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Parent urges stronger bus communications; board listens during public comment
Summary
A parent urged Jackson Public Schools to fix communication problems with the district's transportation notifications, saying automated alerts fail to inform families when routes change and that specific routes (South Jackson/Obama Magnet) receive no notifications.
During the meeting’s public comment period, a parent urged Jackson Public Schools to improve communication from the transportation department, saying the district’s notification system does not reliably inform families when buses are reassigned or routes are altered.
Miss Hughes, who identified herself as a long‑time JPS supporter and a grandparent of JPS scholars, told the board: "I love JPS... That being said, I'm here now to address the issue that has been going on for quite a while... the lack of communication from transportation is deplorable to say the very least." She said the district’s VersaTrade (identified in comment as the notification app) is not being used as intended and that text messages are received inconsistently. She said families whose children ride the South Jackson route for Obama Magnet “never get notified.”
Hughes described repeated attempts to raise concerns with administration without improvement, said she had considered alternative tracking solutions for a seven‑year‑old granddaughter and asked for a monitor on a route that will combine elementary and middle school students after a transfer to Northwest. She concluded: "All I'm asking for is better communication."
The board chair read the rules for public comment before the speaker and reminded the public the board would listen but not respond during the comment period. No immediate board action or staff response was recorded on the transcript during the meeting.
Why it matters: Transportation reliability and real‑time communication are central to student safety and family trust. The parent’s remarks put public pressure on the district to improve route notices and to clarify monitoring and supervision for mixed‑age transfers.
