By Susan Bromley
Staff Writer
Brandon Twp.- The finance committee is recommending that students in the district be offered bus transportation only to their home schools.
The recommendation will be made to the board at their next meeting, planned for 6:30 p.m., Feb. 8, at the central district office, 1025 S. Ortonville Road.
‘We are recommending that we discontinue transportation for in-district transfers,? said Superintendent Lorrie McMahon. ‘There will be no busing except to home schools.?
With board approval, beginning with the 2010-11 school year, students will be bussed only to the elementary school they are assigned to based on the area in which they reside, in order to save at least $12,000 and reduce by 15-20 minutes the longest bus rides. Students would still be able to attend the elementary school of their choice, but if it is not their home school, they would supply their own transportation.
The district will continue to bus Belle Ann students to and from the Ortonville Montessori school and Harvey Swanson students will be bused to and from Stepping Stone Child Development Center. There is no public daycare near Oakwood Elementary, but McMahon said if a private home daycare is within an elementary school’s boundaries, students can be picked up from that home and taken to the school designated for that home.
‘We will answer all questions at the next school board meeting and tentatively announce the start and end times for all schools,? McMahon said.