SUDBURY—The Sudbury Student Services Consortium (SSSC) has now instituted a pilot school bus project for students in Grades 1 within the four school boards it provides for, including the Rainbow District School Board (RDSB) and Manitoulin.
Renee Boucher, executive director of the SSSC, told the Recorder last Friday, “I met with the board of directors at the RDSB today to discuss the proposal to have any courtesy seats available on buses to students in Grade 1.”
“We will be posting this on our website, and all four school board websites we provide busing services for,” said Ms. Boucher. “I can say the pilot bussing program is in place, with more information coming.”
She explained, “It’s for students in Grade 1, within one kilometre of walking distance to the school they attend. Under the pilot program parents can apply for their child being allowed to take one of the courtesy seats on the school bus.”
“Once we receive an application we will determine if there is room on the bus run for the student to sit,” said Ms. Boucher. She pointed out the pilot program will be in place for the remainder of the current school year.
The SSSC looked at this pilot program after a Gore Bay parent had raised the concern in the fall of 2016 that the SSSC should change its policy concerning not busing students to school, who live within 1.6 kilometres of school.
The SSSC pilot program includes all RDSB elementary schools, including all those on Manitoulin Island.
