Some students in Norwich no longer get a bus to school, so they need to get a ride or walk up to 1.5 miles. That’s because a policy is being enforced this year that does not provide students within a 1.5-mile radius of Norwich Free Academy a bus.
The policy, which formally indicates people within a two-mile distance don’t get a bus, has been in place for years. Now, it's being enforced for those in a 1.5-mile radius to increase cost savings.
“Me and my husband are not happy. I am scared for my daughter,” said Zanaib Hbaish, the parent of a Norwich Free Academy senior who no longer is provided a bus to school.
She says she worries about her daughter’s 40-minute walk to school every day, especially during the impending dark winter months.
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She says she waits by the phone every morning for her daughter to confirm she got to school safely.
"She's scared too. She doesn’t like walking. She says, ‘I’m very tired’,” said Hbaish.
Hbaish isn't the only one concerned. Some community members echoed their dislike of the policy at this month's Board of Education meeting.
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“We urge the board to please reconsider this decision,” said Encock Petit-Homme at the September 10 meeting.
District safety and transportation director Maria Parrillo says re-working the bus routes from NFA is saving the district $185,000 in the transportation budget.
She says transportation is one of the biggest costs for the district.
She says there are now 410 students who walk to school.
“If there were any safety concerns brought up, they are dealt with immediately. If there are any special needs students that have any kind of anxiety or any problem, they were immediately routed onto a bus,” said Parrillo.
She says the school resource officers have checked the routes, and they've asked for more police presence as families get used to the change.
“Change is not easy to accept, and we have to move slowly. So yes, we started with high school, and we'll move up. I mean, we need to become more efficient to save money,” said Parrillo.
