Parents raise safety concerns after chaotic pickup, bus-route cuts at Ottumwa Comm School District meeting

Several parents told the Ottumwa Comm School District board that chaotic first-day pickup procedures and cuts to school bus routes left children unaccounted for and exposed safety risks.

"You put my children and every child that attends Alma and Farney Elementary at risk," said Christina Freimoyer, a parent of a first- and second-grader, describing a pickup in which staff released students without consistent barcode checks, children wandered the halls and office staff could not tell parents where some students were. "It was so chaotic that 3 second graders from the same class were wandering the halls by themselves."

Why it matters: Parents said schedule confusion and a reduced number of routes led to overcrowded buses, late drop-offs and some children walking alone. Taylor Goodoy, a parent who said the district reduced routes "by 7 routes," described buses circling back to pick up students, inconsistent departure times and a late drop-off that left her daughter to walk home through an unfamiliar area. "I'm not willing to sacrifice safety in doing so," she said.

Several other parents gave examples: Angelica Troban said her son is eligible for busing under an IEP and that walking routes from her home lack sidewalks and pass near areas she called unsafe; Cassie Navarro described a newly arrived family whose child missed the bus and did not receive a call until 4:20 p.m.; and Holly Boudreaux said some children were returned home as late as 5 p.m. and that one driver reportedly did not stop at a corner.

Board and staff response: Superintendent (S2) acknowledged that pickup worked well in many buildings but that afternoon pickup at Dalma and Farney "did not" and said the district is working to fix the problems. He invited parents to reach out directly and said staff had spent time over the weekend and that the district was making changes to traffic lanes, drop-off locations and staffing to improve flow.

Landon (S11), identified by the superintendent as a staff lead on pickup, described operational changes made over the weekend to limit which grades use particular lanes, to reduce confusion caused by double-lane loading, and to move siblings in more predictable ways so younger children are not sent across lots. He said the last car at Farney improved from about 4:30 p.m. on the first day to around 3:40 p.m. after changes.

What parents asked for: Multiple speakers urged the board to restore routes or reroute buses so that children are not required to walk long or unsafe distances, especially where sidewalks are lacking. Parents also asked for clearer communication from dispatch and the office when buses are late or when children are being routed differently.

Next steps: The superintendent said the district will continue to meet, adjust procedures and accept feedback; parents were asked to contact the superintendent directly if problems continue. The board did not take a formal policy vote on transportation at the meeting.