Bus run reinstated, times may face further study

Everyone knows of the tongue-in-cheek tales of days gone by when students had to walk to school two miles, and it was up hill both ways. The question is: did it take them two hours to get to school?

That is a not-so funny problem school officials in the Onaway Area Community Schools have taken seriously with the reinstatement of an eighth bus, and if there is a need for a ninth bus run, former educator and current board member Sharon Lyon would like to see it added.

?In my opinion, it?s hard enough for them to sit in their seats once they get here,? she said.

The board unanimously approved a motion to reinstate it. Board member Dan Heythaler was absent from the meeting. With nobody replying to the job posting by October 5th, another course of action was formulated by staff.

SUPERINTENDENT BOB SZYMONIAK recommended the board hire Darla Ellenberger to drive both the morning and after parts of this run per the support staff contract. She is pregnant, so it would not be until after the first of the year.

Until that time, a combination of drivers will be used. Kirk Schaedig, who works in Rogers City as a bus driver/custodian will handle the morning run, with the afternoon run being picked up by members of the maintenance staff as worked out between Don Comfort and Dean Dittmar.

Dittmar, who serves the district as transportation director, is to put the eighth bus run back into operation Monday, October 22.

?We are still saving money,? said Szymoniak. ?When we first cut the bus run, we also eliminated a custodian.? The savings is about $30,000.

Once all eight bus runs have been in place, which will pretty much be back to last year?s routes, the situation with the length of runs will be studied further.

LYON, THE only board member to speak out during Tuesday?s public session, said the students ?come right off the bus, go into the classroom — now let?s sit still for another three or four hours. After sitting all day, they have another long ride home.? Lyon added that if she had a five- or six-year-old who had to get up to ride the bus at 6: 30 in the morning, she would rather drive the student into school.

?The only way to make them (the routes) shorter is to bring in a ninth run,? said Szymoniak. The district is the 15th largest in the state, covering 550 square miles. There were eight bus runs last year, averaging 60 to 90 minutes. The additional cost will be about $13,000.

In other business: ? In athletic director Marty Mix?s report to the board, he commented on last Friday?s well-attended homecoming football game. After talking with a crew from Onaway Area Ambulance there will be better markings for parking in the future, as well as signs, to ensure the ambulance can leave the field area in a quick, safe manner. The ambulance had to leave part way through the fourth quarter. They want to make sure there are no vehicles blocking their way.

Mix has been working with school resource officer Lewis Robinson on the steps that need to be taken. He also reported on some statistics. Of the 231 listed high school students, 137 of them are athletes, said Mix, ?which accumulates to 59.4 percent.?

Of the 137 students involved in sports, 100 are involved in two sports. ? The band will be having a lock-in October 18, before a trip the next morning at 3:30 a.m. to Marquette. Staff has been trying to purchase a trailer to transport the instruments, instead of using a second bus, and the associated extra cost for fuel.

? Because the Michigan State Police lost its all of its fingerprinting records, all the teachers, support staff, administrators, and volunteers, and that would include foster grandparents, will have to be re-fingerprinted. Unfortunately for the district, it is an unfunded state mandate.

It will cost $61 per person to be electronically fingerprinted. Szymoniak negotiated with the teachers, who will pick up half the cost. The rest will be picked up by the district. There will be no charge for support staff or volunteers, because of the discrepancy in salaries. ?It is a condition of employment, so it has to happen,? said Szymoniak. That will take pla

ce next month.

? Sophomore Cameron Penny, who serves as student council president, gave his first report as the student liaison to the board. He said the student council was in favor of hiring a different D.J. for the Snowcoming Dance this winter. Many council members did like the music that was played at last Saturday?s homecoming dance.

? Representatives of the Presque Isle County Tourism Council were on hand to answer any questions about the December Sportsman?s Show. President Mitch Winfield asked them if all financial matters with the district would be taken care of in a timely fashion.

?It certainly is our goal,? said Kris Sorgenfrei. ? The new bus to replace the one totaled at the end of the last school year has arrived and is awaiting inspection by the state police.

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