Woodbridge school bus cuts slammed by parents who’d be willing to pay
UPDATED: Some courtesy busing in Woodbridge reinstated by school board
CORRECTED: The YMCA before-school program will cost about $194 a month, not per week as was previously reported in this article.
WOODBRIDGE, NJ -- Karen Sadler is desperate and scared. She has about three weeks to figure out how her 7-year-old son will get to school this year now that courtesy busing is gone for good.
“I don’t know what I am supposed to do. Quit my job? Lose my job so my child can go to school?”
The Board of Education in March decided to eliminate non-hazardous busing this fall.
"This is not something we wished to do…the board was simply not in favor of it until we simply had no choice, so our hand was forced by the state of New Jersey," school Superintendent John Crowe said, referring to the loss in state aid last year.
Cutting bus routes amounted to just $429,000 of more than $12 million the board had to slash from its budget. The proposed tax levy defeated by voters in April also resulted in another $1 million loss.
K-8 students who live less than 2 miles from school and high school students who live less than 2.5 miles away will no longer be bused. Those 1,500 students will join the 3,000 who already walk to school, officials said. About 58 percent of last year’s bus routes remain.
It is highly unlike the Board of Education will reinstate full busing or adopt a subscription model, officials said.
READ ALL OUR COVERAGE ON THE WOODBRIDGE SCHOOL BUDGET
Sadler was among 200 or so angry parents who came to Avenel Middle School Wednesday night for an information meeting about the 35 lost routes and a new YMCA-administered before-care program that will be offered for a fee.
Although the budget cuts were announced ahead of the April election, most at the meeting said they were surprised to learn this week about losing busing.
Parents whose work schedules would prevent them from driving their children to school were concerned with walking distances, traffic and neighborhoods lacking sidewalks. They didn’t believe the added crossing guards were enough and slammed Woodbridge Police Sgt. Eric Nelson for signing off on the walking routes as safe.
Many, like Trish Murphy of Colonia, asked the district allow parents to pay for courtesy busing – an idea Crowe opposes.
“My daughter is in high school I don’t want her walking alone. There’s got to be a way for people who are willing to pay for that. It’s just not fair,” she said.
Crowe said a subscription busing service would not be “economically feasible” because the district would be barred from charging parents whose children receive free and reduced priced lunch.
“It might still be a financial loss for the district,” business administrator Dennis DeMarino added.
CLICK HERE FOR THE LIST OF BUS ROUTES THAT WERE CUT.
Each bus route costs the district about $14,000. The number of riders on each bus varies.
A before-care program at Port Reading School Elementary School No. 9, Indiana Avenue Elementary School No. 18, Robert Mascenik Elementary School No. 26 and Matthew Jago Elementary School No. 28, from which the YMCA will transport students to their respective schools, will cost $194 a month per child.
Parents like Pat Trela of Colonia insisted parents could make subscription busing work.
“If we are willing to pay for our kids to be bused, why can’t we?” she asked.
Sadler’s concerns were similar to most expressed at the meeting. While she lives less than a mile from Oak Ridge Heights Elementary School No. 21, the walk along Inman Avenue would take her son across St. John Vianney’s parking lot, six apartment and business driveways, eight exits and entrances for several strip malls and four intersections.
“I can’t’ trust a 7-year-old to walk that distance to school by himself,” she said. “Maybe the parents who want to pay can pay. Give us that option.”
Assistant Superintendent Lois Rotella said there was no correlation between students who walk and absenteeism.
“We have thousands of children who walk to school every day without incident,” she said.
The Police Department has added crossing guards to new intersections at a cost of about $60,000 to the district, officials said.
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Obiwanisback 5:57 pm on August 12, 2010 Permalink
I just hope that every parent that was at that meeting whining and complaining voted YES on the school budget. My bet the room was 50% filled with people that voted no. My parents walked miles to school – my mother through 6ft high snowdrifts in Syracuse. Where I grew up we went home for lunch. For some that meant walking halfway across town (1.75 miles) making 2 round trips daily. Kids are lacking in exercise and more and more are becoming obese. A short walk to school will do them some good.
WoodbridgeNJ 8:31 pm on August 12, 2010 Permalink
There was never a time when parents could not pay for transportation for their children. If you would like to have somebody else transport your children all you need to do is pick up the phone and contact one of the many taxi companies in the Township.
Nancy 11:15 pm on August 12, 2010 Permalink
There is no reason for the township to bus kids who live a block away from a grammar school. Yes, it was convenient, but a waste of money. Parents are going to have to find other ways to get their kids to school. I am. I’d rather make other arrangements than have my taxes raised. I live around the block from the grammar school and the kids on my block get a bus. I don’t get it. I walked almost a mile and a half to Colonia HS when I went. This is why kids today are fat. They don’t walk or exercize enough.
Trish 8:35 am on August 13, 2010 Permalink
@ Woodbridge NJ — you’re absolutely right! Parents of WB call private bus companies and coordinate your own route — you just need to guarantee a certain amount of children.