Parents asked to opt out of school busing, but uncertainty getting in the way

Friday is the deadline for parents to commit to driving their own children to anglophone schools, but the decision is tough to make without enough information about what school is going to look like.

Anglophone East, West, North and South districts have all asked parents to consider opting out of the yellow-bus program to help allow physical distancing once the school year begins next month. They've given parents until 5 p.m. Friday to opt out, otherwise their children will continue to be counted in.

Some Francophone school districts sent out a longer survey with a July 31 deadline, and are still collecting information from parents.

Joey Johansen-Morris is a Midland parent of four boys who go to elementary and high school in Belleisle. She said she did not opt out, because she's not sure what her own schedule, or her children's, will be like.

"There doesn't seem to be a lot of flexibility," she said. "I could get them there some mornings but I can't get them there all mornings."

She said the way she interpreted the letter to parents is "you either drive them or you bus them."

But it's not clear if that's the case in every district. All four districts declined a request for interview, saying the province will have more information for parents next week.

Some flexibility

Anglophone West superintendent David McTimoney said district staff are still in the process of preparing for transportation and confirming school schedules.

"We simply are not at a point yet to confirm plans publicly," he said in the emailed statement.

He said for people who can't commit to transporting their children without knowing the exact start and end times for their school day, "we would advise them to not opt-out of public school transportation."

And once the schedules are confirmed, which by Thursday afternoon were not completed, then a family can choose to opt out by contacting the district, even if it's beyond the Friday deadline.

"If they have already chosen to opt out and find they are unable to keep this commitment, we are able to make the adjustment," he said. "The parent would simply contact our transportation office."

Anglophone East superintendent Gregg Ingersoll said, if parents are not sure about their availability to pick up children, they shouldn't opt out.

"Parents can also opt back in if their situation changes throughout the year," he said.

A letter sent to parents of children in Anglophone East said an opt-out decision will apply for the whole 2020-21 school year, but if ability changes, "let your school district know as soon as possible."

"In an emergency, transportation will be provided to students who need it," the letter says, but does not elaborate on what counts as an emergency.

In a letter sent to parents in the Anglophone South district, superintendent Zoё Watson said students on the bus will have to follow physical distancing.

Students in K-5 will be required to sit one per seat, except students from the same household.

She said physical distancing "may require us to alter our schedule." And that parents should anticipate changes.

"We recognize the importance of getting this information to families as soon as possible and will share more information as it is finalized," she wrote.

Johansen-Morris said parents living in rural areas would be less likely to opt out, considering how far away some schools are from their homes.

"That's going to be a large chunk of your day ferrying the kids back and forth to school and parents don't have that kind of time," she said.

As a response for a request for an interview with Minister of Education Dominic Cardy, spokesperson Danielle Elliott said transportation will be provided to students who need it, and more details "will be available soon."

The province announced Cardy will be part of updates at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays from Aug. 13 to Sept. 3.

Questions remaining

Katie Russell Haines lives in Bloomfield, and has a daughter in middle school and a son in elementary. They go to school in Hampton, about 10 kilometres away, and would normally take the bus. She said after some consideration, she volunteered to drive them in the morning, but will still rely on the bus in the afternoons.

"Our thoughts were to try to help alleviate in any way that we could," she said. "It's early enough morning drop off to be able to still manage work and schedules. We thought that it would be a little bit less intrusive if we did the morning drop off rather than the afternoon."

She said her family is concerned about how busy the morning drop off zone will be.

"Is there going to be a new lane for us?" she said. "We haven't been given any direction yet so there is definitely a lot of questions surrounding that one drop off."

She said she's looking forward to more nuanced busing information.

"I'm just trying to remain patient hoping that they will provide communication sooner than later. And that it will be a smooth transition for them."