September 29, 2024
Dear Marlborough Public Schools Parents and Guardians:
For the last few years, bus transportation to and from school has been a struggle for many students and families. Last week, a Marlborough Public School parent sent a communication with a number of bus related questions to the school committee. I am including these questions and answers to this month’s update.
Question: What is the furthest an MHS (Whitcomb, Elementary, etc.) student is expected to walk to get to a bus stop?
Answer: MA General Law Chapter 71, Section 68 states that, “if the distance between a child’s residence and the school s/he is entitled to attend exceeds two (2) miles and the nearest school bus stop is more than one mile from such residence …, the school committee (city) is responsible for providing transportation to students in grades K-6. Further, the school district is required to provide transportation for students with disabilities who have transportation included as part of their Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and 504 Plans.
North Reading Transportation (NRT) and Marlborough Public Schools transportation employees have tried to identify bus stops for all students within ½ mile of student’s home.
Question: Students must have a sidewalk available to reach the bus stop. (True or false)
Answer: False. Many cities and towns have limited sidewalks. There is not a requirement that cities and town have sidewalks on every street.
Question: Students are expected to cut through other properties to safely reach their bus stop. (True or False)
Answer: False. Students should stay in public areas (streets, end of driveways, and sidewalks) and not go onto private property without the owner’s and their own family’s permission.
Question: How many students safely fit (including backpacks, sports equipment and instruments) on each bus? Does that vary by age?
Answer: Maximum capacity of the buses varies between 71-77 students. In general, students should only carry items that fit in their backpacks.
During the 2024-2025 school year, every student in grades K-5 may ride the bus. Many adjustments to routes have been taking place over the last few weeks. Some bus routes have added additional students and stops, other bus routes have reduced the amount of stops and students. At least one new route has been added. We expect these changes to continue for the next few weeks as Director of Finance and Operations, Mr. Matt Wells, identifies needed adjustments and NRT implements those changes.
We expect that additional changes to student transportation will need to be made for the 2025-2026 school year. We will schedule community forums during the winter months to discuss any proposed changes prior to implementation.
Regards,
Mary Murphy
Superintendent
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