School Bus Stop Moved, Unsafe, Need to Write Letter To School Board!!!HELP

[wildaboutmickey]

I live in a Townhouse on a dead end street with 2 dead end side streets on the way from the main road. The closet side street to the townhouses is where the school bus stop was up until halfway through last school year, because the bus driver didn’t want to turn around anymore. Well the School Department kept that stop for the Elementary, but the Middle and High School now have to walk down to the end at the main road. This year my 11-year DD is now in Middle School and this new walk is now a winding 3/10 mile and I have safety concerns. Snow plowing is not the best on my road and can be very icy, sometimes bearly enough room for two cars which leaves no room for the kids to walk, and the side walks are never cleared, the kids could be hit by a car out of control. I have also recently found out that we have at least one registered sex offender where I live. These kids get off the bus and us parents can’t see them from the stop, and I fear my DD’s safety making it home. Most parents are not even home when the kids get home. The school department says I need to write a letter to the advisory board in care of the Superintendent’s Office and they will have a hearing on this, no guarantees the stop will be changed. Any suggestions on how to write this letter in such a way that they reconsider moving the stop back. There are a least 7 to 8 kids in the townhouses, I hope their parents may right letters too. Some parents suggested also doing a partition, I’d like to do this, has anyone done a partition before? I welcome any suggestions.

 

[cynsaun]

Here in NC, the law states that there must be a school bus stop no more than 1/3 mile from the student's home. Check out the law where you are. You may be able to go from that angle.

Good luck

 

[wildaboutmickey]

The state of Massachusetts is one mile, obviously written along time ago!!! To far these days!!!

 

[CindysGusGus]

Ours is 1/2 mile away at the other end of the neighborhood. It is on the corner of a street with a 45 MPH zone. When the bus stops they have to cross the street to get on it. We have complained and complained about the safety of this stop to now avail. I hope it gets better for you.

 

[Tammy1966]

I am a bus driver.
In Illinios it is 1-1 1/2 miles from school can ride a bus UNLESS there is a safety issue. Busy street etc. Write the letter then write one to the board. Go to the board meeting. Stress all of the issues involved. Squeaky wheel always is greased. Believe me it does work. Be a pain. As a driver and a parent I wouldn't want any of my KIDS walking with a sex offender around or without sidewalks when it snows. Best bet is with the board members
Good Luck

 

[LMC]

write your letter to the board. if they don't give you a date that they will discuss it, make sure you are at the next meeting to question when it will come up. Also, aren't sex offender records public? If so, get the records so that you will have documentation in hand when you go to prove that the perv is there. Get all the other parents to go to. Have you considered getting the interest of a tv station? It may be too early for that? That may be a step to take if your situation is denied by the board. Just stress the safety issues over and over, get a good neighborhood turn out and get the sex offender documentation (if available). Are board minutes public record? If so, request a copy of the minutes if they deny your request so you have that record.

 

[BrinxFam]

School boards can be tough. Be sure to gather all of your information and have something in hand before you confront the members of your board. Contact each individual school board member. Just because the Superintendent is contacted doesn't mean that information is passed on the the board members. If your board works like ours here, the board members make the decisions and only hear recommendations from the Super. Attend a school board meeting and speak up during public comment or call the board office and ask to be placed on the agenda. Send a letter with all of your gathered information and your intentions. If at all possible take people with you. They don't have to speak but warm bodies in the chairs make more of an impact than empty seats do. If necessary, get the media involved. Newspapers and TV news are great assets in a situation such as this. Be sure they know that you will use the media if need be. Sometimes if a school board feels "threatened" they respond much quicker.

I just offer these suggestions because this is what worked for us.
Good luck!

 

[Rock'n Robin]

Don't forget to mention the sex offender. Schools assume 3/10 of a mile is no problem for kids in grades 6-12. Here in Ohio it is optional to bus HS students, and it is often the first thing cut when school levies don't pass. So they will tell you to just dress your child for the weather--boots for icy roads, etc.. I see your only leverage here as that sex offender.
Robin M.

 

[mudnuri]

Okay I can't help with the bus, but I can help with the way school board meeting run.

First off-you need to call the school district- the superintendents office is where I call.

What you tell them is you want to be on the next agenda "to discuss bus runs"

This gives them a chance to get their ducks in a row- which in your case, will be a good thing, it means 1 meeting instead of 3 or 4.

They will more than likely have the bus director there at the meeting. He will have his documentation as to WHY he changed the run- which I believe, must be approved by the school board.

You need as much parental support as you can get- anyone else in your neighborhood affected by this? Get them- and have them with you.

If they can not attend- have them write you a letter of support- with their own concerns, addressed to the school board.

Records of convicted sex offenders vary by state, for instance in Vermont, this is NOT public record, however just across the river in NH, it's public record, and SEARCHABLE on the internet!..

One other thing- have 1 spokesperson- if you get more people to go- only 1 of you talk...this not only makes the meeting go smoother, it shows your composure, and seriousness of the matter!

Also- ask them to mail you a copy of the agenda prior to your meeting, that way you'll know when your up. Usually there are 3-4 general housekeeping things that come first- approval of previous minutes, orders, bills and warrants etc... however you should come in right after "public comment"...which is generally right after the members reports.

Please let me know how you make out after calling, it's very likely if they say the agenda's full, I can give you text from Roberts Rules of Order to get you on the agenda regardless of what "they say"...

Being a public employee and having to sit thru public meetings sure has it's perks!

OH, FYI- Minutes to ANY public meeting- are available to the public WITHIN 5 days of meeting. These more than likely will not be approved- however, generally nothing is changed when they are approved....get yourself a copy after the meetings

Brandy

 

[mudnuri]

now that I've read everyone elses comments-

DO NOT go to the newspaper or TV before trying the board.....not a good move! If they say no- well, then...go for it.

Also- do not contact the board members, unless you know them, until you speak with the person in charge of the agendas- generally the super...

If you get on the agenda- ask them when the board packets go out...usually the Friday before the meeting...GATHER AS MUCH INFO AS YOU CAN...and have them in the supers hands BEFORE Friday! Get this stuff in the packets....

What info? Convicted Sex Offender info for your neighborhood- IF LEGALLY AVAILABLE....

Info on other distances in the school district from the bus stops...

Town ordinances, state laws pertaining to bussing students, grades/distances

Letters of support from anyone- try to get one from the bus driver...that'd be SMOOTH!

Anyway- this is an excellent way to get your info to them prior to the meeting- they will NOT want to hold up the meeting going over your info- they want to read it as leisure over the weekend

Again- let me know if you need anything else.

Brandy

 

[goofy4tink]

Just a thought. We live on a pretty busy street, especially in the morning. Our house is just on a good sized curve before it turns into a straightaway. No sidewalks. So, my dd, 11, has to be picked up at our driveway. But, coming home from school she has to cross this street. At least it is less busy without the morning commuters in a huge rush to get to work. Anyway....she was put on a van, with others before her on our street. No problem, except that the girl across the street gets on the regular bus!! We couldn't figure out why since the regular bus goes right by our driveway also. So, this morning the big bus stops at our driveway, honks and waits for my dd. I figure she has been reassigned. Okay, she rushes out of the house, zipping her jeans. Off she goes. Along comes the van which stops, honks and then drives away!! Now I'm confused. My dh says he has to stop at the municipal bldg anyway so he'll talk to the bus supervisor. Well...she's on vacation. Good timing on her part...second day of school. So, the asst. Supt. talks to him. Evidently, the bus company did all the routing this year!! So, the bus supervisor did nothing. Now, understand that my dh is an elected official in town, on the town' governing board. When he asked the asst. supt. why we had a dept to handle the buses, if the company does it for them...all the asst. supt could do was shrug very sheepishly. I guess my point with this rambling story is to point out that the school dept may have nothing to do with it. But, they sure can get it changed!!! As Brandy said...get your ducks in a row, have good info at hand, your reasons for asking for the change back. It's really too bad if the driver doesn't want to turn around. Our children have to come first!!! Oh, and btw, dd is going on the van evidently. They talked to the bus company and got it all figured out

 

[goofy4mickey48]

hi -quote for your topic " I have safety concerns. Snow plowing is not the best on my road and can be very icy, sometimes bearly enough room for two cars." Maybe this is part of their reasoning? I also drive a school bus and some cul de sacs and dead end streets are very dangerous for school buses to go down like you said very tight and hard to manuver! Sometimes the parents come up to the drop place where it is safer for everyone! hope i don't offend anyone! ....goof

 

[mudnuri]

Maybe this is part of their reasoning? I also drive a school bus and some cul de sacs and dead end streets are very dangerous for school buses to go down like you said very tight and hard to manuver! Sometimes the parents come up to the drop place where it is safer for everyone! hope i don't offend anyone!

Goof this could very well be the case, and if it is- it's poor communication on part of the bus company or school department....

I know in our village- now mind you it's only 1.3 sq miles- some kids are bused, some are not. Mine are, as my hill is amost 3/4 mile long and extreamly steep- no way a kid could walk!...however some streets are not, due to these issue's...narrow even without snow piles etc.. and they are even worse when the snowpiles are there.

ON the other hand we've got kids who are bused- because the sidewalks on the streets they live are not plowed in the winter...weird how this works huh?

Brandy

 

[mum4jenn]

Wow!! I sure am glad we live where we do. The school buses stop in front of most kids homes. The primary and elem kids ride different busses from the middle and high school kids also. My dd rides the bus home each day and the bus stops directly in front of our driveway!! I guess we are lucky. The driver has a really long bus and has a hard time getting off of our street but this is the way they do it. The high school kids get dropped at about every 1/2 block.

 

[LisaSt]

I would be writing the city to get them off thier butts to start clearing the sidewalks before somone or somone's child gets hurt and the city gets in all kinds of trouble.

 

[monarchsfan16]

Have you tried calling the actual bus company?
Our neighbor did that when the route was changed to have everyone on the road including her daughters crossing the road because of the direction the bus was coming from. We live on a dangerous road, with about 10-15 deaths per year on some of the corners. She simply cited that someone was killed crossing the street at the corner her house was on (true). The route was changed instantly.
Often times it is the bus company coming up with the crazy routes. Unfortunately they're also the people who are the most clueless when you talk to them. We had a fire on the bus I was on one afternoon and my stepdad called to complain about a different situation and they didn't even know that my bus had caught fire, or that a second bus had even been sent for us
This looks like it could be a hard fight. But as a student who spent years on busses, you are right in every aspect of it.