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Norwich parents press board to move high‑school bus stop after safety incidents; staff say stop will be reviewed
Summary
Multiple parents and students urged the Norwich Board of Education to restore a previous bus pickup location or otherwise relocate a high‑school bus stop they say is unsafe. Board staff said the transportation director and the school resource officer will inspect the site and review safety measures.
Several Norwich residents told the Norwich Board of Education on Oct. 14 that a high‑school bus stop near Bridal/Briar Hill Road is unsafe and urged the district to restore the earlier, closer pickup point.
At the board's public comment period, residents described darkness, speeding traffic and nearby homeless encampments near the stop used by Norwich Free Academy students. “It's a small detail, but it's a matter of our kids' safety,” said Savi, a parent who spoke during public comment. “When someone come to do a safety check, they spend 5 minutes on the road and didn't address the real concern. They didn't see the bigger picture.”
Other speakers recounted specific incidents. Marissa, a parent, told the board that on April 21 her son “was struck by a carpool coming out of school,” and said she had appealed to the chairman and superintendent without seeing changes. A ninth‑grade student from University Academy asked board members at one point, “Is convenience and just a few dollars saved worth more than a child's life?”
Board and administration members did not announce a formal policy change at the meeting. Instead, staff and board members described a multi‑step review process: the district transportation coordinator and First Student’s director will inspect contested stops, and the school resource officer has begun follow‑up with parents who raised safety concerns. During the meeting a board member summarized the protocol, saying the transportation director and the district coordinator “will check out the spot.” Officer McKinney confirmed he had spoken with a parent whose child was struck.
Superintendent Susan Lessard did not promise an immediate relocation but said the district is aware of concerns and will pursue inspections and follow up. The board also heard several community speakers describe repeated near‑misses, a history of changes to stops and daily worry among families who cannot drive students to school.
Background and next steps
Board members said the transportation coordinator will collect evidence and report back; the district also factors in state guidance and routing constraints when setting stops. Parents at the meeting asked the board to restore home‑to‑home pickup for affected students or to move the stop a short distance uphill to an existing elementary pick‑up that parents said would be safer.
No formal motion to change any specific stop was put to a vote at the meeting. Speakers said they will continue to press the district for a change and may pursue external complaints if they do not see action.
