NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — With just weeks to go before the first day of school, Newport News Public Schools is changing how students get to class, and not everyone is on board.
In a new transportation plan aimed at efficiency, the school division is reducing the number of bus stops throughout the city.
The change is scheduled to go into effect ahead of the first day of school on Aug. 25, and school officials say the goal is to shorten wait times and make routes more manageable for a department still facing staffing shortages.
"We did this to become more efficient in our services for the transportation department and to better serve those students and our families,” said Robert White, executive director of public information and community involvement for Newport News Public Schools.
According to White, the updated bus stop plan was developed in part by reviewing practices from other school divisions and evaluating current staffing and route needs.
While the move is designed to help maximize the district’s available workforce, it also means some students may need to walk farther to their assigned bus stops.
Previously, the maximum walking distance to a stop was 0.4 miles for all students. That’s now increasing to 0.5 miles for preschool and elementary students, and 0.7 miles for middle and high schoolers.
Along with the bus stop reduction, Hidenwood, Kiln Creek, and Sanford Elementary, as well as Huntington and Passage Middle School, will see changes in start and end times for the school day.
- Hidenwood Elementary School 9:20 a.m. to 3:55 p.m.
- Kiln Creek Elementary School 9:20 a.m. to 3:55 p.m.
- Sanford Elementary School 9:20 a.m. to 3:55 p.m.
- Huntington Middle School 7:10 a.m. to 1:55 p.m.
- Passage Middle School 8:10 a.m. to 2:55 p.m.
While district leaders say the change is necessary, some families and educators are expressing concern.
“It’s awful,” said Jennifer Ogunde, a Maryland teacher visiting family in Hampton Roads. “A lot of the kids had to be moved to one bus stop as opposed to several or a few. And [my nephew] had to go when it was pitch black outside.”
Safety remains a central concern for many. In January, a 17-year-old was shot and injured near a bus stop on Windsor Court.
And last September, a 15-year-old Menchville High School student was killed at a bus stop on 16th Street.
Ogunde suggested parents who don’t have to leave early for work could help ensure children get to the bus stop safely — a sentiment echoed by White.
“Our hearts go out to those families who have lost and suffered,” he said. “Unfortunately, the need is for parents to come together, a village, to watch over their students and children.”
Despite the concerns, White says the division is in a stronger position than in recent years. With 97 open bus driver positions out of 317, he believes the new route changes will allow the department to fully cover all necessary routes this fall.
“With the new procedures this school year, we should be able to cover all of our routes with existing staffing,” he said.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to voice their opinions at the next Newport News School Board meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 19 at 6:30 p.m.
