Rabbi Moshe Zev Weisberg, on behalf of the Lakewood Busing Task Force, released the following statement to TLS today following last night’s report of the restoration of courtesy busing:
On behalf of the tens of thousands of school children of Lakewood we salute the hard work of a dedicated team of diverse stakeholders who spent hundreds of hours in a successful effort to restore safety busing for many of Lakewood’s students in grades 4-12.
As was so clearly demonstrated during a two-day drill in June, Lakewood was facing a looming citywide crisis after safety busing was seriously curtailed due to the ongoing financial difficulties of the Lakewood School District. Massive traffic tie-ups, coupled with the anticipated serious disruption of the education of thousands and thousands of students was the picture we were looking at, had the busing cuts been maintained. Much more important, however, was the serious danger that schoolchildren – some as young as nine years old – would have been forced into while trying to traverse dangerous highways and streets by cycling or walking for up to two-miles every morning and afternoon. Massive carpooling, another alternative, would have hopelessly snarled already highly congested rush-hour traffic with a huge amount of additional vehicles on the major commuter arteries.
In the finest example of a public-private partnership, representatives of the Lakewood School Board, District administrators, the New Jersey Education Department, and Lakewood’s large number of non-public schools, worked alongside community leaders and elected officials in turning over every stone to find a solution to this looming crises.
In the end, after scouring for increased efficiencies in existing busing routes and exploring creative new configurations and schedules, a reasonable proposal was brought forth and accepted by all the major stakeholders. It envisions the implementation of a large-scale pilot program whereby the opening class times of schools will be staggered to allow two shorter bus runs in the place of one longer one. While revamping school opening times presents significant logistical difficulties for the schools, parents and students involved, the hope is that the new configurations will work more efficiently.
After a few months of the pilot program running, it will be critically evaluated to determine its effectiveness.
On the behalf of the Lakewood Busing Task Force, we would like to thank Lakewood School Board President Isaac Zlatkin, Superintendent Laura Winters and her staff, state monitor Michael Azzara, Lakewood Township Committeeman Meir Lichtenstien and Mayor Menashe Miller, Assemblyman Gary Schaer, and the dozens of leaders of Lakewood’s schools for reaching this historic agreement.
Finally, a special appreciation on behalf of all the stakeholders bust must be granted to the nine Yeshivas and Bais Yaakovs who selfishlessly agreed to shift their schedules significantly on very short notice – with all the expense and logistical challenges it entails – to accommodate the implementation of the pilot. Thank you!
Moshe Zev Weisberg, on behalf of Lakewood Busing Task Force
When will the parents know if their school is the one that is changing the opening time? Parents may need to make new arrangements for their kids if school will start later….
We are all very grateful for the efforts that everyone put in to resolve this in a manner that can work for everyone. Is there a way to post a list of schools that are changing schedules? Are the boys and girls who’s morning schedules changed going to end at a different time too? This is very important for parents to know as we all have to work around our work schedules. Thanks again
Can someone please explain how this will save money. I can’t figure it out. While fewer drivers will be needed, the total man-hours will remain the same. What am I missing?
There were so many comments and complaints when they were posting that we might not be having bussing, I am sure the schools will let us all know enough time before school starts what time your school is starting,I think we should all be very grateful and thankful to all those many ppl who spent many hours of thier time making this work for us. Thank you!
Wouldn’t it be great if all this energy could also be put to use in improving public education in Lakewood? All this fuss over busing?! Have we lost sight of what’s really important for our students?
We are all grateful. Extremely so. But at this pt it is very close to the school yr- esp for the boys. Those of us who will need to make arrangements for our children either before or after school need to do it now. We don’t have the luxury of waiting until the schools get around to doing mailing. Finding accommodations at that time of day isn’t easy!
I’m sorry to complain but I think the reason there isn’t so much response is because what’s so great about this solution? The boys will be in school for an extra half hour, the girls will be waiting all morning for the bus to come since they’re doubling the routes. The girls will all get to school late.
This will save money because less busses will be needed….
Also, once a driver is in his bus and in Lakewood, he can start a new round in less time thab it would take a separate driver to go to rhe bus lot, pick up his bus and drive it to lakewood.
It’s like when you are going out to the store and you run a 2nd errand ehike you’re out as opposed to comibg all the way home and then sending your spouse out seprately in a different car.
Hu,
While you worry about what time school starts; first please tell us when the 80 parents with daughters not in primary yet will know where our daughters are going to next year. Then me & you can try to find out what time they start.
Does Jackson have bussing to Lakewood yeshivas?
Random,
While this may save some money, I would think at most it would save 10%. Also, the buses are already here, and I don’t think the issue was an increase in expenses from last year but even if the expenses would remain the same. So I ask again, does anyone have concrete numbers to explain this?
Why wasn’t this “solution” done years ago. Think of all the money we wasted over the years.