Bussing, busses and board appointments

The Eastern Townships School Board announced the appointment of Eva Lettner to the position of Director of Instructional Technology and Pedagogical Services at Tuesday evening’s Council of Commissioners meeting.

The appointment is part of an administrative restructuring that was sparked by the departure of Director General Christian Provencher in December.

With new DG Kandy Mackey and assistant DG Michel Soucy vacating their previous positions to assume new roles, the board seized the opportunity to reorganize the responsibilities of upper management as the vacant positions are filled.

Lettner was previously Director of Continuing Education. Her appointment was approved unanimously by the board members.

During question period, Appalachian Teachers’ Association President Megan Seline asked the board why the Richmond Regional and Galt sectors of the board had their own bus drivers but in the Massey-vanier area the routes were contracted out, combined with the Val des Cerfs school board.

ETSB Chairman Mike Murray explained that the difference in bussing services was the result of a historical anomaly. In the 1970s management of busses was taken away from school boards. While somehow the east managed to retain control, the western sector sold its busses and contracted out the work. Subsequently, a joint agreement was formed with Val des Cerfs. Murray said the agreement represents significant savings financially, and also has a cultural advantage for students.

Seline also asked the board if there were a policy or procedure in place to address elementary age students leaving school grounds without permission. DG Kandy Mackey said that an issue of that type was dealt with locally, within the rules of a given school. Seline specified the question was related to students at risk of running away.

Chairman Murray added that because the board doesn’t anticipate that a student would be a flight risk, there is no procedure in place. If it were to happen, Murray said the board would rely on the police and the system within the public sphere to deal with the situation.

Parent Mike Pezzi asked the board to consider deeming the section of road in front of his home a dangerous zone so that it would qualify his 11-year-old son for pickup in front of his house.

Pezzi, who lives on Route 249 in Saintfrançois-xavier-de-brompton, had approached Transportation Coordinator Bruce Banfill, then-operations Manager Michel Soucy, and Secretary General Éric Campbell, explaining that he was concerned for the safety of his son’s 160metre walk down the shoulder of the road to the bus stop, asking for pickup in front of his house. At all levels, his request was refused.

He has since contacted the Student Ombudsman.

At Tuesday’s Meeting, Pezzi pointed to a measure in the board’s transportation policy where the board has the authority to approve the designation of danger zones. If an area is deemed unsafe for a student, accommodations can be made for a safe pickup.

He asked that the board take into account that the section of road in question is on a downgrade, off a corner, and there is heavy truck traffic. He added that speeding is an issue in the area.

Murray said the board would take the request under advisement. “We would have to have a look at it. We’ll launch the process,” Murray said.

Pezzi then pointed out that he had already extended an invitation to the board to see the area in question which was refused, and asked why he should have to come all the way to the council of commissioners meeting to have the issue addressed.

“I’ll take that as a rhetorical question,” Murray replied, saying that the board will take a look at the road and if it is determined that it is dangerous, the board will implement the regulation as it is written.

Later in the meeting Pezzi asked what the time frame was to receive a response to his request, adding that he first raised the concern with the board in September.

“We’ll try and expedite it so there aren’t any undo delays,” Murray said.

The board approved the youth sector calendar for the coming school year. First day of classes will be Aug. 29; last day will be June 21. The full calendar, including March break and Christmas holidays, is on the ETSB website.

Two new electric busses will join the ETSB fleet, pending approval from the Ministry of education for the purchases.

Six regular busses will also be purchased, as per regular upkeep of the fleet.

While the price for the two electric busses ($792, 430,000) is substantially higher that the price for six regular busses ($637,419,000), Michel Soucy explained that the purchase of the electric busses is being made with the help of a grant from the Ministry of Transport for green energy, so with the grant factored in, the amount per bus is almost the same. He added that the price for the two electric busses includes additional chargers, which will allow more flexibility in the routes and benefit the fleet when future electric busses are added.

Chairman Murray made referenced the new provincial budget, which had promising figures related to education. The budget includes measures for the equalization of school taxes in a given region, as well as an additional $1.6 billion in funding for education provincially, which will break down to roughly $8 million locally.