Busing concerns: Ann Arbor parents upset about reduced school transportation
The Ann Arbor Public School's pared down bus schedule has some parents seeing red.
Calls and emails starting coming in fast and furious Tuesday when students returned to class, said Liz Margolis, director of communications with Ann Arbor Public Schools.
She estimates she received at least 200 emails.
“Parents are not happy,” she said. “Parents want the bus service they had. That’s something that’s not possible.”
While transportation cuts won’t be reinstated, the district may tweak about eight areas, Margolis said, although she would not release a comprehensive list.
While no new bus routes will be added, some additional stops for high school students may be added. And a decision may come as early as Thursday, she said.
Added bus stops are being considered for, on the north side of town, Arrowwood Hills Cooperative close to Pontiac Trail, the Foxfire subdivision off of Dhu Varren Road and the Fleming Creek subdivision off of Plymouth Road.
On the southeast side, the Ashford Village subdivision off of Crane Road may see added high school stops.
Meanwhile, some changes have already been made, Margolis said. It was discovered that two families in Foxfire live outside the 1.5-mile limit to Logan Elementary School and bus service was added. And a high school bus was added at the Logan and Northside elementary schools stops for students going to Skyline.
While complaints came from all around the district, Margolis said, the majority of came from families of high school students who felt the stops were too far apart.
But Moira Yuhas was more worried about poor, mostly African American students who live in the low-income housing projects along South Maple Road and need to reach Slauson Middle School.
Students who live in the rear of the complexes must walk 1.7 miles to get to Slauson, she said. Most of the children who live in the complex qualify for free and reduced lunch, and are considered poor and vulnerable, she said.
While the district talks about closing the achievement gap, they are not being sensitive to the challenge of these children - many who don’t have a reliable family car - walking to school in the cold and dark, Yuhas said.
“Middle school is a critical time for (at-risk) children staying in school or not staying in school. They are setting these students up to fail,” said Yuhas, a social worker who does not live in the complexes.
And she worries many of the students won’t make it to school in time for a free breakfast.
State law does not allow the district to determine bus routes and stops according to socioeconomics, Margolis said.
“Our pain is equally distributed. We know we’re invoking pain on families, but it’s all around the district,” Margolis said.
While some families who live in the rear of the housing project may live 1.7 miles to Slauson, the distance is measured from the bus stop, Margolis said. And that was 1.5 miles.
The Peace Neighborhood Center before school started worked with students in the complex, giving them a walking tour to school so they would be familiar with the route, Margolis said.
Downsizing transportation was part of the district’s efforts to cut $15 million from its budget. Changes included:
• A walk zone for all students, no matter the grade level, who live 1.5 miles or less from the school.
• Bus stops that would be no more than .5 miles apart for elementary and middle school students.
• Reducing the number of bus stops for high school students, eliminating neighborhood stops in favor of a common site, such as an elementary school, or another location around the outer ring of the district. These stops could be more than 1.5 miles from a student’s house. Margolis figures at least half of the high school stops were eliminated.
• Elimination of the seventh hour bus service for high schools and elimination of public bus service tokens for these students.
There were first-day kinks in the system, pointed out by parents: A Skyline High School bus at the Lakestone Apartment stop didn’t show up and students ended up on a Forsythe Middle School bus, which couldn’t take them to Skyline. Close to 100 Skyline students showed up at the Logan Elementary School stop and a second bus had to be called. There was room on the bus for only half the Skyline students waiting at Northside School stop.
While the middle school after-school bus was originally eliminated, it may return, Margolis said.
This late bus traditionally picked up students a 4 p.m., but that may shift to 4:30 p.m. A decision is pending. The shuttle that takes students between schools during the day - such as Community High students to the traditional high schools or advanced math middle school students to the high schools - remain.
One mother of a special needs 4th-grader at Abbott on Ann Arbor's west side expressed frustration with the amount of time her son had to wait for a bus after school on Tuesday: 2 hours.
"Today, he's not home yet," Robin Eberts said at 5 p.m. "He was due home at 4:30."
However, a teacher called at 4:20 to report that the bus was departing, she added.
Eberts said she tried to reach transportation officials on Wednesday, but phone numbers had been changed.
"My biggest concern is safety," she said. "Parents have to be able to get ahold of someone."
Meanwhile, some parents were concerned not with the lack of busing, but with other problems associated with getting their children to school. One parent with a child at Huron High School described a 15-minute wait to get out of the parking lot today due to an estimated double the number of cars in the lot compared to last year.
Comments
Fordie
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 8:26 p.m.
I have to say that I don't feel all that sorry for Ann Arbor's parents. In 1969, 41% of students walked to school. In fact, more walked than rode the bus. It was the most common way to get to school. Today that number is 15%. Are we really coddling our kids that much? You talk about the extreme dangers of walking, yet the parents on this board seem to have survived. Perhaps this will teach students more responsibility, independence and punctuality. And perhaps it will also teach the parents to suck it up. (We could also just stop cutting taxes so much - perhaps if we actually paid for services we would get them) And here's the source of my stats: <a href="http://nhts.ornl.gov/briefs/Travel%20To%20School.pdf" rel='nofollow'>http://nhts.ornl.gov/briefs/Travel%20To%20School.pdf</a>
KJMClark
Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 12:57 p.m.
- In 1969 the district didn't have Skyline in an utterly transportation inefficient location. - In 1969 speed limits were lower and people actually drove more slowly. - "In 1969, just over half (54.8 percent) of students lived a mile or more from their schools. By 2001, three-quarters of children traveled a mile or more to school." - Actually, their graph shows that by 2001, almost 60% of kids had to travel two or more miles to school. And 2001 was before the height of the housing bubble, which went on for another five years or so of sprawl development. Perhaps people shouldn't cherry pick the data?
TC
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 1:38 p.m.
Folks, direct your anger to Lansing and the Republicans. They cut the budget, AAPS is not to blame.
KJMClark
Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 12:49 p.m.
Teachers??? No one is complaining about teachers. The complaints are about the decisions of school administrators, not teachers. TC - rest assured, I have plenty of contempt for what a particular parting in Lansing has done. But the district is making the busing decisions, not Lansing. I don't see any reason we can't or shouldn't be upset with both.
kms
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 2:07 p.m.
I agree. I continue to be disturbed at the level of animosity directed at teachers in this forum. These are people who work hard to educate our children and should have our support. Instead they are lambasted at every turn and I struggle to understand this. Sure, in the past they have enjoyed exceptional benefits, but they have made concessions and are fairly compensated for a job that is not easy.
thecompound
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 12:50 p.m.
Any particular reason this story doesn't have an education tag on it? It is difficult to find to see if other comments have been added?
kms
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 10:10 p.m.
Interestingly, I asked my high school son today what his bus experience has been so far and he enthusiastically replied,"Sooooo much better than last year!." Even though he has to walk farther to the bus stop, he says the bus is significantly less crowded than previous years' combined Forsythe/Skyline run. Even better, because his bus makes no stops, he gets to and from school in 15-20 minutes compared to previous years' 45-50 minutes.
E. Manuel Goldstein
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 7:59 p.m.
Hey, at least Michigan businesses will get their tax cuts! The Republicans in Lansing seem to care not one whit for Ann Arbor schools or for the safety of students.
Change
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 6:46 p.m.
According to AAPS Policy and Regulation: 1. Transportation to be provided to students (at all level) who reside at least 1.5 miles from their schools. 2. Walking distance to bus stops must be less than 0.5 miles. 3. Transportation can be provided to students with reasons of health, safety, and other factors. There is one problem with AAPS's practice. The District knowingly violates these AAPS policies and regulations, without first amending them through the associated due process. If the District can selectively ignore a policy and/or a regulation, this orgnaization would be ruleless. The Board should investigate this violation. I am not against having children walk some distance each day, if it is safe. Safety standards should be established and safety assessment should be conducted for each walking route. Also, the distance of 1.5 or 0.5 appears to be arbitrary. I think it might be good that we ask the AAPS managers to park their cars at least the same distance away every day so that they know what it takes to walk the distance.
zip the cat
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 5:51 p.m.
If you want to show them ,the school board what you think of there bussing plan,keep all your kids home on school count day.
GMC
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 6:43 p.m.
Although I love the ability for this approach to gain attention to an urgent issue, I am concerned that our children would be the ones who ultimately suffer. Instead, I would advocate an organized campaign to unseat everyone of the school board members who are unwilling to address this situation. Does anyone know if we can recall school board members?
DonBee
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 6:36 p.m.
zip - The attendance books for count day for the classes my children are in have never shown an absent student in any class. I know I took one out for a doctor's appointment and did not remember to tell the school in advance (my bad) when I reviewed the attendance later for that class, there was no mark for that day. When I asked I was told "we never mark anyone absent on a count day" by the teacher. So keep them home, it will not matter at all.
Karen Yamada
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 5:18 p.m.
I have been a runner for more than 30 years and have run 1000's of miles on sidewalks and in the streets of Ann Arbor during last 23 years in all kinds of weather and light conditions. I am very very safety conscious when I run, wear bright colors and reflective gear often, and have still had a number of near misses with cars that JUST DON'T SEE ME at intersections/crosswalks. As a frequent bike rider too, my visibility to drivers is not much better. As a driver for 27 years who knows to look for runners and bikers, I also have to admit that I have not seen a handful of adult pedestrians at crosswalks until it was almost too late. I have been lucky in that regard. I'm all for our kids to walk, run, bike more to school. In fact, I started Logan Elementary School's Walk to School Day back in, I believe, 2003 and coordinated it for 5 years after that - just to promote that idea in our community. However, I draw the line when it come to the safety of our kids getting to school, be they tiny kindergarteners to full-grown teenagers. I have 2 kids going to Skyline currently. I know that they can don't always pay attention to traffic especially first thing in the morning. Add darkness and unshoveled sidewalks, and they have to walk in the street, and the danger level increases exponentially. Add elementary school kids to this mix and I can't even imagine the increased physical risk by cars. Add MORNING RUSH HOUR, and we have a recipe for disaster. Really think about how you drive and what you really see when you are 10 minutes late rushing to work with during pre-dawn or with the rising sun in your eyes. Add parents who cannot drive their kids to school because of work issues or no car and the kids that have to cross dangerous streets alone like Plymouth or Washtenaw. More bus stops need to be added to keep all our kids safe! Cars just don't see pedestrians. I know.
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 5:08 p.m.
A common theme in many of these posts is that athletics, band, orchestra, art, and other extracurtricular activities ought be cut before busing. But: 1) Band, orchestra, drama, and art are legitimate academic activities. Students can gain admission to colleges and universities to study in those fields. 2) Athletics, on the other hand, are not legitimate academic activities, and in a perfect world, eliminating them would be a potential solution to the budget crunch. But it is not a perfect world. Were any school district to unilaterally eliminate athletics (and esp. the AAPS), it likely would lead to a large migration of athletes and their siblings to other school districts that continue to offer those sports. If that were to happen, the loss of per pupil revenue likely would offset much if not all of the savings achieved. The same cannot be said of busing. Few if any parents are going to pull their kids out of the AAPS due to a loss of busing. Want to end school funding of athletics? Then it needs to happen with every school in the state. Until that happens, defunding athletics likely will not have a significant positive impact on the budget. Good Night and Good Luck
Andrew Smith
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 4:38 p.m.
For many years already, before these cuts, a number of students have had to walk over a mile to school. If one child has to walk, e.g., 1.3 miles to school, isn't it fair to ask another child to walk 1.3 miles to a bus stop? The neighborhood in which I live is over a mile from Pioneer, and we've never had school bus service; the students in our area have always had to walk. Why is OK for our kids to walk over a mile to school, but another parent feels it to be 'unfair' if his kids have to walk the same distance to the bus stop?
kms
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 5:08 p.m.
It is different. If a kid walks 1.3 miles to school it would take him about a half hour and he would be at his destination. A kid who walks the same distance to his bus stop would then spend up to 45 additional minutes on the bus to get to school.
engGEEK1988
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 4:13 p.m.
I would be extremely grateful and walk my child 5 miles up hill both ways in a blizzard to give him/her the opportunity to attend Ann Arbor schools, especially if I was not paying property taxes, the state was paying my rent, and they are goiing to throw in free breakfast and lunch. Sounds fair to me!
jns131
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 10:49 p.m.
Under the law of Title I and NCLB and school choice? Your child can attend Ann Arbor for free and without little known hindrances. Yes, I know all about how to get a child into Ann Arbor with little or no fuss. All you have to know is how to use AATA and the world is your oyster.
Doug
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 3:29 p.m.
What? Reduced busing for Ann Arbor schools? Ann Arbor awash with money. With $500,000 for art on the roadside, dog parks, buying up surrounding land for "green space", etc. We can't possibly short changing our students.
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 4:53 p.m.
Apples and Oranges. All of your examples are city projects and city money. Whatever their value (or lack thereof), that money is not available to the AAPS. Good Night and Good Luck
Original Ann Arborite
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 3:20 p.m.
I am tired of ppl running things who r so out of touch with what is really happening out here...
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 4:56 p.m.
OK. So suggest spending cuts that will be equal to the money saved by the cuts in busing, cuts that will have no impact on the schools' core mission, cuts that will allow it to live up to all of the state and federal mandates. Be specific, please. In other words, simply saying "cut administration" will not do, as far too many administrators do work required of the school district by the state and federal governments. Good Night and Good Luck
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 2:53 p.m.
Note to the complainers: The provision of a) taxpayer subsidized transportation and b) taxpayer subsidized daycare are not core missions for the school district, especially in these times of austerity. Good Night and Good Luck
KJMClark
Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 12:43 p.m.
Stephen, that's the core curriculum, which is not the same as the district's core missions. Certainly the curriculum has to be a core mission, but that's not the only thing that may be important to a district.
Steven Harper Piziks
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 7:40 p.m.
Actually, the state sets the core now. The new state curriculum, which is much more intensive and much more micro-managing, went into effect last year, and all schools must live up to it now.
KJMClark
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 1:07 a.m.
In the days of the one-room schoolhouse, you surely would have been right. However, now we are all captive to the decisions of the district, or we can't get our kids to school. Currently, if the kids can't get to school, they can't be instructed or tested. I'm looking forward to the day when we can do this all from home and skip the extraneous transportation, but we're not there now. And come to think of it, to some extent, the core missions of the school district are set by the residents of the district. Certainly the state has an important say in what's core to the district's mission, but then again, it's the state that says if you bus anyone you have to bus everyone. So apparently the state thinks it's important enough to the core mission to have laws about transportation. And while we're talking about core/not core, how much administration is required to fulfill the core mission? How high is administrative compensation *required* to be to fulfill the core mission? I agree that at this point we're beginning the process of shifting responsibility of transportation from the district back to parents, but as long as we elect the school board, there's nothing wrong with us pushing back. If the Board can jack up the Superintendent's salary during austerity, we can get upset about this.
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 4:49 p.m.
I'm all for removing sports from schools, but it needs to be done by all. Music, art, and drama? Really?? Are you telling me that those aren't academic enterprises? But, if you wish, cut all of them out, too, on a unilateral basis and see what happens to enrollment and, hence, to state funding. And I've said this before in response to this idea and have never received a reply. Hence I assume there is none. Good Night and Good Luck
DonBee
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 4:33 p.m.
And neither are Varsity Athletics, Music, Art or many other "specials" in the school. But since the townships voted against the enhancement millage, killing busing is the perfect revenge.
Ellen
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 2:42 p.m.
I don't blame parents for being upset, this sounds inconvenient and also dangerous for kids to be walking along busy streets! This discussion made me realize just how lucky I am. My children's father lives two blocks from their school, and I am able to arrange my work scheule in order to pick them up every day after school. I'm so thankful that I don't have to deal with this frustration, and my sympathies to those of you who do. I hope some solutions can be found.
thecompound
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 2:41 p.m.
This story is getting buried quick. I guess it's more important to know about Denard's "Florida" speak and some Alien movie?
GMC
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 2:29 p.m.
We need to all take a step back and look at the big picture. What is the purpose of a public school? It is simply to provide a quality education to our children. Thus, the Ann Arbor School Board has completely bungled this whole busing issue since arriving to school safely and on-time is a sine qua non to fulfilling this mission. As much as I disapprove of their tactics, Liz Margolis, Robert Allen, Tom Moore, and WISD are simply hired mouth-pieces of the School Board that ordered these cuts to transportation, and our anger should be directed at all members of this Board who are unwilling to re-evaluate the issue. Since cuts must be made somewhere, the School Board should start with anything that does not contribute to the core role of a public education including athletics, extracurricular activities, and administration. (Yes, I enjoyed participating in varsity athletics and extracurricular activities in a public high school and my mother was an assistant principal; however, I would have still received a quality education without them.)
jns131
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 10:46 p.m.
Hate to say it, but school buses are a privilege, not a right and the districts have the right to eliminate transportation at any time. Per say the state of Michigan and its little known by law that the only ones who get transportation is the handicap and special ed. So, with that in mind, enjoy the walk to and from school. It is not my fault they privatized transportation and laid off all the great bus drivers that are now driving elsewhere. Now you get crappy service and no more drivers who cared what happen to your child. All you are now is a number and a pay check to these hired drivers. I loved my job in Ann Arbor but after seeing what WISD has done? Glad I am elsewhere being respected. From what I am hearing now? It is a nightmare behind the scenes.
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 6:37 p.m.
OK. Now we're into hyperbole. In the worst real estate market in a generation there are hundreds of people mad enough to pick up stakes and move to another district in order to have their kids bused to school? Really? But I do love how people who are fiscally conservative are fiscally conservative only up the the point where that fiscal conservatism impacts their lives negatively. It's called "karma". Good Night and Good Luck
GMC
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 6:24 p.m.
re: ERM's Ghost. Although I am fiscally conservative and like the 'forced efficiency' generated by the cuts in Lansing, this subject is one in which we certainly disagree. As long as the state mandates that students must attend school, transportation to and from school is bundled as part of this mandate since this is the only means of safe and reasonable transportation for many students. As I mentioned in the previous post, there are other areas in which cuts should be implemented first. I attended the public forum about busing at Clague last week, and I can assure you that over 200 parents at that forum were angry enough to consider moving from Ann Arbor... that does not include the parents at the Arrowhead forum a week earlier or those without a car.
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 5:02 p.m.
Getting children to school is a sine qua non of education. But it IS NOT the school district's responsibility to provide it, especially in times of fiscal austerity. And as for athletics, etc...., I could not agree more. BUT, were any school district to do that unilaterally (and esp. the AAPS), it likely would lead to a large migration of athletes and their sibling to other school districts that continue to offer those sports, etc.. If that were to happen, the loss of per pupil revenue likely would offset much if not all of the savings achieved. The same cannot be said of busing. Few if any parents are going to pull their kids out of the AAPS due to a loss of busing. Want to end school funding of athletics? Then it needs to happen with every school in the state. Good Night and Good Luck
thecompound
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 1:54 p.m.
Paging Dr. Green.....Paging Dr. Green......we have a code brown in transportation!
Andy
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 1:41 p.m.
What I keep reading from these parents is that their children have to cross very busy streets with several lanes, and walk considerable distances without sidewalks. And yet the most popular comment on this story: <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/news/ann-arbor-officials-inviting-public-to-check-out-new-11-mile-path-along-washtenaw-avenue/">http://www.annarbor.com/news/ann-arbor-officials-inviting-public-to-check-out-new-11-mile-path-along-washtenaw-avenue/</a> is somebody who doesn't understand why we might want to have sidewalks on both sides of the road!
kms
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 1:35 p.m.
My son walks .8 mile to his new common bus stop which doesn't bother him now. However, once the pitch dark and cold winter mornings come, I imagine he will start asking/begging me to drive him to school. I did drive him once this week and the trip took 45 minutes of my time which was mostly spent trying to exit the snarled traffic at the school. I can't imagine what it would've been like if HS busing was eliminated completely as initially proposed and hundreds of cars dropped kids off every morning. The buildings, even the new Skyline building, were designed for bus drop off, not hundreds of individual cars. While the HS bus for our neighborhood seems to be working fine ..... it's not overcrowded or late and the longest walk the kids have to make is about .9 mile....it certainly seems there are major problems in other parts of town. I would expect parents are trying to organize carpools and devising alternatives to the bus, which may be what the BOE intended all along. Can the AATA step up and help out here? We are outside their area, but I'd certainly be willing to pay for bus transportation if offered. I'm still concerned that AAPS will eliminate HS busing in the near future.
jns131
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 10:40 p.m.
They are working on eliminating the HS busing altogether. They thought about it but reduced it by half last spring. A lot of drivers are now on half time making half of what they made last year. Are you willing to pay $500 a year on busing? Massachusetts is. They have no busing unless parents are willing to fork it over. If charter schools can get cars in and out in no time, so can the hi schools. I pick up ours two days a week. No biggie here.
Ron Granger
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 1:06 p.m.
1.5 miles - max - isn't much. Walking to school builds character. I think it's the sort of character that kids these days greatly need. For half of the year, they can ride their bikes. Now, if only we could make the school administration walk to work...
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 2:09 p.m.
@KJM: First, a correction to my above. The school district's annual budget is roughly $200 million. Second, I could not agree more that CEOs in this country are greatly overcompensated. But the fact of the matter is that, in hiring a CEO for a school district (which is what the supe is) we are competing with other school districts across the country for (hopefully) top talent, and this is what the market bears. If you want to pay less, you will get less. Short of being extremely lucky, one is not going to get a top-notch CEO for a school district of this size by paying them less. Contrary to the fantasies of the right (and I know you are not one), education is not WalMart. Low prices do not equate to effectiveness or efficiency. Good Night and Good Luck
KJMClark
Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 12:40 p.m.
Sorry, I should have responded to your other point. We should have told the executive search firm that we were only interested in candidates at the same salary as the previous superintendent, and then let them do the search. In that counterfactual, the search firm would have given us the best qualified candidates who were willing to work at that salary. I have every reason to believe we would still have a very qualified Superintendent, since school districts across the country are being hit in this Depression.
KJMClark
Sat, Sep 10, 2011 : 12:36 p.m.
Murrow - I'm not impressed by that argument. That just means that management at US companies is over compensated, which I thoroughly agree with. The whole excess executive compensation in this country strikes me as part of the reason we're in a new Great Depression. I don't see any reason we should be continuing that ridiculous practice at the local level.
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 2:52 p.m.
I have no school age children. When they were in school, we had a neighborhood car pool and did not use the bus. When the school district could afford it, I had no problems with bus transportation. But drastic cuts in state funding means that cuts have to be made. Busing is an obvious place to start. These are the consequences of a) a bad economy and b) electing into office a governor and a legislature that made clear that they intended to go to war with public employees and public schools. As the saying goes, elections have consequences. Welcome to the consequences. Good Night and Good Luck
thecompound
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 12:52 p.m.
@ Ghost, you make some good points. how are you handling your children's busing issues or does it not effect them?
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 12:27 p.m.
KJM: The AAPS employs more than 2000 people, has hundreds of millions of dollars in property and capitol equipment, and has an annual budget of roughly $100 million. Let me suggest that if you found a company in the private sector with similar numbers, the CEO of that company would be making substantially more than the AAPS superintendent. Even as he cuts pay to public sector employees, the guv's staff is the highest paid on record. His justification is that "ya gotta pay for talent." OK. So let's pay the supe of the AAPS less. Perhaps we can get the former supe of Willow Run to come to AA for a smaller salary? Good Night and Good Luck
KJMClark
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 2:18 a.m.
Agreed about the Governor/Legislature. However, what about the school board that hired a new superintendent at a much higher salary than the previous superintendent? It makes sense for us to be upset at our elected representatives in Lansing, but not our elected representatives in our own community? Where's the consistency in that? This is a time of fiscal austerity, they made the bed by their incredible hiring decision, and now they're trying to push their costs to the families who are already paying taxes to support the district. There's nothing wrong with those of us being negatively effected expressing our thoughts.
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 5:36 p.m.
"1.5 miles if you are K-8th grade, anywhere in the district if you are 9-12th grade." Not true. HS students need to get to elementary schools from which they can take a bus to school. "Do you want your 6 year old to walk a mile and a half on Pontiac Trail, Plymouth-Ann Arbor Road, Main Street, Washtenaw or any of the other "major surface streets"? In the dark and with no sidewalks?" Any parent who has a problem with this needs to make other arrangements. In this time of fiscal austerity the school district cannot afford to provide a free transportation service. Want free transportation restored? Talk to the guv about his spending priorities. He has spent the school aid fund in a manner, if not in violation of the law, that is not in the spirit of the law and, in so doing, has deprived school districts around the state of hundreds of millions of dollars. Good Night and Good Luck
DonBee
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 4:29 p.m.
1.5 miles if you are K-8th grade, anywhere in the district if you are 9-12th grade. Do you want your 6 year old to walk a mile and a half on Pontiac Trail, Plymouth-Ann Arbor Road, Main Street, Washtenaw or any of the other "major surface streets"? In the dark and with no sidewalks?
mittenlove
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:12 p.m.
The problem??? Parents will complain on the first day and then all will become 'normal' instead of getting involved, emailing the Board of Education and Ms. Green, asking for this issue to be adding to the BOE meeting agenda, etc. If more people truly spent time trying to change issues of great concern, then the district would surely think twice before instituting idiotic policies.
KJMClark
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:08 p.m.
I was waiting at the Arrowwood Hills stop for the Clague middle-schoolers this morning. We counted five buses that went by that stop around the same time as the bus for our kids. Our kids were crammed three and *four* to a seat this morning. The buses/routes were: Route 25, headed northbound, nearly empty Bus 76, headed northbound, nearly empty Bus 72, turned around in Arrowwood Hills, completely empty, and seemed to sit at the community center for five minutes or so. Headed northbound. Bus 102, headed northbound, nearly empty Bus 42, turned around in Arrowwood (special needs bus) So none of these buses going by that stop at that time are headed to Clague? Are all of those buses going to be packed three and four to a seat by the time they get to Clague? State guidelines say these kids should be two to a seat. And supposedly the Skyline first bus at Northside school was 10 minutes late, and the second was 25 minutes late. Is the district planning to give them excused tardies all year long?
jns131
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 3:01 p.m.
Use AATA. We do and it is so much easier and handier then a late or lost driver. Mine is totally relaxed after taking an nice warm bus to and from school every day. Just a thought.
Andy Piper
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:40 p.m.
We are not dropping our child off at Northside, its just five more minutes to Skyline so I will just take here there. She needs to be focused on her school work not on stressing out about late busses. I am imagining the schools will now see lower ridership and use this as justification to eliminate the buss.
A2comments
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 10:57 a.m.
The new superintendent is noticeably quiet on everything...
EyeHeartA2
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 2:58 p.m.
She is too busy taking her second wheelbarrow full of money to the bank. The last guy only got a one wheelbarrow paycheck. Who needs the lottery when you have AA taxpayers to fleece?
Ahmar Iqbal
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:35 p.m.
Here is a response from our dear superintendent from her "oval office" — look forward to your comments <a href="http://www.a2schools.org/aaps/parents/superintendent_on_2011-12_transportation_changes" rel='nofollow'>http://www.a2schools.org/aaps/parents/superintendent_on_2011-12_transportation_changes</a>
Kevin McGuinness
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 10:55 a.m.
Ann Arbor should start school later so students can walk when it is lighter and warmer. Walking to school should be looked at as early morning exercise. No wonder we have child obesity -- too many coddled children.
DonBee
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 4:26 p.m.
KM - Here is one for you. The AAPS district runs almost to Gotfredsen road in Superior township. One morning get up and walk from Gotfredsen to the nearest high school bus stop in Dixboro on Plymouth Road. 65 to 70 mph semi's 80 mph people in cars on their cell phones, and shoulders about 24 inches wide. Now for more fun, cross Ford Road at Plymouth Road, the site of a major accident every week, because someone did not look at the stop light. OBTW - it is just short of 5 miles. But at least the children don't have to cross US-23 on an overpass with no sidewalks.
kms
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 1:40 p.m.
I agree. I have no problem with my kids walking but it is awfully cold and dark for much of the school year, and we have no sidewalks.
SB
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 10:21 a.m.
Hmm, I wonder how much time and money the school district will waste when it gets sued for this policy?
solitudeseeker
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 8:17 a.m.
My 14-year-old daughter called me at work in tears at 3:00pm because she had been left behind at Skyline. Her bus was full and she couldn't get on. By the time I got there they had sent another bus, but she didn't know they were going to do that. One terrified child and one angry mother... they need to fix this.
jns131
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 5:59 p.m.
Time to rethink AATA. Mine is not getting left behind.
verdis
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 3:15 a.m.
I have no problem with kids walking farther to bus stops. And I understand the financial pressure of the school district. But I do have a problem with high school students being forced to walk on very busy (e.g. 55 mph speed limit on Pontiac Trail) two lane roads with no shoulder, no sidewalks, no streetlights, in the dark at 6:15 am. In the winter, they will have to walk down the middle of the street as the snow will block any off-road walking. My 6 ft tall son is no match for a driver who takes their eyes off the road for a fraction of an instant to change the radio or answer their phone. The district has not said how much money they are saving with this plan but how much savings are worth the life of one of our children?
jns131
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 5:58 p.m.
Looks like something us parents can contact AATA on and see if they can work something out. If enough people are interested, AATA might develop a plan for the school year. Otherwise, time to get some treads on. That ice hurts.
Ann E.
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:52 p.m.
I agree. We live close enough to Skyline for our son to walk, but he like many other students in the 1.5 mile radius must walk through two extremely busy traffic circles on Maple Road to get to school, competing with sleepy, hurried drivers trying to get onto M-14 in the morning often in the dark with snow and ice. Doesn't this eliminate the advantage of "neighborhood schools"? Isn't this exactly the kind of situation that demands mass transit? Can the city help us here?
AA Resident
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 2:56 a.m.
Ms. Margolis says ""Parents want the bus service they had. That's something that's not possible."....Really ?? Really ? It is not what parents 'had'...it is what our kids 'deserve'...it is what our hard earned tax dollars 'deserve' We have 2 kids, one each in Huron and Thurston...and like many parents are in a great limbo. Can we cut some salaries of these folks? Can we eliminate some waste in the front office of schools? I am sure there are many ways to cut costs...but why bother, they took the easy options. Why are some of the administration officials getting paid like Hedge Fund managers? Who is writing their pay check? What makes them earn that kind of pay, while making kids walk 2 miles to bus stop? Very sad. There are many people more qualified and who can fix our problems with some common sense.
EyeHeartA2
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 2:19 a.m.
Story Problem AP math - real world applications: 1. How much money is the new superintendent making? How much money did the old superintendent make? What is the difference? 2.. Do you think this is the only example of this garbage in the district? If "NO" how many others do you suspect. 3. Estimate the total amount of money wasted like 1 and 2? 4. Multiply your answer from 3 by a factor between 1.9 and 2.1 to get closer to the real answer.
Beth Kimball
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 1:55 a.m.
How can the administrators who devised this new busing arrangement expect high school students from our Fleming Creek sub to walk either north on Dixboro 1.7 miles to Tanglewood for a "common stop" or 2 miles south on Dixboro to Village Green for another "common stop." Dixboro has no lights, no shoulders, no sidewalks, no cross-walks. Yet, our AAPS administrators call this a "safe walk zone." Are they crazy? The high school bus travels south on Dixboro right past our sub but our children are expected to fight with the cars on Dixboro traveling 45 mph to get to one of the "common bus stops". Whoever devised this arrangement to save money should be fired. Also, where is the new superintendent's leadership on this issue?
Ahmar Iqbal
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:25 p.m.
You both are absolutely correct — if our kids "are the customer" as well as the parents — then it should be about what we as customers demand. Asking for safe bus stops is not illegal or against any sort of education norms. Think about it, if we wanted limousines to pick up all students at their door step and were prepared to allocate funds, isn't that our choice as taxpayers? My daughter is at Huron and it is chaos with the bus schedule. Instead of us talking about substantive education issues, we are stuck on "no brainer" topic because of lack of leadership to resolve a relatively minor matter.
AA Resident
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 2:22 a.m.
Ms. Margolis says ""Parents want the bus service they had. That's something that's not possible."....Really ?? Really ? It is not what parents 'had'...it is what our kids 'deserve'...it is what our hard earned tax dollars 'deserve' We have 2 kids, one each in Huron and Thurston...and like many parents are in a great limbo. Can we cut some salaries of these folks? Can we eliminate some waste in the front office of schools? I am sure there are many ways to cut costs...but why bother, they took the easy options.
Beth
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 1:43 a.m.
When the district measures how far a student lives from school or a bus stop, are they looking at actual road distance or straight line, "as the crow flies" distance? There can be a HUGE difference. Students can't always take the straight route - there are often things like fences, dogs, snowdrifts, etc. that would force them to stick to the roads and sidewalks instead. Does anyone know the answer to this?
jns131
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 5:55 p.m.
As the crows fly. This was told to us back in the 70's and being reiterated today. So, if I were you? I'd get some wings or a canoe because AAPS ain't going to budge on this one.
lt1234
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:47 a.m.
Within one month, the adults who had the control of the event will see many young people walking to and from school on unpaved road and no street light . In another month or two, some of the young kids will be driven onto the pavement to compete with the automobiles because the unpaved road side will be snow packed sometime. At that time, you will realize what you have done to these kids and their parents. With just one single accident, I can assure you that this school board and the administrators will be run out of the town. Let's just wait for a couple more months and possible one young arm/leg/life, the problem will be solved. I can not wait to find out how much AA school legal fee to spend if this happens, just a matter of time.
kms
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 12:57 p.m.
I wouldn't hold out too much hope for changes to the current situation. I would expect some minor tweaking...an extra bus stop added here or there, but I fear there will be scores of kids who face long and potentially unsafe walking routes. In these cases, parents should organize carpools. I think we can all see where this is headed, bus service is going to get worse next year, not better.
jns131
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 5:54 p.m.
Plymouth Canton parents are having the same issues. No sidewalks and open roads. A scary situation for all involved.
Andy Piper
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:34 p.m.
Take a drive down Pontiac Trail between Dhu Varren and Arrowood. Better have two hands on the wheel, no shoulder, pot holes. Add in pedestrians and bikes - its a death trap.
A2Girl63
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:25 p.m.
Didn't Chelsea just learn a lesson about kids in the dark on the side of a busy road while running for cross country. Yet AAPS expects our kids to do that daily. How come our NEW Superintendant is keeping quiet about this. No comment leads one to believe shes in it for her top salary and nothing else.
KJMClark
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 10:27 a.m.
Won't Lansing say *they* can't spend money *they* don't have? I think both Lansing and our district are being a bit disingenuous. I think we should complain to both AAPS *and* Lansing. And the Board isn't *legally* responsible, but they are *politically* responsible, aren't they? We *did* elect them, right? I don't disagree that Lansing is also politically responsible, but I see no reason to let AAPS off the hook. Lansing didn't set up the routes or decide what cuts to make, or hire a new administrator for much more than the previous one.
Steven Harper Piziks
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 2:04 a.m.
The school district isn't legally responsible for anything that happens to a student on the way to or from a bus stop, actually. And the school board can't spend money it doesn't have. Complain to Lansing.
schoolsmuse
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:43 a.m.
Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but it sounds like two families at Foxfire live outside the 1.5 mile zone, and several families in the Maple public housing complex live outside the 1.5 mile zone. Shouldn't they both be measured from their houses? that would be consistent.
Bryan Briegel
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:34 a.m.
Kids were left behind on our bus runs too, and additional buses needed to be set to pick up the kids that could not board the first bus. Where is the planning here? Additionally they needed to off-load kids and still rode them over-loaded - high school kids at 3 to a seat etc. We have raised the safety concern to the district. The parents and kids deserve a lot better service than this and we will expect immediate improvement as they say they are addressing…
Steven Harper Piziks
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 2:31 a.m.
@KMS, "I would imagine it's not too difficult to figure out how many school-age kids are in each neighborhood. Our addresses obviously exist in a database...I would think a simple computer program could spit out data on how many kids per neighborhood go to which schools. How could they get it so wrong on number of buses needed per common stop?" People move away and don't tell the district. They move in and register the day before school starts, which doesn't give transportation time to hear about it and readjust. They start or stop homeschooling their kids and don't let the district know right away. And there's old-fashioned human error.
Steven Harper Piziks
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 11:11 p.m.
Don-who-hides-behind-a-pen-name, you could cut the pay of every administrator in the district by half, and it wouldn't be enough to restore busing. I'm not sure why you think administrators have it so fantastic. The administrators in my building are there by 6:30 in the morning, and they leave at 5:00 or 6:00 in the evening. I know because I'm in the building too and I see them. And they work weekends, too; an administrator has to be in the building for every single student event that happens in the school--home game, concert, club meeting, whatever. They work 70-hour weeks, easy. And every moment they're in the building, they're bloody busy. I've never in my entire career seen an administrator doing nothing. Even at lunch, they talk school business with the other building people. There are no breaks. If you think education administrators have it so great, get your Master's in education and get a job as one. There's a nationwide shortage, you know. We're short an assistant principal in my district right now, in fact, because we can't find anyone who'll take the job for the money we can offer. Here's your chance to make some real changes in the world. Shape some young minds. And since you feel that administrators earn too much, you could walk in and say you'll do the job it for less than the offered salary. They'll probably hire you on the spot. But of course, that won't happen. People who slam educators never actually go into education. They lack the stones.
jns131
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 5:50 p.m.
Dr Green was the one who pushed to privatized the buses last year. Time to rethink AATA. Things are not going to get any easier on school bus agenda. It is only going to get worse.
DonBee
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 4:21 p.m.
Mr Harper-Piziks - At $15,000 plus per student (all sources of income to AAPS), AAPS is one of the best funded districts in the state. You would think that they could provide the basic student facing services. Instead they choose to constantly cut from the student facing side, because it causes an uproar. As a teacher in the system, you should know where the fat in the system is and where money should be reallocated from and to.
kms
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 2:24 p.m.
I would imagine it's not too difficult to figure out how many school-age kids are in each neighborhood. Our addresses obviously exist in a database...I would think a simple computer program could spit out data on how many kids per neighborhood go to which schools. How could they get it so wrong on number of buses needed per common stop?
Basic Bob
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 2:46 a.m.
My daughter was on this bus, and she is now asking if we could pick her up at school. There was a half-hour wait to get through Huron's driveways. So we could solve this problem for the transportation department directly in exchange for our own working hours, gallons of gas, choking fumes, and aggravation. This defies all logic regarding shared public services and the public good. Apparently this is the goal of our ridiculously compensated administration. Any public statements from Dr. Green acknowledging the responsible for the entire operation of the schools would be refreshing. Good superintendents do that. Mr. H-P, this is not what we paid for, this is what has been instituted on us by an incompetent administration intent on transferring pain to the people it allegedly serves. This goes beyond inconvenience and shared sacrifice. You should be wary of how people will react to these changes. Some view it as a local problem, which should be solved by our school board and their employees.
Steven Harper Piziks
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 2:03 a.m.
You get what you pay for.
Tony Livingston
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:31 a.m.
I believe that teachers who make $100,000+ are taking on a lot of extra duties like coaching, supervising clubs, handling class trips, etc. There are also some teachers who may work through the summer, for example special education teachers who do evaluations and home visits. Extra hours working means extra pay. There is nothing new about that.
jns131
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 5:48 p.m.
Not. They run for the door once that bell rings. I know, I have seen some with stuff in arms pulling out and leaving.
Yuxuan Chen
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:21 a.m.
I counted the number of kids from Arrowwood and the people from Arrowwood alone filled more that half the bus. Every day they have had to call in two buses to get everyone to and from school. I walked and it takes an hour to walk to and from the bus stop with a 20 pound backpack. Why cut transportation? With the salaries of the people running the district, they could have taken a small pay cut and prevented some of this. There are lots of parents that want to keep their kids from going to school around count day.
Steven Harper Piziks
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 2:02 a.m.
That won't solve the problem. Reducing the count day population will only ensure the school gets LESS money next year. No one will say, "Goodness me! All the parents are keeping their kids home on count day! We sure learned our lesson. Frederick, restore the bus stops forthwith!" Instead, they'll say, "Crap! We're getting even less money next year. We'll have to cut even more, including from transportation. Maybe the kids can walk 1.8 miles?" The problem lies with the government. They determine how much the district gets. Complain loudly to Lansing and vote the people who did this to us out of office.
sh1
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:12 a.m.
Soccer Mom's link is regarding district employees who make over $100,000 a year. Notice that only one fourth of them are teachers. The list ranks Ann Arbor as second in number of employees, not teachers, making over $100,000.
L'chaim
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:08 a.m.
Margolis asserts that the (predominantly black) students living in South Maple must walk to school now because they live near a bus stop that is 1.5 miles from their school. But the policy the Board adopted says that students who live within 1.5 miles of their school must walk. The article states that they found students living in a different neighborhood whose homes were more than 1.5 miles from the school, so they are planning to add stops in that neighborhood. I think I got that right, right? If so, what is this saying about the District's sensitivity to member of the South Maple neighborhood? Why the disparate treatment? I have to agree with Yuhas' concerns here.
jns131
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 5:47 p.m.
AATA runs right by that area, offers reduced bus passes and will take those children almost right by that school. Need to rethink and think outside the box. Ours now takes AATA and walks the few blocks to school. Much easier then walking and warmer too.
Bryan Briegel
Wed, Sep 7, 2011 : 11:54 p.m.
"On the southeast side, the Ashford Village subdivision off of Crane Road may see added high school stops. " Ok this is good to hear - though lets clarify the fact. There currently i s no stop for High School students in Ashford Village Sub. We would *get* one vs. seeing added stops. Makes sense and is needed for safety; minimum of one stop in the sub. I am still working with the district and transportation department to have them quantify the cost savings of removing stops. For example, my son's morning route has the bus driving through the sub to one pick up location at one of the entry ways. How much would it cost to make a stop on the way to the current stop? Time is minimal; they load 20+ kids at one stop or 10 at two. Gas to start from a stopped position? What am I missing? Expecting the District will clarify my numerous requests for transparency on the cost savings. Opaqueness leads to intense wonderment on what is being withheld.
Steven Harper Piziks
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 10:55 p.m.
(That was sarcasm, Beth.)
Beth
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 2:35 p.m.
Umm, Steven - not all of us voted for the current governor.....
Steven Harper Piziks
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 1:56 a.m.
Adding more stops to a bus line increases the amount of time it takes to run that line, and the bus needs to arrive at the school at a certain time. Also, the lines are timed very tightly because bus drivers are paid by the hour. There ain't much wiggle room. Adding two stops at two minutes each equals four more minutes to the route, and if the bus already arrives at school ten minutes before start time, now the bus will arrive only six minutes before start time. The kids can't get to class. So now the route has to be started EARLIER, and everyone gets bumped back four minutes. Because of those extra two stops, the entire route will have to be rewritten, parents must be notified about the new pickup and dropoff times (and preparing and mailing all those postcards costs MONEY), and a new gas budget must be refigured. (And yes, a tiny increase of gas use is a big deal when your budget has already been cut and cut and cut and then gas prices go up and up and up and you have that tiny increase of gas on every single school day when your original forecast was for the slightly smaller amount--even if it's only $100 more, where does that $100 come from when the whole budget is already spoken for?) Every single bus stop costs money, and the district has been forced to pinch pennies until they scream. Don't like it? Well, the district's money comes from the government, and it's the government everyone voted for.
Beth
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 1:40 a.m.
I would love to hear their answer about how much more it would cost!! Our neighborhood has a similar situation, and it seems absurd that they can't just stop along the route they're already taking.
KJMClark
Wed, Sep 7, 2011 : 11:54 p.m.
Ms. Margolis, at this point we understand that the service is going to be reduced. But you're pulling a bait and switch. Not only are the number of stops being reduced, but you're cramming kids on buses like sardines. It's only supposed to be two to a seat for middle and high school students. But the Skyline pickup at Northside left kids behind yesterday, and the Clague bus at Arrowwood crammed the middle school kids in three to a seat this morning. Despite four buses driving through or by Arrowwood at the same time, with very few kids in them. Supposedly kids were left behind at Skyline last night as well. It really seems like you're trying to tick off so many parents that some of us give up and drive our kids to school after all. The district could at least be honest and say there won't be enough seats for all of the kids, as well as the fewer stops that we were told about.
jns131
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 5:44 p.m.
O by the way, you were warned. Last winter when this was announced and planned. You just missed the meeting and uh...the bus on this one.
jns131
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 5:43 p.m.
That is exactly what AAPS is trying to do. Make parents drive their children to school instead of using the bus and there fore? Less busing and more money for the boards pockets. We could go by the way of Massachusetts busing. You pay $500 for this special privileged to have your child picked up by a bright shiny yellow bus per year. You have more then one? They might offer a special discounted price. Stop complaining and get your child a car. I plan to next year. Ours takes public busing because it is easier then walking 2 miles and the bus is usually warmer.
Soccer Mom
Wed, Sep 7, 2011 : 11:52 p.m.
@ local... I understand your frustration regarding the excessive class sizes and am only commenting on this article regarding the busing situation. Yes, 32 students per teacher is ridiculous. @ eom... Great teachers does not equal highest paid teachers. @ Rob Pollard... I got my facts from the link below. By the way, revenue per pupil does NOT equal how much a teacher's salary is. There are many teachers in the Ann Arbor Public School District that make over $100,000 per year, way above the state average. <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/news/88-employees-top-100000-salary-mark-at-ann-arbor-public-schools/">http://www.annarbor.com/news/88-employees-top-100000-salary-mark-at-ann-arbor-public-schools/</a> Or you may google: "ann arbor public school teacher salary" I did not post my comment to debate the situation, as a mother affected by the situation at hand, I only offer my comments.
sh1
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 11:31 a.m.
Don Bee, I apologize. I misread your comment.
CincoDeMayo
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 5:32 p.m.
Once again, arguing amongst ourselves about who should sacrifice while others get paid 3 -4 or more times as much, including the school superintendent! So crazy.
DonBee
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 4:19 p.m.
skigrl50 - I would be happier with the California option than the current mess they have made with busing.
jcj
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:52 p.m.
."it all comes down to people thinking we make to much and don't work very much." Should read too much maybe some teachers are over paid.
skigrl50
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:14 p.m.
Perhaps you should look into what is done is many other areas around the US that provide absolutely no bussing for students (except for special education). In parts of California, there is private bussing that charges 'tuition' of about $60 per student/month to ride the bus. The charge applies whether the bus is ridden once during the billing cycle or twice every day. Do I think it could have been done better, sure... But, perhaps we should feel fortunate that we even have limited bussing as an option since it is not required.
DonBee
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:13 p.m.
sh1 - I never have, go back and re-read my comment. I said CUT ADMINISTRATION, not teachers or teachers salaries.
sh1
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 2:12 a.m.
Don Bee, can you give your rationale behind asking teachers to give up $100 instead of spreading that out over the greater community?
DonBee
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 1:56 a.m.
Mr. Harper Piziks - If we aligned the cost of administration with that of Plymouth-Canton, the teachers could keep their salary and benefits and we could have busing back. It is that simple.
Steven Harper Piziks
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 1:45 a.m.
"If each teacher in AAPS (again, I think the majority of which are paid very well) gave up, let's say, $100 this year... the bussing problem would be solved. " If each person in Ann Arbor gave up $100, that would also solve the busing problem. Why should the teachers, who have already taken cut after cut after cut, give up more? These are OUR children. WE should pay for the busing.
Peregrine
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 1:22 a.m.
@Soccer Mom: No where in the article you linked to does it say that Ann Arbor has "the second highest paid public school teachers in the state of Michigan" (to quote from one of your comments). It says that of comparable school districts in the state of Michigan, AAPS has the second highest number of teachers with annual salaries that exceeded $100,000 in 2009. You see the difference, I trust? But of course the devil is in the details. The article also states that in 2009 there was an extra pay period due to the way the weeks fell, and that pushed some over the $100,000 mark that normally wouldn't be there. And another detail is that no teacher got $100,000 only for their work as a teacher. Those teachers who did all took on extra work, such as coaching or administration that increased their pay.
Soccer Mom
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 1:17 a.m.
@ eom ... Clearly we are at an impass. Yes my comment does infer that teachers in AAPS make a great deal of money. Apparently, you do not share my belief. I think that teachers should make a decent salary and I do believe that teachers work very hard. Nothing more...nothing less. I used to work for the Michigan Education Association and know for a fact that teachers in the State of MI have an excellent (far superior than most private employers) benefit and retirement package. If each teacher in AAPS (again, I think the majority of which are paid very well) gave up, let's say, $100 this year... the bussing problem would be solved. Since that is not going to happen, perhaps there could be a way for us parents to help fund the bussing situation. This will be my last comment this evening.
eom
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 1 a.m.
Soccer Mom says: It is unfortunate that in order to cut the 15 million dollars, Ann Arbor Public Schools (who have the second highest paid public school teachers in the state of Michigan) have decided to cut transportation instead of elsewhere, forcing the budget problem onto the backs of the students and parents. To me, this is saying that if we didn't pay our teachers so much money, we'd have more money for other important things, like bussing. As SH1 posted, most of the money is made by administration. There are some teachers who make large sums, but most of us make a decent living, and by no means are we over paid. It always seems the teachers are targeted, no matter what the article itself is about...it all comes down to people thinking we make to much and don't work very much.
Soccer Mom
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:51 a.m.
@ eom ... I never suggested that, "teachers should be paid low wages with little benefits". It is unfortunate that you would make that assumption from my comment. Obviously, teachers should be paid well. I merely suggested that, "if it is all about the kids, (like many teachers claim), why are the kids suffering?"
eom
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:29 a.m.
@Soccer Mom, so, what you are saying is that you'd rather we weren't paid very much money and you still MIGHT get great teachers? I didn't go into teaching because I knew I'd make money hand over fist - and I don't. However, if you pay teachers low wages with little benefits, I'm guessing Ann Arbor won't make many of those top ten lists any longer...
Rob Pollard
Wed, Sep 7, 2011 : 11:21 p.m.
Soccer Mom, if you're going to quote numbers, please do so accurately. Ann Arbor has nowhere near the "second highest paid" school teachers in the state. Here's a handy file from the Michigan Dept of Ed - it shows AAPS is 37th: <a href="http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/b101410_349994_7.pdf" rel='nofollow'>http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/b101410_349994_7.pdf</a> How about if we complain AAPS is 666th in the state in revenue per pupil from state sources instead?
eom
Wed, Sep 7, 2011 : 11:25 p.m.
Thank you Rob.
jennifer young
Wed, Sep 7, 2011 : 11:18 p.m.
It would be a shame if our students weren't able to get to school on count day because of the lack of buses. I bet the district would sit up and take notice then.
jcj
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:48 p.m.
My thoughts exactly Peregrine! WHY would anyone deliberately keep their kids home on count day?
Peregrine
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 1:09 a.m.
Wouldn't trying to lower the count of students hurt the students? AMOC: Why have you "deliberately kept [your] kids home on count day"?
AMOC
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:50 a.m.
But it won't matter to them, Jennifer. AAPS teachers and staff routinely record all enrolled students as present on both count day, especially if you as a parent excuse the absence. Even when I have deliberately kept my kids home on count day, they show up as present in the attendance system, anyway.
Ron Granger
Wed, Sep 7, 2011 : 11:05 p.m.
What is a more important use of tax dollars - making sure all kids get to school regardless of income, or funding extra-curricular sports *after* school hours? How much is that extra-curricular sports budget? Well, Annarbor.com reported that the school system refused to disclose it in response to their FOIA request. Why is the sports budget a secret in a public school system? We should have all the details on the spending.
kms
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 11:19 a.m.
How can school administration legally refuse a FOIA request to provide taxpayers information about sports budget? jns is correct that parents pay through the nose for their kids to play sports and we transport them to games as well...no buses anymore except for football, which my kids don't play. I'm not complaining, I think that's fair. But continuing to call for the elimination of sports in A2 schools is not a likely or practical solution to the budget crisis. For some reason and over decades, athletics have been incorporated into educational institutions and A2 can't be the first and only school system to dismantle their sports program. As other commenters have pointed out, that will likely lead to a mass exodus of students.
DonBee
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 6:31 p.m.
jns131 - $8 million in new sport only facilities this year from the bond and sinking funds that have been reported (there may be additional projects not reported). $3 million dollar annual sports operation budget An unknown amount of time and energy from the maintenance, custodial and administrative staff for field and facility maintenance and cleaning 3 full time athletic directors out of the administrative budget with an average cost of $180,000 each plus their secretaries and other support staff. No, AAPS does not pay for sports at all. The current estimate is that the sports budget in the schools including ticket revenue, booster money, fees to play, general fund money, and other funds is more than $12 million a year for AAPS. This does not include the facility costs or maintenance of those facilities. AAPS refuses to provide any visibility into this issue.
jns131
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 5:38 p.m.
Parents are paying thru the nose for our children to play sports. So, no, the schools are not paying for sports, parents are paying to play for sports. Try $500 buckeroos. Ouch, now that hurts.
DonBee
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 4:16 p.m.
Mr. Granger - AAPS replied to at least one request for this information that it was an "invasion of privacy" and would not be released because of that issue. Whose privacy was never disclosed.
say it plain
Wed, Sep 7, 2011 : 11:58 p.m.
ridiculous! I hope the parents who are justifiably upset about the transportation situation force the school board to tell us why this is secret info!
DonBee
Wed, Sep 7, 2011 : 11 p.m.
I did a quick review of the busing study AAPS paid for and then did not implement. They could have continued to support every stop in the district and still saved money if they had implemented the study. But NO! Aligning the day so that one bus could transport for all schools did not work for some district employees, so dump the study and flush the cost of it. The net result, this level of anger from parents. I wish I was going to be in town for the next school board meeting.
DonBee
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 4:15 p.m.
As usual AAPS never released the study, I have had occasional access to it from a former AAPS employee. It, like many studies the district does, was never released to the public and the summary used at the board meeting was mis-leading at best.
A2Mom
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 3:58 p.m.
Every parent needs a copy of this study and the expense to bring to the meeting. Please forward a link if you can. Thank you!!!
Andy Piper
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:28 p.m.
I wonder what this study cost? How can I get a look at it?
DonBee
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:12 p.m.
A2 Comment - I spent 2 hours each way on a bus everyday growing up. It was K-12, and without a single problem. Most districts in Michigan do just exactly that, all the students on the same bus. But you would rather Kindergartners on city buses, I suppose.
A2comments
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 10:43 a.m.
Do you really want elementary school students on a bus with high school students? Really?
DonBee
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 1:53 a.m.
Susie Q - That is not what the consultant's report said. They needed, I think 4 more buses (I have not been able to keep a copy of the report), according to the consultants involved. It would have saved thousands of gallons of fuel and tons of CO2. Oh, well with all the private cars running, we will burn more fuel and make more CO2. Adopting the report would have been the best choice from a cost and environmental standpoint. But, it is dead and buried.
Susie Q
Wed, Sep 7, 2011 : 11:58 p.m.
DonBee, I am confused......if one bus transported to all schools, would there be only one bus run for all students (K-12)? That is how Chelsea does it..... However, if AAPS instituted something like this, they would need a lot more buses. In AA, there are 3 bus runs: one for K-5; one for 6-8 and one for 9-12. Plus all sorts of ancillary bus runs. More buses would also be very expensive.
Soccer Mom
Wed, Sep 7, 2011 : 10:40 p.m.
As the mother of two Ann Arbor High School students, I can attest to the fact that the change in bus service has been very inconvenient. It is unfortunate that in order to cut the 15 million dollars, Ann Arbor Public Schools (who have the second highest paid public school teachers in the state of Michigan) have decided to cut transportation instead of elsewhere, forcing the budget problem onto the backs of the students and parents.
TC
Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 1:32 p.m.
You are obviously a hater of teachers and your facts are wrong. AA teachers are very far from being "the second highest paid..in the state". Where do your facts come from? Are you just making them up? Secondly, responsibility for any funding shortage belong to the Michigan Republicans. Period. Who did you vote for?
jns131
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 5:35 p.m.
O boo hoo parents. Between privatized food workers, bus drivers and soon to be custodians. The public education system will have more money to work with once teachers are privatized as well. O shock city! Privatized teachers? If Lansing has its way and the bill goes thru? O yes, teachers will be off the union payroll. Now who do we complain to now?
Andy
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 1:28 p.m.
What cuts would you propose to save the $15m?
Susie Q
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:01 a.m.
AAPS teachers are not the 2nd highest paid teachers in Michigan. There are even larger classes at the comprehensive high schools. There are some in math or English that are 35-38.
L'chaim
Wed, Sep 7, 2011 : 11:56 p.m.
Rob Pollard at 7:21 PM on September 7, 2011 Soccer Mom, if you're going to quote numbers, please do so accurately. Ann Arbor has nowhere near the "second highest paid" school teachers in the state. Here's a handy file from the Michigan Dept of Ed - it shows AAPS is 37th: <a href="http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/b101410_349994_7.pdf" rel='nofollow'>http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/b101410_349994_7.pdf</a> How about if we complain AAPS is 666th in the state in revenue per pupil from state sources instead?
eom
Wed, Sep 7, 2011 : 11:25 p.m.
Buses are more important than great teachers?
local
Wed, Sep 7, 2011 : 10:59 p.m.
I am an Ann Arbor parent as well and I understand your frustration. But where does this money come from to better the bus situation? You are upset about that, but I am more upset by the fact that my kids are sitting in classes with 27 and 28 students in them. And with multiple splits in my kids school, my daughters class may have 32 kids in it to help the teacher who has a split teach the science and social studies curriculum. Where is the outrage about that? I hope AnnArbor.com takes a look at class size over the next few weeks and ask principals and teachers about class size and dealing with splits. I think that might outrage people more then busing. I expect the bus issues will be worked out over the next week or so, let's see what happens.
Roman
Wed, Sep 7, 2011 : 10:35 p.m.
Sure bait. We seen that "slaughter" in wisconsin, ohio and other states sick of the status quo created by the union criminalists. Time to stop 'business as usual'. Keeping Snyder and voting republican will insure this mess that granholm and the bandits from the MEA have created will be cleaned up.
Censorship sucks
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 3:50 p.m.
Would you prefer "take out those SOBs" or "they can go to he77" ? Roman is using the same wording as baitm but I guess it's ok if it comes from your side of the fence?
sh1
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 12:08 a.m.
Can you make your point without name-calling? "Criminalists" and bandits, really?
baitm
Wed, Sep 7, 2011 : 10 p.m.
concern for education should result in republicans being slaughtered in november. the latest cuts were unacceptable and mean spirited. shame on all of them. the nerd of ann arbor needs to go too.
jns131
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 5:27 p.m.
Which is why transportation laid off and privatized it busing to WISD who has no clue as to how to run the thing in the first place. If parents had been with us from the beginning this would not be happening now. Good luck it is going to get only worse.
Charlie Brown's Ghost
Thu, Sep 8, 2011 : 2:35 p.m.
Wait... advocating violence is allowed in comments?
DonBee
Wed, Sep 7, 2011 : 10:56 p.m.
Which is exactly why the cuts were made to transportation and other student facing services. Most of the cuts could have come from administration and had little or no impact on students, and parents would not have seen it. These cuts were designed to make people angry. It was a strategy to get more money.