Public Consultation Session 7:00 pm, Tuesday March 28, /2007 Shared Transportation Plans for St.Teresas ES, Westmount PS, St.Catherine ES, Keith Wightman PS and St. Alphonsus ES

Meeting Purpose Provide an overview of shared transportation plans for St.Teresas, Westmount, St.Catherine, Keith Wightman and St. Alphonsus schools. Seek input from school communities concerning proposed plans. Describe next steps.

Shared Transportation In 2005 KPRDSB and PVNCCDSB formed a shared transportation organization called: Student Transportation Services of Central Ontario (STSCO). STSCO integrates planning and provision of student transportation for local school boards. STSCO oversees the daily operation of all home to school transportation for local school boards which includes transporting over 32,000 students to 136 schools.

STSCOS Organization 1.Governance Committee made up of Board Chairs, Directors and Business Superintendents. 2.Administration Team made up of Business Superintendents and Chief Administrative Officer. 3.Staff reporting to Chief Administrative Officer.

Shared Transportation Initiatives to Date (students ride to school together) Campbellford area schools Grafton area schools Lakefield/Buckhorn area schools Ennismore/Bridgenorth schools Norwood/Havelock area schools Cobourg area (secondary students)

Efficiency Review Projects The Boards have asked that STSCO consider additional shared transportation for the 2006/07 school year. Four major areas are being reviewed, including Peterborough, Cavan/Millbrook/South Monaghan, Courtice and Bowmanville. Plans involve either: students sharing ride to school together where schools are near each other and catchment/boundary areas are similar; or multiple running of buses, where vehicles complete two separate bus routes and transport two sets of students consecutively.

Planning Approach Two major considerations in shared busing are distance between schools and the degree to which schools share common catchment/boundary areas. Merging transportation for students from different schools requires a comprehensive approach which considers: appropriately combining bus routes and stops; implications for students (ride time, transfer needs, stop locations, walk distances); implications for school and staff (school hours, supervision, bus loading zones etc.); and financial implications (cost savings).

2006/07 Plans St. Teresas, Westmount, St. Catherine, Keith Wightman, St. Alphonsus The plans involve reducing total number of school buses and vans from 29 to 23 Duplication of service would be eliminated as students share the same buses where possible and where it makes sense. Students from St. Alphonsus and Keith Wightman will ride together. Students from St. Teresas and Westmount will ride together. Students living in the common Westmount and St. Catherine boundary/catchment areas will ride together

Student Transfers St.Alphonsus would serve as a transfer point; French Immersion Students would continue to transfer to St. Catherine and a Westmount transfer would be added. Westmount French Immersion Students living north of Lansdowne Street in the Kawartha Heights area may ride together with St. Catherine students and transfer to Westmount from St. Catherine ES.

Transfers – St. Alphonsus St. Catherine French Immersion Students have ridden with their St. Alphonsus counterparts for many years. Effective and safe transfers have been provided for under the supervision of St. Alphonsus School Administration. A bus would be designated as the Westmount transfer, students would arrive in the morning and safely wait at St. Alphonsus along the sidewalk for boarding of their transfer. They would then ride to St. Teresas ES, disembark and walk along the path to Westmount PS.

Transfers – St. Catherine Westmount students would ride together with St. Catherine students from the Kawartha Heights area and transfer to Westmount from St. Catherine ES. Westmount students living within reasonable walking distance to St. Catherine ES would catch the Westmount transfer bus at St. Catherine School.

School Hours School hours will require minor adjustment: St. Teresas current - 8:55 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. 2006/07- 8:55 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. Westmount current - 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 2006/07- 8:55 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. St. Catherine current - 9:00 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. 2006/07 - 9:00 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. Keith Wightman current - 8:55 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. 2006/07 - 8:55 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. St. Alphonsus current - 8:55 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 2006/07 - 8:55 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Staggering school hours will support sharing.

Supervision Issues Bus supervision at St. Alphonsus and St. Catherines should not be significantly affected. St. Alphonsus and/or St. Catherine ES may require help and addition of a bus duty assistant as additional Westmount students will now also transfer at these locations.

Implications for Students/Families 1)Bus stops are centralized using existing stops wherever possible, nearby students walk to them in accordance with Board Policy. 2)Ride time will adhere to Board Policy. 3)Walk to stop distances will meet Board Policy with effort to ensure that distances remain reasonable. 4)Walk to school distances will meet Board Policy, some areas will no longer be bus eligible (i.e. area north of Parkhill, west of Wallis).

Implications for Schools/Staff 1)St. Alphonsus and St. Catherine may require additional bus duty supervision. 2)Schools will have to coordinate in dealing with incidents involving student behaviour on buses. 3)Fewer school buses in system means fewer vehicles for schools to coordinate and administer on aggregate basis.

Financial Implications Reducing number of buses used will result in savings for Boards (est. $140,000 per year) Fewer vehicles and less km traveled will minimize wear and tear on roads, as well as reduce exhaust emissions.

Other Issues Schools will be supported by STSCO in maintaining safety and good student behaviour on buses Resources available include: First Rider Program Emergency evacuation training Student behaviour management training for bus drivers video surveillance onboard buses

Next Steps 1)March to early-April - Gather input from school community and others. 2) Late-April - Finalize plans taking into account input received, notify school communities.

Next Steps Continued 3) June – Distribute busing information to families and schools. 4)August – Open Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system for use in families confirming bus information. 5)September – School begins and new shared transportation system launched.