» West Shamokin Activity Bus Plan Approved

West Shamokin Activity Bus Plan Approved

School Board President Joseph Close said the current plan for pre-determined bus group stops for West Shamokin activity buses might be altered based on student usage or sport schedules, but voted in-favor of the plan proposed last week.

By Jonathan Weaver

School board directors unanimously approved a new proposal to put activity buses back on the road in the afternoon and early-evening from West Shamokin Junior-Senior High.

Beginning Monday, buses will take students to five pre-determined locations in both the north and the south to accommodate students who participate in after-school activities at the Rural Valley school.

Before board directors voted on the proposal, two parents spoke in-favor of the activity buses.

A mother of four, Malinda Oesterling of Shelocta has three active students at Elderton Elementary and a seventh-grader that just began at West Shamokin Junior-Senior High.

Despite asking and receiving help from other parents and grandparents after school, Oesterling was concerned with the other students – like those that used to attend Elderton High – and live more than 25-30 minutes from the high school.

A high school teacher and varsity coach at Indiana Area High School, Oesterling told board directors the students that participate in afterschool activities are more likely to make good academic, moral and healthy decisions.

“At Back-to-School Night and seventh grade orientation at West Shamokin this year, I heard numerous staff members tell the kids to get involved and get connected with West Shamokin. I whole-heartedly agree,” Oesterling said. “I have seen first-hand at Indiana High School how playing a sport, participating in band or joining a club gives kids connections and pride in their school.

“How many of those kids are we willing to lose? You owe it to our students to give them every opportunity to make these connections, and although you cannot make kids participate in activities, please don’t be responsible for a reason they can’t.”

Jill Tedesco of South Bend has two sons at West Shamokin who play basketball – seventh grader Brock and 12th grader Trent. She said she was “thrilled” the motion passed.

Board Director Larry Robb suggested board directors re-evaluate the plan after the fall sports season.

Board Director Stan Berdell received many phone calls also about the activity bus runs and said modifications might be made based on usage and activities.

“It’s a good place to start, and we have an opportunity to tweak it later if we have to,” Berdell said.

Board Director Tim Scaife said the district cannot economically-afford to transport the students participating in after school events to their individual homes rather than to a list of businesses and community locales – such as Elderton Elementary and the South Bend Township building north and Dayton Elementary and the Templeton post office in the south.

“I think this is really the best option we can present at this time. While it’s probably not the best, we believe it’s the best we can do under the circumstances.”

Board Directors James Rearic and Amy Lhote were absent.

Under personnel documents, board directors also ratified a three- year Food and Nutrition Services Employees Collective Bargaining Agreement with Service Employees International Union, Local 32BJ.

Armstrong School District | jweaver September 9, 2014