8:15 a.m. to 3 p.m.

At the informational meeting, resident Kathy Remillard said she knows there are behaviorial problems on the buses, and suggested if this proposal is agreed upon by the School Board, that a monitoring system might be put into place.

White said among items discussed at the School Board was investigating the use of monitors on buses. Monitors would be an additional adult on the bus and could be a teacher, paraprofessional or other school employee.

This is something the bus company would work out.

“The bus driver needs to drive the bus. That’s a full-time job,” said resident Shawn Forrey, father of a 6- and 11-year-old. “These little guys are going to be on a bus with people who are developing their sexuality and may have attitudes. I don’t need my 6-year-old hearing that.”

Resident Monique Nelson is a Weare bus driver and takes her 5-year-old along with her each morning.

“My 5-year-old is worse than my 11-year-old due to how the high school kids act on my bus,” she said.

Zach Grattan, a 14-year-old student in Weare, echoed the sentiments of many parents.

“We’re putting 6- and 7-year-olds with 17- and 18-year-olds. All these things – sexuality, swearing – will be taught to these kids,” said Grattan, who has a 12-year-old sister. “My bus is terrible as it is. They don’t need to learn the behavior we have.”

“It should not be mixed,” said resident Nicole Desainde. “It’s totally different social levels.”

Currently, Weare has a fleet of 15 buses. There are 10 middle school buses that go out in the morning to get students for a 7:45 a.m. start time. Five additional buses go out behind those, often trailing each other along the same route, for the high school run, dropping off students for a 8:05 a.m. start.

After those 10 buses finish the middle school run, they go out again to pick up the elementary school students, getting them to school for a 8:45 a.m. start.

“We’re here (June 15) because we could not pass a budget,” said Weare School Board Chairman Matt Thomas. “We find ourselves in this position far too often. Every other year, we’re on a default budget. This is the year it caught up to us.”

Due to the school district being on a default budget, this year there is a $500,000 budget shortfall, forcing the School Board to find ways to make up for it.

“I know any time there’s change, it can be difficult,” said White.

New bus routes and start times will be available Friday, June 19, on the SAU Web site, www.sau24.org.