The wheels on the bus will soon be going ‘round and ‘round again in Osceola County as local schools prepare to reopen for face-to-face instruction for the 2020- 21 school year.
As the start of the school year approaches amidst concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, how will this affect students who ride the bus to school?
How will the newly common concept of “social distancing” (which, according to cdc.gov means staying 6 feet apart both indoors and outdoors from others who are not part of one’s household) be implemented on a mode of transportation designed and built to transport the most students in the shortest time possible, as described by Randy Wheeler, the coordinator of Transportation for the School District of Osceola County? He said, “Everything about a school bus is made to fit the most number of kids possible. So, it is completely contrary to social distancing.”
Dana Schafer, public information officer for the School District of Osceola County, said that the school district will be implementing the following measures for school bus transportation to safeguard the health and safety of its students, the bus drivers, and the bus attendants as they head back to school this fall:
• The school district will provide each student with five washable masks / face coverings.
• Bus drivers / personnel will provide disposable masks / face coverings for students who have not brought their own.
• Students will be asked to practice social distancing and wear masks / face coverings while waiting for the bus at the bus stop.
Hand sanitizer dispensers have been installed on the buses for students to use as they board the bus.
• Students will be expected to wear masks / face coverings for the duration of the bus ride.
• Students will be seated no more than two per seat (the seats are designed to seat three students per seat according to the FAQ section on the school district’s transportation services website page)
• The windows of the buses will be down for increased air flow and ventilation.
• Each bus will be thoroughly cleaned every night.
• ESE (Exceptional Student Education) students will also have attendants on the buses to assist them with the new procedures. Students will not be able to choose
Students will not be able to choose or reserve a favorite seat on the bus under the new protocols according to Wheeler.
“We’re going to load the buses where the first kids on go to the rear of the bus, and we essentially load from the rear moving forward. And then when we unload, we will unload from the front to the rear in an attempt to minimize the number of times the kids have to cross past each other,” said Wheeler.
Bus operators and attendants will also receive an additional day of training dedicated to teaching them about the new health and safety protocols surrounding the coronavirus and COVID-19 so that they can be “prepared and knowledgeable,” said Wheeler.
He added that the content of the training is being created by the school district’s department of Safety, Security, and Emergency Management, and is being designed to inform the frontline workers about what the new procedures are, what their roles will be regarding enforcement and ensuring the health and safety of the students on their buses. It will also provide them with information to make informed decisions about their own job-related health and safety.
Students who are not able to wear masks / face coverings while riding the bus for health-related reasons can contact their school principal, or ESE department in the case of ESE students to determine what accommodations may be available for them.
Schafer said, “It’s definitely something that we would take an individual look at in each student’s case as to what would be best for that child, and the safety of others, as well.”
Wheeler said that the new protocols are among many that must be made today because of the coronavirus.
“We’re going to have to navigate the waters because we’re in new territory, learning a different way of life in many aspects, so this is just one of them,” he said.
Students and parents can visit the School District of Osceola’s website: osceolaschools.net for additional information about the new policies and procedures being implemented for the 2020-21 school year.
