Teachers Mathew Chasanoff and Pam Jenkins escort kids to school buses at the front of the Orcas High School. State transportation officials advised that bus loading in front of the elementary school was unsafe, and teachers now escort students to their buses.
Parent-Teacher-Student Association (PTSA) President Barb Skotte sent out a reminder last week that Washington State bases its transportation reimbursement rate for school districts entirely on the number of students who ride the bus during the five mornings next week, from Sept. 21 to 25.
School districts are not required to provide bus transportation (except to a very narrow segment of the school population). However, Orcas Island School District now provides four extensive routes, covering much of the length and breadth of this island. “Having access to these routes is a boon to students and parents, promotes sustainable transportation choices, and is an important part of the school and local community,” said Skotte. “If your child(ren) use the buses, make an extra effort to ride on the mornings of September 21st-25th”
The annual reimbursement for a school district (which doesn’t fully covers the cost of transportation) will be set after the count next week, and cannot be changed until the following year.
**If you are reading theOrcasonian for free, thank your fellow islanders. If you would like to support theOrcasonian CLICK HERE to set your modestly-priced, voluntary subscription. Otherwise, no worries; we’re happy to share with you.**
I have always made sure my kids were riding the bus on the days these counts are taken (Both here in WA, and in NC where we came from). This will be the first year that one of my kids will be unable to ride the bus, and it is due to a “Zero-hour” class (Orchestra) being held before the buses even arrive at the school. We are too small a community to miss out on even one child missing the bus. I wonder how many other students won’t be on buses due to “Zero-hour classes? When money matters these days can we afford to miss out on even one child skipping the bus, due to a school recognized function?
I have always made sure my kids were riding the bus on the days these counts are taken (Both here in WA, and in NC where we came from). This will be the first year that one of my kids will be unable to ride the bus, and it is due to a “Zero-hour” class (Orchestra) being held before the buses even arrive at the school. We are too small a community to miss out on even one child missing the bus. I wonder how many other students won’t be on buses due to “Zero-hour classes? When money matters these days can we afford to miss out on even one child skipping the bus, due to a school recognized function?
I have always made sure my kids were riding the bus on the days these counts are taken (Both here in WA, and in NC where we came from). This will be the first year that one of my kids will be unable to ride the bus, and it is due to a “Zero-hour” class (Orchestra) being held before the buses even arrive at the school. We are too small a community to miss out on even one child missing the bus. I wonder how many other students won’t be on buses due to “Zero-hour classes? When money matters these days can we afford to miss out on even one child skipping the bus, due to a school recognized function?