Parents, some of you are taking too long getting your kids on the school bus, so said Rochester School Committee Chairman Sharon Hartley on September 4 during their first meeting of the new school year. The discussion was continued from last year when the topic of consolidating bus stops first came up.
New School Business Administrator Patrick Spencer told the committee that the district managed to reduce the number of school bus stops in Rochester from 320 to 257 without compromising safety. Spencer said consolidating six stops on Route 105 and 60-odd stops throughout the town has saved some time bussing students to and from school.
Hartley questioned the bus stop etiquette of some parents who she said she has personally witnessed in the past do not have their children ready and prepared when the bus pulls up, stops, and opens the door.
“It happens over and over,” said Hartley, describing how she has seen parents wait in their car with their child, who then does not exit the vehicle until the bus stops and opens the door, leaving the bus driver, the students on board, and traffic waiting too long. She added that the time some parents take to hug their child, say goodbye, and chitchat with the bus driver is also adding to the time that students have to be on the bus each day.
“I always thought of making a little video,” Hartley said of when she witnesses these occurrences.
There was a slight misunderstanding between Hartley and School Committee member Jennifer Kulak, who wondered if having the children rush across the street to hurry up onto the bus would jeopardize their safety. Hartley reassured Kulak that she was only referring to some stops on the same side of the road as the bus where some parents do not have their child ready by the road when the bus approaches.
Hartley wondered how the committee could get the word out to ask parents to cooperate by having their kids ready to board the bus in a timely manner, without taking up too much of everybody’s time.
“[Because] that’s abusive to everybody,” said Hartley.
Also during the meeting, committee members approved new Director of Student Services Michael Nelson’s funds request to cover the cost of an unforeseen out-of-district placement for one student with special needs. The “not to exceed $69,500” Special Education Stabilization Fund request will be placed as an article on the Special Fall Town Meeting Warrant for Town Meeting approval.
Spencer specified that the cost could be brought lower with changing circumstances, but the total could not exceed the requested $69,500.
In other matters, Rochester Memorial School Principal Derek Medeiros said he welcomed at total of 477 students on the first day of school, including 16 new students who either registered before the end of the school year or entered the district during the summer.
“Derek, it looks like grade two is creeping up in size,” said School Committee member Tina Rood. Medeiros replied that this has been the trend, but for the most part, the new students are evenly spread across the grades.
Medeiros said the new math curriculum, “Go Math,” has been delivered and unpacked with the assistance of some ORR Junior High School students, and teachers have already had their first professional development day pertaining to the new curriculum.
During the meeting, Superintendent Doug White introduced the committee to the new technology restructuring that will eliminate the need to keep the technology director position. Technology needs will now be spread out throughout all six schools in the district instead of each having their own consultant. Staff members throughout the ORR district will take on increased hours and technology roles that will be monitored and tracked more effectively by the central administrative office.
Spencer gave a brief update on the status of the closing of the fiscal year 2014 budget, prompting Hartley to comment, “That might be the briefest financial report in a long time.”
The next meeting of the Rochester School Committee is scheduled for October 2 at 6:30 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.
By Jean Perry
