×

West Branch superintendent asks patience on busing changes coming in new year

BELOIT — The West Branch schools superintendent is asking for a little more patience from parents regarding the upcoming change to state minimum busing.

Superintendent Timothy Saxton Wednesday night told parents a detailed plan with start and end times for students will be disseminated by Monday. The letter explaining the new bus routes, traffic flow and times will be issued to all parents and posted on the district’s social media websites.

The school board on Wednesday approved the bus routes and stops, effective Jan. 2, and authorized Saxton or someone he appoints to make changes and adjustments as needed “in the interest of safety and efficiency.” The motion included an unspecified change in the start time at district elementary buildings.

The board had previously approved a cut in busing to state minimum contingent on the result of a .5 percent earned income tax on the Nov. 6 ballot. The levy vote failed by nearly 60 percent.

Beginning Jan. 2 there will be no busing for high school or open enrollment students. There will also be no busing for kindergarten through eighth-grade students within two miles of their assigned school building.

Board member Mikki Kanagy joined Saxton in explaining that the board and administration have been working on the new busing the past few months since making it an option if the levy failed. They said the board and administration are continuing to work on issues, some general and some specific to individual concerns.

Christy Hoops, who said she is a working mother, told the board the new busing is putting an enormous burden on her family and others like it. She expressed displeasure with the fact parents only have a short period of time to make the adjustments and questioned why the new busing could not be implemented for the next school year.

Board member Karen Rice noted that the start of new busing coincides with when the district would have started collecting on the levy. Saxton also noted that the board opted not to begin the new busing immediately after the levy failure to provide additional time for parents to make adjustments.

Other parents and residents made comments and suggestions regarding the new busing. Saxton advised anyone with questions or concerns regarding specific situations to contact Transportation Supervisor Sherri Malloy.

In related business, Saxton deferred to the school board a question regarding any future levy. He said the school board has not formally discussed the issue yet, but when the board does, it will have to make a decision in open session. No board member added to Saxton’s comments.

Also at the meeting, the board increased adult lunch prices 30 cents to $2.95 effective Sept. 17. Saxton said the prices were implemented but the increase was not brought before the board for approval.

The board also accept the resignation of Teresa Kress as cashier and hired Jody Edie as a two-hour cashier; and granted supplemental contracts to Corey Snyder as winter weight room supervisor, Dave Wayt as volunteer wrestling assistant, and John Zamarelli for high school vocal (Young and Alive) and musical assistant for high school choreography.

Additionally the board accepted donations of $75 from John Wallace to high school athletics for a gameball, $180 from Mark and Irma McVicker for the McVicker Scholarship, $100 from Damascus Methodist Women for SADD, $1,800 from the West Branch Athletic Boosters for high school cheerleaders and $276 in services at the baseball field from Smith Landscaping.

khowell@salemnews.net

 

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.39/week.

Subscribe Today