School buses sit idle in Cloverdale

All dressed up and no place to go. Cloverdale's school buses sit idle behind a locked fence.

Cloverdale students returned to school this week, but the familiar big yellow buses that would normally transport many of them stayed in the barn.

With a budget that will fail to meet normal standards for at least the next three years, the district opted to eliminate bus service to save an estimated $100,000 for 2011/2012. This, unfortunately, has left many parents scrambling for alternative transportation solutions.

A before school program at Jefferson Elementary now starts at 6:30 a.m., allowing parents who work to drop their students off early.

In the afternoon, the Boys & Girls Club provides bus transportation from both Jefferson and Washington Schools to the Club, which offers care until 6 p.m.

Program Director Diane Mora says the cost for the after school program, which focuses on healthy lifestyles and academic success, is very reasonable ? only $40 per student for the whole school year.

According to Mora, children are given a snack and then participate in a ?power hour? to do their homework.

?I?m surprised so many parents don?t know about our after school program,? she says. ?It?s been in the local paper, we?ve sent flyers home with the kids, and we even mailed information directly to their homes.?

While busing is still legally required for Special Education students and for League sporting events, the buses will no longer transport students between their homes and school.

Because of the district?s precarious financial position, the State has sent in two business consultants to oversee matters, one of whom will only be there until a new Business Manager is hired.

During the public comment period at Wednesday evening?s regular School Board meeting, a number of parents took the opportunity to voice their displeasure at the district?s decision. Some indicated they would even be willing to pay for the service if it were reinstated, an idea that one of the district?s State-appointed business consultants said would not raise enough money to make a difference.

According to school board member Joanne Argyres, some parents at the meeting said their kids didn?t want to walk to school in the rain and threatened to keep them home on those days if there were no buses.

Someone suggested parents could network with each other so that parents with vehicles could help out those who either don?t drive or don?t have transportation of their own.

Kristin Garcia is the mother of a third grade student at Jefferson, as well two younger children, ages 3 years and 19-months. She lives about two miles from the school and the family?s only vehicle is used by her husband for work.

?My son has had almost perfect attendance so far, and the buses have played a big part in that,? she says.

She was glad to learn of the after school program at the Boys & Girls Club because that puts her son a lot closer to home.

So what are the alternatives?? Do you have any ideas? Would having a private transportation company step in and take over the busing program be a good idea?

When school districts have their hands tied, much like Cloverdale does now, they are open to all ideas. While many may prove to be unfeasible and/or unworkable, there might just be that ?ah ha!? idea or two out there that makes all the difference.

What are yours?

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Source: http://cloverdale.towns.pressdemocrat.com/2011/08/news/school-buses-sit-idle-in-cloverdale/

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