Bus Schedule Changes: What Was Your First-Week Impact?

Many parents in the school district were upset when the District 122 school board approved new bus schedules last year that had students in grades 4-6 picked up at 7 a.m. and getting out before junior high kids.

But despite a few bumps in the road during the first week back to school, Supt. Mike Sass said nothing was out of the ordinary.

"It was the typical first day of school challenges," Sass said. District and transportation officials were at the schools last week to record drop-off times and figure out what needed to be fixed. "If someone was late, was the driver’s route too long, or did a parent stop to take extra photos?"

In February, the school board changed bus times that allowed the district to cut 16 drivers and 19 buses, saving aout $372,000. It moved the drop-off times for grades 4-6 to 7:30 a.m., junior high and morning kindergarten at 8:20 and grades 1-3 at 9:10.

These moves concerned some parents who thought the start time was too early for younger kids, and they said they would also need to make new after-school plans because junior high students were still in class. 

Seventeen more students have joined the after-school ACES program through the New Lenox Park District, recreation supervisor Sue Kuzmuk said, a sign that some families have made new child-care plans. 

"I am seeing more of the older students (grades 4-6) because they get dismissed earlier," she said.

Other parents weighed in last week on New Lenox Patch's Facebook page, and many said they still don't like the early times.

"Having to get a fourth-grader on the bus at 7:11 is not good and then a first-grader two hours later," Lori Mosel said. "It makes no sense. How is anyone suppose to work (they can't) so we then can't afford all the things the schools send home that cost money for the kids."

One parent, Selena Kujawa, said her child was picked up at 6:55 a.m., wondering what happened to the promise that no child would be picked up before 7. She said the junior high students should be picked up first, an option the district did explore but didn't choose because there wasn't as much cost-savings.

"Tonight was a huge struggle because (my son) was so tired and crabby even though he went to bed early," Kujawa said.
"Not to mention that the junior high should be the ones going and getting out earlier as they are more of an age to stay home alone for a couple of hours for those who have working parents."

The district office was buzzing the week before school started, with parents coming in to clarify when buses would arrive. The confusion carried over into the first week for some.

"I got the wrong kid up at the wrong time!" parent Cheryl Hubbs said. "Hopefully the rest of the year will be smoother!"

Many other parents said the time changes didn't impact them, and even if it did they found a silver lining.

"While I hate getting up super early, it was nice to have one-on-one time with each child as they got ready for school," parent Rebecca Dalseth said. "It's going to be a great year!"