NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. WBEN "We have an issue at 3:00pm. Both our Elementary and High School get dismissed at the same time. We need 60 to 65 drivers to safely transport kids home. We're averaging about 35 drivers. It just isn't working."
Niagara Falls City School Superintendent Mark Laurrie has come up with a solution to the bus crisis in his district.
By moving up high school dismissal time to 2:30 pm instead of 3:00 pm, buses can take high school students home, then circle back to pick up elementary school students.
Laurrie says ten weeks into the school year, attempts to bring on more bus drivers has not worked. "I don't like giving up one minute of instructional time, but safety, order, security has to come first. It's time to do something more radical."
The shortage of bus drivers is affecting every school district. Laurrie told WBEN he couldn't fathom the idea of returning to remote learning. From that premise, he said, this is the best solution they have.
"I can no longer have kids getting home from school at 5:15 pm, or 5:30 pm.
Winter is coming. The weather is going to turn. It's going to start getting dark at 4:30 pm or 5:00 pm. Something needs to be done and it's time to act," he said.
The thirty minutes of instruction time that is being taken from the high school students will be spread out over the course of a day. "It wasn't an easy decision," said Laurrie. "We're losing three minutes per class. Over the course of 30 weeks, that adds up."
The Superintendent does not see anything on the horizon that is going to change the situation. "We're spinning our wheels."
The district is tentatively looking at a November 8 start date. That's the Monday after Daylight Saving Time kicks in.
With this plan, this district would be ahead by 5 to 7 bus drivers, but as Laurrie pointed out, there are 5 drivers out this week, due to Covid.
The Niagara Falls School Board has verbally given Laurrie their complete support. Laurrie plans to give the board an update later this week.
