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Parents press District 28 council on crossing guards, bus reliability and after‑school access
Summary
During public comment March 5, District 28 parents and PTA leaders urged action on school safety and transportation — citing missing crossing guards, unreliable routes and inconsistent hot meals or Beacon after‑school programs — and asked the council and district staff to follow up.
Multiple parents and community members addressed the CEC on March 5 with concerns about crossing‑guard coverage, bus reliability and availability of after‑school programs.
A parent noted persistent problems at a Russell Sage intersection and urged community boards and the city’s crossing‑guard program to reassess coverage. Multiple commenters described long and inconsistent waits for buses on routes the community uses to travel to and from schools (including references to Q23, Q25 and Q54), and asked for better coordination between MTA and school schedules. The council reported that MTA was reviewing post‑implementation feedback on recent route changes and encouraged parents to contact a named MTA director who was collecting comments.
Several parents asked for help restoring Beacon after‑school programs at neighborhood schools and said they were told individual principals can veto Beacon placement; one speaker said a principal had denied a Beacon request. The council said it will follow up with district staff to seek clarity about the Beacon approval process and to escalate cases where families have work and child‑care needs. Parents also noted inconsistent access to hot meals for after‑school or holiday camps; OFNS said hot supper programs are available but schools must apply through specific channels and OFNS staff will help administrators with the process.
Council members said the concerns raised — crossing guards, bus stop restorations, after‑school programming and hot meals — will be pursued with the district, MTA and OFNS. Members encouraged families to attend the March 16 chancellor town hall to raise these priorities directly with central DOE leadership.
