School buses may stay idle
by Wayne Moore
Parents who choose to send their children back to school next week may have to find a different way to get them to and from class.
The School District 23 board of education will decide Wednesday whether to cancel school buses for the balance of this school year.
Beginning Monday, students from kindergarten to Grade 5 will be given the option to return to class up to two days a week, while middle and secondary students will have the option to return one day a week.
Remote and online learning will still be available until the end of the school year.
District secretary treasurer Ryan Stierman says with just 16 days of instruction remaining, returning to class would equate to eight days for elementary students and four days for middle and secondary students.
Under those conditions, and because a modified bus schedule could not be worked out given the time frame, Stierman says in a report to the board, running a full bus schedule would not be feasible.
"Currently, bus drivers are providing cleaning services to schools, which under provincial guidelines require more frequent cleaning of touch points," said Stierman.
"With a heightened need for even more cleaning services at schools with additional students being present, the reduction of manpower would pose significant challenges."
In addition, he says 77 of the district's 87 drivers are 50 years of age and older. Drivers who are immune-compromised are currently performing duties where they are able to isolate and reduce contacts with others.
Since buses will have only run for seven of the 10 months of the school year, Stierman is proposing refunding parents 30 per cent of busing fee paid for the 2019-2020 school year.