Oakridge School Board grapples with student transportation dilemma: not enough bus drivers

By MARK HOWARD/For The Herald –Supt. Reta Doland addressed bus transportation instability at the Oakridge School District virtual board meeting Monday evening.

She said drivers absent because of illness is part of the problem, but there’s also a gap between when new drivers are hired and when they’ve completed their required training and are eligible to drive. She said First Student, the company contracted to transport students, and the drivers are working diligently to overcome the challenges.

“Some of the things that First Student is doing is doubling up routes when drivers are out so we can still get our kids in school.” Doland said in the Zoom meeting, “They’re also running second routes when needed. Maybe routes are too large and they can’t just double them up. Some students, because of running that second route, may be arriving a little bit late.”

Doland said the lack of reliable transportation in Oakridge-Westfir and other districts has resulted in the high school and middle school volleyball teams missing games. The middle school football team now has to wait for the bus to finish its route before taking them to games, so they’re not leaving campus until 4:45 p.m. Game start times have to be changed, and students don’t arrive back on campus until 10:30 p.m. or later.

Bus drivers needed

In response to parents driving students, the district’s insurance agent Geoffe Sinclair shared his concerns. He outlined restrictions on insurance protection regarding individuals not employed by the school district and listed other important factors including driving records, background checks, safety systems in place in vehicles and required training courses. He described a scenario of a good-intentioned parent driving others’ kids to school or an event and getting into an accident.

“The insurance for the district may not respond because they’re not under that umbrella,” he said. “They’re not within the course and scope of their duties like a full-fledged volunteer is. And that can be financially detrimental, let alone the emotional impacts that would have on a community.”

Board Chair Kevin Martin said that he’s been contacted by many concerned parents. He’s working on getting a question and answer forum established on social media to keep them informed.

“I try to explain it’s not the individual bus drivers’ faults. It’s a staffing problem.” said Martin. “It has been the greatest concern since I’ve been on the school board, at least to me personally from parents.”

Doland said First Student is offering incentives for new drivers and people who refer drivers and has also raised wages to attract more hires.

Veterans Day event

The Oakridge School District will be holding an event for Veterans Day on Nov. 11. The board normally collaborates with Dairy Queen to provide meals on location, but last year because of COVID-19 safety precautions, meals were not prepared. Instead, volunteers handed out thank-you cards and meal gift cards.

“While it was fewer than had been here the years before, the people that came really appreciated that we had still gone through the effort of doing what we did,” said Doland. “We had lots of thank-you’s from people.”

The Oakridge district will do something similar this year.

A better online learning program

Beth Kruziki, administrator for the Oak Online Program for the district, said there are 45 students in the program, and she presented feedback from two students and a parent who praised the Edmentum online courses that have replaced the Acellus program which was used last year.

Complaints about Acellus were that it caused PCs to run slow and the website and app would crash often. The mentioned advantages of Edmentum were that it’s easier to navigate, it allows students to more easily retake lessons and quizzes and it enables students to learn at their individual paces.

“The learning process seems to be a lot stronger,” Kruziki read from a parent’s letter. “Actually, its staying power is in their brains.”

New gym opens in time for homecoming

Oakridge High Principal Tracy Ross reported the completion of the gym, which benefits PE students and the volleyball team and allows staff to better oversee the 75 middle school kids during the 35-minute lunch break. She said students were going to the stadium during that time.

Ross announced that Homecoming is happening all next week. The week’s activities will include a hallway decoration competition, school spirit dress-up and will end with a dance in the new gym.

Open campus

Ross said the restriction that prohibited juniors and seniors from leaving campus during lunch has been lifted and the results are positive.

They’ve been doing really great about getting back to school to their classes on time because they understand it’s a privilege,” said Ross. “Except when Dairy Queen closed for two days. That was not so good, a mass run to Subway. You know, they’re only as fast as they can go.”

Elementary adopts new math curriculum, gives out awards

Math consultant Cindy Neace has been at Oakridge Elementary School helping teachers implement the new math program Bridges in their classrooms. Elementary Principal Tina Maher said that Neace’s presence has been very helpful to teachers.

Maher shared a photo of the students who were awarded at the year’s first students of the month assembly that was held virtually Monday. Awards and certificates for September were given for active listening and showing growth in academics or behavior.

“I was in my office. All the kids were in the Zoom meet in their classrooms. They were able to see me. I was able to see them. So it was lots of fun,” she said. “It was kind of a different idea of having an assembly virtually.”

Mark Howard is a graduate of the University of Oregon, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in cultural anthropology. Besides reporting and writing, he produces video and audio stories and is an experienced photojournalist.