AMITY >> Following two incidents this school year of kindergarten students not properly discharged at their bus stops, the Daniel Boone School Board agreed on Oct. 10 to not allow daily and last-minute bus stop changes made by parents.
Board member Dane Ochis-O’Neal, chairman of the Transportation Committee, said the committee agreed on Sept. 27 that the district should adhere to its current policy. The policy states that parents provide three days notice for a bus stop change that will last five days or longer. Ochis-O’Neal said the exception is changes due to court-ordered custody situations.
“That was the policy,” said board member Tamara Twardowski, adding, “The least amount of variables, the less chance for mistake.”
On Sept. 6, kindergarten student Prince Oquendo was accidentally locked in a bus for four hours. The incident was the result of the bus driver not verifying that all students had disembarked at the Monocacy Education Center. That driver was immediately fired.
The second incident occurred a week later when a morning kindergarten student was not dropped off at her baby-sitter’s house at 11 a.m. The student rode the bus for two hours until notifying the driver.
All school buses used by the district are now equipped with alarms. They can only be deactivated by the drivers, following an inspection to the back of the bus.
“You only need to say to adhere to the policy,” said Superintendent James P. Harris. He added the caveat that changes for child care are approved on a case-by-case basis. We’re not adding any stops, but if that’s what you want.”
Dane Miller, principal of the Amity Elementary Center, said the result of not allowing last-minute bus stop changes is that kindergarten, and first and second grade students, will be kept at Amity Elementary Center – or returned to Amity Elementary – if a designated adult is not available to remove them from their bus. “They will end up in my office,” said Miller.
Ochis-O’Neal said last minute changes also allow too much opportunity for strangers to call the school district and change bus stops. “It starts off with the school district trying to be flexible, but then parents take advantage and everyday is different, and bus drivers don’t always know where the child is to get off at,” said Wolfe. He said the board can approve a new policy that includes more flexibility.
Wayne Klein, president of Klein Transportation, Douglassville, said last-minute bus stop changes “leaves the district and bus companies open for issues.”
The school district is also contracted with New Rhoads Transportation, Douglassville.
