October 29, 2021
RE: West Genesee Transportation Implementation
Effective December 6, 2021
Dear Parents/Guardians/Caregivers,
Thank you for a positive start to the school year. Certainly, we continue to face challenges as a result of the health pandemic, but we have proven the ability to accept changing circumstances and continue to move forward.
In a letter sent to you on September 8 regarding transportation, circumstances were reviewed that required both short term and long term solutions. It was further discussed the following week at the September 15 Board of Education meeting noting some improvements with an underlying theme that “there is still progress to be made.”
After reviewing the complete operation of the WG Transportation fleet, we are now positioned for a long-term solution. The factors considered include the challenge of staffing our bus routes, lengthy arrival and dismissal procedures, extraordinary congestion (WGMS/ST), lacking staff for afterschool runs, long bus rides, inability to provide transportation for Interaction Time (WGHS/CMS), missed instructional time, and not meeting contractual obligations for staff. New routes requiring school schedule changes have been finalized and will be implemented on Monday, December 6.
New Routes
New routes* have been developed across four buildings; West Genesee High School, Camillus Middle School, West Genesee Middle School, and Stonehedge Elementary School. There are overall fewer routes with less average time per ride. West Genesee High School and West Genesee Middle School students will share buses.
Various combinations of riders was explored to maximize our volume of buses and available drivers. Following exploration of other combinations, WGHS and WGMS created the best potential for success and employs a strategy used for many years in the past of pairing the two buildings. This includes dropping students at the high school en route to arrival at WGMS. Unlike the past, assigned seats will be followed and will separate WGMS students (in the front of the bus) from the back rows available for WGHS students. To the extent possible, an empty row will be utilized between high school and middle school riders to decrease any impact of contact tracing. We expect many buses to be below capacity, particularly in the afternoon when high school students historically utilize busing much less.
The new routes will provide the ability to have Interaction Time supported at West Genesee High School (4 buses) and Camillus Middle School (4 buses).
*Note: The building route changes will also positively impact some of our out-of-district routes.
New Schedules
In order to address the above issues, some buildings will need to adjust their schedule. The following schedules will begin on Monday, December 6:
West Genesee High School: Student and Staff day will begin 5 minutes later than the current schedule. The student day will be 7:35a.m.-2:02p.m., with staff reporting at 7:25a.m. (Interaction Time will be 2:06p.m.-2:41p.m.)
Camillus Middle School: Student and Staff day will begin 10 minutes earlier than the current schedule. The student day will be 7:45a.m.-2:20p.m., with staff reporting at 7:30a.m. (Interaction Time will be 2:25p.m.-2:50p.m.)
West Genesee Middle School: The student day will be 65 minutes earlier than the current schedule with the staff day 35 minutes earlier. The student day will be 7:50a.m.-2:15p.m., with staff reporting at 7:40a.m.
Note: Elementary Schools (ST, SR, EH, OR) will have no change in schedule.
Timeline
| October 29 | Communication to Parents/Guardians/Caregivers |
| November 8-19 | WG Transportation Dept. rebidding process and perform dry runs |
| November 15-19 | New route information with specific bus identifier and times provided to parents via hard copy through mailing. Note: There may be a change of your child’s bus number or character from the rebidding process. |
| November 23 | Deadline for submitting changes using the “Change of Information Notification” form located here. This form should be sent to the school of the child for whom a change is being requested. |
| November 29 – December 3 | The BusQuest App will be deactivated from existing routes and will go live to show only the run times to be implemented on December 6. |
| December 6 | Implementation of new runs |
There will likely be more information and reminders provided across the coming weeks. This communication is to provide as much time and notice to prepare and make appropriate shifts. Please know this change is not taken lightly and is the result of many challenges since the start of the school year and weeks of revisions for correction. We recognize the inconveniences and continue to ask for your understanding as we navigate this school year. The new routes will be shorter on average, decrease unexpected interruptions, and provide a level of service to student programming that our community values.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership.
David C. Bills
Superintendent
West Genesee CSD