Tekamah-Herman Schools Asking for Patron Input

   By Brandon Lavaley, Superintendent of Tekamah-Herman Schools

As is the case with most decisions involving the district, the Board is asking for patron input. This week, however, it is a topic more immediate than improving our facilities. The Board of Education has made a commitment to addressing transportation needs, specifically before- and after-school bus routes, for the 2015-16 school year.

Over the past two years, the district has been unable to attract and hire any new drivers, while losing drivers for various reasons. At one point this spring, we were unable to fill all obligations made at the beginning of the school year and paid parents mileage to bring their children to school because of a shortage of drivers. There are currently teachers that drive routes creating concerns because of after-school practices, before- and after-school meetings, and other obligations with the respective teaching contracts. With these concerns considered, the Board would like input from the public, especially those affected by routes, concerning a potential change.

The first consideration is paying mileage to parents and eliminating daily routes. The parents would be reimbursed the mileage from home to school at the state rate, which generally changes every January 1^st. Parents would be required to turn in documentation to receive the mileage, for accounting purposes, and be reimbursed on a monthly basis.

The second alternative being considered is to establish pick-up points for riders. If the routes were condensed down to three or four, for example, the buses would drive to a predetermined location and meet all parents and students at that site. Parents would obviously be responsible for transporting their students to and from that location. The driver would establish a time at which they would be at the site, provide a wait time they will sit, then return to the school or on to a second site, if necessary.

With both of these possibilities, the amount of time the students spend traveling will be greatly reduced. As our routes currently run, especially with a shortage of drivers, there are times students are on the bus for over an hour to get to or from school. The Board recognizes and understands that there is uncertainty with change and these alternatives may create some inconveniences, but they want to be as fair to the patrons as possible while falling in line with regulations. Most importantly, they want to do what is in the best interest of the students and district of Tekamah-Herman Schools. Please feel free to provide feedback to any articles and read archived copies at suptcorner.blogspot.com or personally contact a Board member. Thank you to everyone for your continued support of our students and Tekamah-Herman Schools.

Brandon Lavaley