By Susan Bromley
Staff Writer
Brandon Twp.- The school board unanimously approved a motion to discontinue the busing of in-district transfers during their March 8 meeting, but blunted uproar over the controversial decision by offering a solution to appease parents and daycare providers.
District officials have received protests over the decision to bus to home schools only, after years of providing transportation for all students to whichever school they chose, regardless of whether it was the one they were assigned to by school boundaries.
On Monday, Superintendent Lorrie McMahon said that while buses will now each be dedicated to an elementary school in their attendance area, all buses go to Brandon Fletcher Intermediate School first in the morning before taking elementary students to their schools. Because of this, it will be possible for students to change buses at BFIS to go to their chosen school. Families will not notice any change in the morning.
In the afternoon, students will be picked up at the intermediate school, then the attendance area school. Students in the attendance area school will be dropped off first, then students attending daycares will be dropped off.
Students who are attending a school that is not their home school can be dropped off at the latchkey at Harvey Swanson, but will not be dropped off at home.
‘We’ve only heard from two families for whom this is a problem,? said McMahon. ‘We’ve heard a lot more from people who want the ride shortened, and from people who use the daycares.?
McMahon noted that there were some very long bus rides this year? up to an hour and 15 minutes long for some students. The busing change will reduce some of the bus rides by as much as half the time. The change will also mean a savings of about $12,000 for the district since the bus routes are shortened.