There have been complaints, including some to The NEWS, about students being turned away from crowded school buses, but according to a report at Tuesday’s school board meeting, that has been resolved.
“Transportation had its fair share of challenges earlier this year,” said District 69 Assistant Secretary Treasurer Ryan Hung, who said they have “worked very hard to address those challenges.”
Complications from school reconfigurations over the summer and the late start of the year due to the strike meant there was a lot of uncertainty. Outgoing board chair Lynette Kershaw said:
“We knew that transportation was going to be very challenging, coupled with the uncertainty from parents as to what school they would choose for their children to go to.”
She pointed out, as reported in The NEWS, “We only had 383 registrants as of Aug. 15. We open our registration before the end of school so, it’s very difficult and I fully appreciate the workload that our staff put into doing this. If we don’t know what bus the parents have chosen for their children to ride, our transportation department cannot build routes appropriately.”
Hung admitted it took time to sort out all the routes and to match riders to buses.
“At the late start to the school year there were 236 riders wait listed due to full buses — that was reduced to 26 by Oct. 22,” he said, adding that as of that afternoon (Tuesday), the transportation department reported that “we have approved everyone on the wait list — as of today, the wait list is down to zero.”
He said ridership overall is about the same as last year, with 1,411 registered as of Oct. 22.
General manager of operations Dino Stiglich said they now have 20 regular buses and four special education buses in operation, down from 27 last year.
• As the school board traditionally doesn’t vote a raise for itself, as one of their final acts, the outgoing board adopted a new Board Structure bylaw which includes the first increase in remuneration in 12 years. Increasing from $9,720 a year to tying it to the provincial average trustee remuneration. It will increase 39 per cent to $13,500 next year and then be tied to annual Consumer Price Index increases. The vice chair will get 10 per cent more and the chair, 20 per cent more.
Trustee Julie Austin voted against, agreeing with MATA president Debbie Morran, who said she appreciates the hard work of the board, but the raise comes at the wrong time politically.
Trustees Barry Kurland and Ross Milligan spoke of the importance of valuing the board and continuing to attract a good pool of people.
• Tuesday’s was the last regular meeting for the current board of education before the Nov. 15 election. Board chair Kershaw and trustee Ross Milligan are not running again. Trustees Eve Flynn and Barry Kurland have been acclaimed and trustee Julie Austin is running again for area F against John Hildebrandt. Running for two spots in area G are: Willow Bloomquist, Jane Williams, Elaine Young and Jacob Gair.
Speakers at Tuesday’s meeting thanked the outgoing board for their hard work during a very challenging term. DPAC president Kelly Wray said she has been impressed with the increased transparency and singled out Kershaw as “a tough act to follow.”
