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Parent urges district to provide bus service to rowing program; senior portrait vendor complaints raised
Summary
At the August board meeting a parent asked the district to provide regular busing for the high school crew program to ensure equitable access and safety; the parent also complained about the quality and inconsistent proofs from the senior portrait vendor. Board members said they would review transportation options and look into makeup dates for portraits.
Liz Butcher, a parent and resident, addressed the board during public comment to urge the district to provide reliable school transportation to the high school rowing (crew) program. Butcher said transportation lapses mean parents are forced to carpool—sometimes leaving jobs midafternoon—or rely on unsafe alternatives. “I please I ask you to prioritize getting a school bus for these kids out to the boat house,” she said, noting the sport’s role in earning college scholarships for participants.
Butcher said crew is a spring sport and that when bus transportation ends for the season students must travel to the boathouse on their own. She emphasized equity concerns for single-parent households and families that cannot leave work mid-day to transport athletes.
Board response: Trustees acknowledged the challenge. The president and other board members said they would explore transportation options; Mr. Smith earlier noted the transportation department is fine-tuning routes and actively recruiting contracted bus drivers. The board also approved contracts for nine new drivers earlier in the meeting, a step officials described as helping address route coverage.
Senior portraits: Butcher also raised complaints about the district’s senior portrait vendor, saying some parents received as few as eight proofs while others received many more and that some images had technical or posing problems. Board members expressed concern and asked staff to explore vendor alternatives and makeup dates so seniors can have acceptable yearbook photos.
Earlier public comment: Pastor Page, a longtime former board member from Pleasantville, asked the board to consider bus-driver pay and contract negotiations, saying drivers are often the first adult contact for students and that the district should account for their importance in negotiations. The board said it recognizes drivers and will consider his points during negotiations.
What’s next: The board members asked staff to follow up on transportation routing and vendor options and signaled that these issues will be taken up by administrators for next steps.
