NLCSD release hard surface bus routes

NEW LONDON — After back-to-back snowstorms creating poor travel conditions across the state, many rural schools resorted to hard surface only bus routes to avoid additional snow days. Without a plan already in place, however, New London School District had to think fast about implementing a plan of their own.

“Again, we are going to cancel school for today as the gravel roads are impassable for buses,” staff posted to the school district’s social media the morning of Jan. 23. “We know that the coming days have similar weather, and we are looking into a hard surface route in order to hold school the remainder of this week. Thank you for being patient and trusting that we are making the best decisions for our students and staff.”

By the next day the school district released a hard surface bus route plan document.

“Due to the challenges these past few weeks we have decided to implement a hard surface route that we could you if gravel roads are impassable,” the document states. “We plan to limit the use of this plan as we know it can be an inconvenience.”

According to NLCSD Superintendent Chad Wahls, this route will remain a “last resort,” as hard surface routes are difficult for the NLCSD because families outside of city limits do not commonly live right along the paved roads like Highway 34 of CO Road X23.

“So, when we go hard surface, it really puts a challenge on families in those areas because they might live five miles or seven miles within the country roads,” he said. “You know our goal, or our hope is that we very rarely have to use it but now we have an option to use it to have school.”

According to Wahls, the district has discussed hard surface routes in the past, but when he became superintendent eight years ago, there wasn’t one in place.

These reasons contributed to difficulties that made previous discussions about hard surface routes unfruitful until now. The snow days on repeat this month, however, gave the district enough of a push to put together the current plan, even though they hope for infrequent use.

According to Wahls, the plan consists of three stops to the south and three stops to the north for all families to use to get their students to school.

When deciding on stop locations, Wahls said the district needed to consider that buses cannot just pull off to the side of the road, but they need a meeting place to safely pick up and drop off students.

“If you live off the black top the bus will continue to stop at your home, for those that live off on the gravels you will need to bring your child(ren) to one of the identified pickup spots at the designated time or to school,” the hard surface road plan states.

The plan lists the following pickup sites and times, though it does remind district families that times are approximate, and they are free to use any stops listed as crossroads.

North pickup sites and times:

Racine/260th (pickup 7:10 a.m. Drop-off 3:50 p.m.)

Racine/240th (pickup 7:15 a.m. Drop-off 3:55 p.m.)

220th St./Oasis — Maintainer Shed (pickup 7:25 a.m. Drop-off 4:05 p.m.)

South pickup sites and times:

Lake Geode State Park Maintenance Shed (pickup 7 a.m. Drop-off 4 p.m.)

Lowell First Baptist Church (pickup 7:10 a.m. drop-off 3:55 p.m.)

2770 New London Rd. New London Christian Church (pickup 7:30 a.m. Drop-off 3:50 p.m.)

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com