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Board committee reviews $1,500 GeoAlert bus-notification pilot for Peters Elementary
Summary
Mister Mann asked the board to approve a one-year GeoAlert pilot (cost $1,500) to notify Peters Elementary parents when buses are approaching; proponents said the app could reduce overtime and return trips, while some members questioned whether parents would use or ignore alerts.
Mister Mann asked the board to put a one-year GeoAlert pilot for Peters Elementary on the next agenda, saying the system would let parents receive an alert a set number of minutes before the bus arrives at a child's stop.
"It's $1,500 for the full year," Mann said, breaking the cost down to approximately $100 per bus and noting that one return trip to Peters with a driver and an aide runs about $40 in overtime.
Administrators described the pilot as targeted to Peters because kindergarten and, in some cases, first-grade students require an adult present at the stop. The system would allow a primary parent to designate other caregivers who can also receive alerts. Mann said the district plans two weeks of training and a late-May or June rollout if approved.
Board members asked about effectiveness and coverage. "If a parent's not meeting their kid at the bus now... who's to say that this app is gonna make it any better?" one trustee asked, noting parents can ignore phone alerts. Administrators acknowledged that some families might not respond but said the app offers another reminder and could reduce recurring return trips.
Mann indicated the district will collect pilot data and return that information before committing long-term. He asked the board to place the item on the Monday agenda for formal consideration.
