Board discusses two-tier busing for middle and high schools; bus company and staff outline benefits and data requests

School administrators and representatives of the district’s bus company presented a proposal to reconfigure morning and afternoon bus runs so middle- and high-school students ride combined neighborhood routes (a two-tier system). The board received the presentation and asked staff for more detailed route-by-route timing impacts and additional community feedback before any formal decision.

Amity (staff member) introduced Melissa Quinones, Jen Lombard and Jen Willis from the bus company and recounted a ride-along showing the combined runs in operation. Presenters said four routes already combine Londonderry High School and Londonderry Middle School (LHS/LMS) students; the proposal would extend that model districtwide. Benefits cited included more efficient neighborhood routing (one pass through neighborhoods for both school levels rather than separate passes), later pick-up times for many high-school students (pick-ups clustered around 6:40–6:50 a.m. rather than some as early as 6:15 a.m.), potential fuel-cost savings and the possibility of removing at least one bus from the contracted fleet (bus replacement estimate discussed at about $70,000 per bus).

Presenters said typical observed waits when transferring from an LHS drop to LMS were modest (one ride-along noted a seven-minute wait before unloading at the middle school and a maximum observed additional wait under ten minutes for students in the observed scenario). The administration described seating as typically self-sorting (younger students sitting in front half of the bus, older students toward the rear) and said other districts use a two-tier approach without reported issues.

Concerns raised by board members and community speakers included how many middle‑school stops would shift earlier by more than ten minutes under different route configurations and how many high‑school pick-ups might shift later by 20–30 minutes under some proposals. Board members asked staff to prepare more granular samples that show estimated minutes earlier or later by stop and to solicit parent feedback before a next‑meeting decision. Several board members recommended a two‑week window for public comment and suggested staff present an updated set of mock routes showing specific timing impacts.

Outcome: No formal vote was taken. The board requested that administration and the bus company return with more detailed route timing snapshots and community input; the board signaled a preference to revisit the proposal at the next meeting after wider parent notice and staff follow-up.

The administration noted additional potential benefits during winter months (later pick-up times for high-school students when daylight is limited) and repeated that the change would be implemented for both morning and afternoon routes if adopted. The bus company and administration said reconfiguration would require time to redesign routes and asked the board to make a decision as soon as practical to allow schedule adjustments before the next school year.