Hawley Parents Voice Concern Over Potential Bus Schedule

By Eliza Hallabeck

Hawley parents voiced concern Monday, April 30, over a potential bus schedule change that could have Hawley students starting school later in the morning while aligning all elementary schools to start at the same time.

Parent concerns ranged from child care options to whether the school’s parents are being “railroaded” into the change.

Superintendent of Schools Janet Robinson, Board of Education Chair Debbie Leidlein, school board Vice Chair Laura Roche, board member John Vouros, Hawley Principal Jo-Ann Peters, and All-Star Transportation representative Richard Dufour were available to field questions.

“We are here to listen to your concerns,” said Ms Leidlein at the start of the meeting, “and we think it is important to give you all a voice. That is why we are here tonight.”

Dr Robinson gave a brief explanation before the floor was opened for parents. When All-Star Transportation, which was awarded a five-year contract for regular education transportation set to start in June, began looking into bus routes in Newtown, Dr Robinson said she directed Mr Dufour to look into options. Those options included having all the buses stored at a central location and having the elementary schools start at the same time, to be determined. Hawley now starts its day at 8:19 am, and the other three elementary schools begin at 9:05 am. Aligning the start time for the elementary schools, Dr Robinson explained, is projected to be the cheapest scenario, and, at another point in the meeting, she said it would allow better options for professional learning time for teachers.

The decision to alter Hawley’s start time and how changes will be implemented when All-Star Transportation begins its contract have yet to be decided by the Board of Education. Ms Leidlein said those decisions cannot be made until a budget is passed. Later in the meeting Ms Leidlein said the changes are also, in her opinion, “not a done deal.”

Dr Robinson said when the Board of Finance cut the school board’s requested budget by $700,000, the reduction was made with two bus runs in mind, as All-Star’s bid documents for the contract stated four bus runs could be eliminated. After the budget failed to pass at referendum, the Legislative Council cut another $1 million from the school budget, and Dr Robinson said those reductions to the requested budget leave the school board with few options.

“At this point the board will have to make decisions, hard decisions, as to how we are going to allocate funds,” said the superintendent.

Owner-operator Carey Schierloh questioned how All-Star’s bid listed an option for four fewer buses to be used with the buses being stored at a central location, but the scenario proposed would have four fewer buses only if the route schedules are altered.

Mr Dufour said he could not answer for his brother, John Dufour, who submitted the bid documents, but said All-Star was requested to look into the routes a few months ago, not a year ago.

When asked what options were being looked into for working parents that will no longer be able to get their child or children on the bus for the later start time, Ms Peters said Education Connection has been sought out to provide early morning and afternoon care, for a price, like at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Switching Hawley’s start time, Ms Peters said, would be a significant change, and other changes will have to be made to accommodate it. The principal also said when town principals and educators voiced support for aligning the elementary school start times, they were unaware what time would be used.

Ms Peters also said she understands that starting all the elementary schools earlier in the morning, like Hawley now, is not feasible, and said she is still anxious to learn what the start and end times for schools will be as soon as possible.

As one person of many who voiced concern of unanticipated costs for the change, Rob Connor, a business owner and Hawley parent, said the change would “cause me great financial hardship.” He also asked why something that has been working would need to be changed.

Dr Robinson answered saying there are financial realities that have to be dealt with, and the school district has been trimming for years. If cuts to the budget do not come from transportation funding, Dr Robinson said, “Where do you think these cuts will come from?”

Allene Troy, another Hawley parent, said she was disappointed she had not heard from Dr Robinson before this point.

Speaking near the end of the evening, parent Jane Long asked the three school board members and Dr Robinson to focus on children and keep money in the budget for teachers.

Ms Roche and Mr Vouros responded to a call from one parent who said the only person at the event who knew what she was talking about was Ms Peters.

“There are three of us here, and there are four other board members that aren’t,” said Ms Roche, saying the board members could not speak as a board without a quorum or votes made. “We are doing the best we can.”

Mr Vouros said he has been in town since 1968, and taught at Newtown Middle School for 35 years. Admitting it is a struggle to hold comments back, Mr Vouros stood up to address the crowd.

Aligning the elementary school start times, Mr Vouros said, was a request from educators, and, he added, the confusion around the busing schedule began before he and Ms Roche were voted into their positions.

“Had I been on the board when this all happened, we wouldn’t be in this mess,” said Mr Vouros.

While Mr Vouros said board members are trying to make things better for the town, there are rocky roads ahead. Mr Vouros said anyone can call or e-mail board members to further share opinions or concerns.

Ms Leidlein and Ms Roche presented Hawley parents’ concerns along with recent concerns voiced by St Rose of Lima School community members about the potential changes at the school board’s meeting on Tuesday, May 1. Ms Leidlein also told the Hawley community members present the potential changes and will be discussed when the time comes.

(To read about the meeting held for St Rose of Lima community members and about this week’s Board of Education meeting, see the related stories in this week’s edition of the paper.)