Superintendent Marco reported that the district switched its bus routing and tracking services to BusRight, consolidating previously separate contracts (US Cellular tablets/internet, Premium Wireless software and Unite GPS programming) into one platform for a total district cost of $21,000 compared with the prior combined cost of $20,960.12. He said the switch added a parent app and bus badges at no additional replacement cost and that parents may choose to opt out or request badges that omit student names.

The change, Marco said, was selected to keep costs neutral while improving real-time communication among transportation staff, bus drivers and families. “The parent app has been a success,” he said, and bus badges provide “additional peace of mind” by speeding access to ridership lists in an emergency.

During public comment Andrew Beaupre of Litchfield told the board he was concerned the badges use RFID technology that can be read at a distance and that storing student information on a third‑party server creates a persistent digital footprint and a cyberattack target. “My children will not be having the badges,” Beaupre said, and he encouraged other parents to consider opting out.

Board members and the superintendent acknowledged the concerns. The superintendent confirmed parents may opt out and said the district can remove student names from badges where requested. No formal vote or policy change about the badges or data retention was taken at tonight’s meeting.

What happens next: administrators invited parents with questions to contact the superintendent’s office or the director of transportation; the board did not direct staff to change procurement or data‑storage arrangements tonight.