CHESHIRE, Conn. (WTNH) — Some parents in Cheshire are concerned that their children may not be able to ride the bus to school this year.
The district has seen an increase in elementary school enrolment. That could impact families who live less than a mile from their school.
In just a week, Cheshire school buses are going to be rolling out, full of kids. Really full. The town has seen an influx of families with young children.
“I do jokingly say all the time that people don’t move here for the nightlife,” Cheshire superintendent Dr. Jeffrey F. Solan, Ed.D, said. “It is kind of half-joking that our school system is a real big attraction.”
Solan said kids who live more than a mile from their elementary school are guaranteed a seat on a bus, as they always have been. Kids who live closer have never been guaranteed a seat, but could usually get one if they wanted.
“For those who live inside the walking zone, previously they’ve been able to get an available seat on a bus,” Solan said. “The issue with the enrolment is that there are fewer available seats on the bus now.”
When it comes to little kids walking to school, some neighborhoods are safer than others. A child is safer walking to school in a neighborhood with nice sidewalks. Parents who live on busy roads with no sidewalks can ask for a special accommodation from the district.
“We review those with the Cheshire Police Department for safety and we do grant a bus to somebody who lives in an area where it wouldn’t be safe to traverse,” Solan said.
Parents in the walking zone can also fill out a form and petition for an available seat, but it may take a little while to determine that availability.
“We need to see how many people are actually showing up on day one and those first couple of weeks. What does ridership actually look like?” Solan said
He said Cheshire is in the process of building two new schools to accommodate the new students, which should solve those transportation challenges.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
