Each school-day afternoon at about 2:00PM buses line up on northbound Clay Street, next to the old Clay Street School (now called Clay Academy, but also known as the Clay Professional Development Center).
Clay Academy is a business being run by Woodstock District 200. It is a therapeutic day school that pulls in students from a wide area.
"Inclusion" is an important word in the world of Special Education. Special Ed students are supposed to be included. That concept hasn't quite reached District 200 yet, except on paper. Special Ed students are still shuffled off to their own wing in a school building or, worse, sent to a "special" school that is apart from the regular-education students.
There are times when certain students need, and benefit from, a therapeutic day school arrangement. Teachers, staff and professionals know that students are supposed to be included, not excluded, from regular education systems.
As recently as 3-4 years ago parents were not educated about Special Law laws and inclusion. Are they now? On paper, they are to be so educated. In practice, it didn't happen for years in District 200. Has anything changed?
When special education students are dismissed shortly after 2:00PM for their buses, are they getting the full day of instruction to which they are entitled?
Back to the buses... should school buses be allowed to stop and block traffic on Clay Street? An easy solution would be for them to stage nearby and then pull up and turn onto Grove Street, in order to stop and load in front of the school. Or, better yet, all buses could pull into the driveway of Clay Academy and load off the street entirely.
16 comments:
If there was a issue I'm sure the Woodstock P.D. would be involved. But this has been going on for years. I wish I had time like you to waste.
I think you missed your calling, Gus. You should have been a school bus driver. Obviously, then you would think differently about some of the things you have posted on this blog.
First of all, it hasn't been going for years, because Clay Academy didn't exist "for years". Now there are buses from districts all over the county, sitting there and idling.
Sure, maybe they were all D-200 diesel buses sitting there and idling before.
But what it does take is for a concerned citizen to step up to the plate and speak out. Of course, it would nice if MANY chimed in.
Whitmore2, I'm curious why you think I would feel differently. I've had District 200 bus drivers tell me that I am hitting the nail squarely on the head.
Schools tell moms to turn off their engines on the front circle at WNHS. Do the drivers shut off the diesel engines out back?
What about overloading? Dare a driver complain? No, they just drive the bus and hope no one gets hurt.
There are no buses overloaded Gus. It's a state law and the route supervisor knows that and plans routes accordingly. And yes Clay has been open for the last 4 to 5 years. Again get the facts straight.
And if a bus is overloaded the driver does complain because it's his/her license on the line.
Not those buses. Other buses are sometimes overloaded. This happens when high school students are required to sit three to a seat, and the seat really fits only two.
Yes, it's a state law not to overload. So...?
The max passenger is labled on the inside of the bus in big bold labeling. Straight from the manufacturer. And it is in accordance to state and federal laws. Even the normal routes are not overloaded. Go to the High School and you will not find one bus over it's limit.
Sure, her or his license is on the line, IF s/he gets caught.
But refusing to drive an overloaded bus has much faster repercussions on the shift or route calendar.
If you think they are overloaded why don't you sic the police on those buses.
Not it doesn't have repercussions. The Drivers are protected under a contract and something like that wouldn't fly. You need to get your facts straight seriously.
My information about overloading was from the Fall of 2010 and involved buses at Woodstock North High School.
No repercussions? Drivers protected by contract? Yes, on paper.
We all know what happens to whistleblowers. And they are "protected".
And maybe, 3-4-5 years later, it turns out they were right. In the meantime, ...
There were never any buse over loaded from 2010. I don't know where you are getting your info but it's wrong. Also the state can do spot checks at anytime. Why would the District risk overloading a bus. I don't know if you have been up to Charles Rd. lately but there are close to a hundred buses sitting there. And when school is dismissed the parking lot is empty of the big yellow bombers but there are a ton of personal cars. So how many kids would it take to overload those buses Gus. I'm guessing alot. But I'm not a rocket scientist. Altough I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night. Stop the Conspiracy Theory.
Musn't be any relevant news to report on, so you're turning your attention to staged school busses.
So if they "stage nearby", what makes you think there isn't another "Gus" who lives on that street and begins to complain?
There are many more significant issues to go after than this, such as rough railroad crossings... they are my bane, as when I cross over them in my shockless rustbucket, I end up spill'n my beer all over the front of my shirt! DOH!
Hey Drapermafia. I am a school bus expert just like Gus is an expert on traffic laws.
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