transporting students to school after 6th grade

[dragonfly]

I have been fortunate in that I have someone to take my children to school since they have entered 7th gr. I have been able to pick them up from school and several others and take them safely home. I am expecting to get different employment soon that would prevent me from picking up or taking them to school. I'm sure there are many other parents out there with the same dilemma. We do not live near the school but do live in the borough limits. I don't like the rule that the school has regarding busing students. Out of town students get bused no matter what grade they are in. I have recently learned that Altoona will bus students close to the school for a fee. Does anyone agree that all of the students should have the option to be transported to school no matter what grade they are in? Especially in the winter months; I see students walking in the rain, snow, cold, sleet whatever. I also fear for the safety of my children as well as all the children who have to walk. I have never really thought of trying to fight the system before but would like some suggestions if anyone has any. The only thing I've tried so far was emailing the principal and have had no response as of yet. I know that I am not the only parent who would be relieved if they didn't have to worry about how their child was going to get to and from school.

[submarinerswife]

Good luck! I lived in the borough limits growing up and when I entered 7th grade I walked to school.

[dragonfly]

Thanks! i guess I'll need it. Don't want to publicize where we live, but it's pretty far from school. From what I understand, the children on Hoover's lane and places like Schoch Hollow Road and the S&A development get to ride the bus and they don't live any further away from school then we do. When we bought our house it seemed like a nice quiet neighborhood and there are a lot of nice people around but there are also a lot of drug dependent people around which is one of my concerns about the children walking to and from school. A lot of the children I have talked to don't mind walking home but hate walking to school. They also get into trouble if they are late of course. Wonder how the teachers and administrators would like walking to school every day in all kinds of weather.

[Something to say]

I don't know the distance from your house to the school, but if I may ask a question. Its not going to be popular. If your child, 13 yrs of age or older...had a friend who lived the same distance from you as the school... would they complain about walking to the friends house? They're getting exercise which statistics prove our children are lacking. I walked to school. My parents walked to school. Winters were much worse back then. I would hate to see a child walking alone though. Dunno the answer... Car pool maybe?

[dragonfly]

Well I certainly don't disagree with the exercise part, but I think things have changed quite a bit since you or your parents walked to school. Much more drug activitiy out in the open and parents not keeping tabs on what their children are doing, which comes from kids having kids, and even back then do you remember the case of Kathy Shea? Still don't know what happened to her. Maybe you can be at ease letting your children walk to and from school, but I can't. As for the car pool, most people work or don't have the room to transport two more children. I myself bring three other children home besides my own now. Sometimes four. It'll work out though. Some how, some way.

[SoccerMom]

Dragonfly, I think you're right to be concerned. If the school provides transportation to some kids, it should be offered to all in my opinion. I wish my K4 child could ride the bus with her brother. We live out of town with no family in the area, and driving her in and picking her up is sometimes hard with our schedules. I figure we'll make it work for this one year. We live far enough away that I don't have to worry about them not being able to ride the bus when they are older, I'm not sure what we'd do if that weren't the case. Have you thought about going to a school board meeting and voicing your conerns?

[nerf1225]

Contacting the school board is really your best option. You mention teachers and the principal above, but teachers have absolutely no say in busing routes and I don't think the administrators do, either (might be wrong about that one). The school board hires the busing company and I'm pretty sure they set the busing policy. So I would take my concerns to them. I would be concerned, too. We live out of town, so it's not our issue. But if we lived in town, I would not let my child walk far or alone.

[kenziesmom]

Hello all! I agree that it's unsafe/unfair for kids to have to walk that live a mile or so away. I lived a mile away (downtown Tyrone off PA Avenue) and had to walk to school every day. My mom worked at PSU and my dad did not drive. With another possible abduction behind Bresslers, when is the school board going to wake up. My husband and I both work, and we will be facing this same issue in a few years. :ahh: I think a lot of people in this situation should contact school board members with their concerns.

I did some research on TASD's website and found that the comply with the PA Department of Education laws on school transportation. Take a look at what the following website says "http://www.pde.state.pa.us/schoolfinanc ... =3&Q=77255"

Here is a link to The Pennsylvania Public School Code of 1949 regarding Selected Pupil Transportation Sections "http://www.pde.state.pa.us/transportati ... -17-06.pdf"

Here's another great link to the Responsibilities of the district board of school directors in Pennsylvania "http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/022/c ... s23.4.html"

[banksy]

Can you post some info about the abduction behind Bresslers? I haven't heard about that and would like to hear what happened.

[kenziesmom]

Can you post some info about the abduction behind Bresslers? I haven't heard about that and would like to hear what happened.

Banksy, here is the link to the article in the Altoona Mirror last week: http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/conte ... 01535.html

[sissy31696]

I understand the problems of having to transport our kids after 6th grade.

What were the rules before the new school was built, like when they had the 3 or 4 elementary schools?