Board hears complaints about bus no-shows during cold snap; staff to improve notifications

Multiple board members raised concerns after parents reported buses that did not run during a cold-weather period, leaving students without scheduled pickups.

Board member (name not specified in the transcript excerpt) said several routes missed pickups and parents were not notified. District staff said five buses failed to start because drivers did not add the cold-weather additive; those buses were held at drivers’ residences rather than at the district garage. Staff described a shortage of drivers and buses and said the district is addressing the issue.

Board members pressed for better advance notification to families. Staff said the district’s current notification system is school-wide rather than route-specific and acknowledged work is needed to target communications to affected routes. Suggestions included mass social-media posts, district-wide emails and school-level certification of communications; staff committed to continue work on the transportation notification process.

Board members also raised concerns about elementary students who walk to school in extreme cold and reminded the public that the district maintains a clothing bank and can provide coats for students in need. The board discussed using a real-feel (wind chill) threshold to inform operational decisions and noted the district had already posted a two-hour delay for the following morning.

No formal board action was taken; staff described follow-up steps and communication improvements as planned actions to reduce the chance of repeat failures.