Eleven families in Prairie South School Division have requested alternative busing arrangements so their children can attend another school, but the division has denied every request.
Individuals or families wanting to change their catchment area and receive transportation to another school must apply to the division office. The transportation manager and routing support officer meet with the rural catchment committee to review all requests and make decisions.
That group provided its recommendations to the board of education, which approved the report during its May meeting.
One family whose designated school is in Coronach asked to go to Bengough.
The committee explained that the board granted the family a one-year feeder bus pilot project this year, where the Coronach bus meets the Bengough bus in Big Beaver. Since the alternate yard site is closer than the transfer point, the committee recommended that the family’s continued request be denied and alternate yard service be continued.
A second family near Mossbank wanted busing to Gravelbourg.
The committee explained that the students would be in French immersion and qualify for conveyance to the closest alternate yard site, although the request would take the kids seven kilometres outside the Mossbank area. Therefore, the committee denied the request and offered alternate yard service with conveyance.
A third family near Gravelbourg wanted busing to Mossbank.
The committee said the family is attending Mossbank using another yard location. If the change were allowed, it would add 12 kilometres to a 91-minute route. So, it denied the request and offered alternate yard service.
A fourth family in Chaplin wants to attend Central Butte.
The committee explained that the family already uses alternate yard service, while the change would affect the Chaplin catchment area and other families and add roughly 15 minutes to a 59-minute route. Therefore, the committee denied the request and offered alternate yard service.
A fifth family attending Eyebrow School wanted to attend Central Butte.
The committee said the family already uses alternate yard service, while granting the change would add roughly 15 minutes to an 85-minute route and would take the outside the catchment area. So, the committee denied the request and offered alternate yard service.
A sixth family in Eyebrow wanted to attend Central Butte. The committee indicated it is 26 kilometres to the closest alternate yard site on all known weather roads. So, it denied the request.
Five families near Avonlea wanted transportation to A.E. Peacock Collegiate.
The committee explained three families are already attending the school, while four families are within four kilometres of Moose Jaw and one family is within two kilometres. Therefore, it denied all five requests.
“This is not a process we take lightly. It is hard work,” said Giselle Wilson, board chair and a rural trustee. “We set our parameters and we have some guiding principles we follow. And we stick pretty close to that because it helps us make good decisions … .”
Darcy Pryor, vice-chair and another rural trustee, confirmed these are tough decisions since the outcomes affect people’s lives. While there are many good families, trustees must remember they are running a school division.
City trustee Lew Young commended the group’s work and the “soul searching” it does while making decisions.
City trustee Crystal Froese suggested the division share the guiding principles online so families better understand the process.
Tenders
The division office approved two tenders between March 29 and April 26.
It was to update cooling at the board office for $28,885 plus taxes to C&E Mechanical, while a second tender was for school buses to Legacy Bus based on criteria points.
Business superintendent Ron Purdy explained the division ordered 10 buses last year and has received seven. The total cost is $1.75 million — or $175,000 per unit.
The amount of money shocked trustee Shawn Davidson.
“Yikes, yikes, yikes,” he exclaimed.
