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NORTH MANCHESTER - It's been tried one way, now it's going to be tried another way.
Two years ago, Manchester Community Schools started a double route busing system that picked up elementary school and secondary school students separately. Tuesday night the school board approved a plan for a new bus route system that eliminates the double busing system.
Students of all ages will be picked up by the same bus and transported to a "hub" at Manchester Junior-Senior High School. Elementary students will be taken to their respective schools from the hub.
The new plan has been designed to help reduce the amount of times many students spend on the school bus.
"The outermost students (in the district) were riding and hour to school and an hour home on the bus," said superintendent Diana Showalter.
The new plan also will reduce the number of miles driven each day by about 154 miles and save the corporation fuel costs.
"Since August of last year, the price of diesel fuel has gone up 82 cents per gallon," said Showalter. "That's significant.
"But money is a secondary concern. My primary concern is getting the children home in a timely manner."
The new busing plan will use the parking area between the high school and junior high that used to be tennis courts as the hub where all buses will meet.
At this point, several aspects of the plan are still being worked out.
The busing area will be monitored, but the monitors have not yet been determined.
The routes and bus parking assignments will be finalized by the time enrollment begins Aug. 3.
"We can't keep the kids separated and still be efficient," said board member Todd Speicher.
After much discussion, the board approved the new bus plan 5-0, with board member Steve Flack voicing concern about the new system.
In other business, the board:
• Heard that a local business family is making an anonymous donation to help with textbook rental charges for an entire class. According to Showalter, the family has promised to pay all the second grade fees for pre-printed reading materials. The donation will be presented at the next board meeting, but Showalter said, "It's something you can do if you's like to help out, too. You don't have to sponsor an entire class." She added that any amount could help students.
• Heard an update from Business Manager Steve Shumaker about the progress of the budget that will be discussed in a public work session AUg. 2 after the regular school board meeting.
• Accepted the unofficial resignation of Tony Cassel. Cassel has accepted a position at another school, pending school board approval, and will submit his official resignation at the Aug. 2 MCS board meeting. His unofficial resignation give the school the opportunity to post a business teaching position now to replace him once the resignation is received.
• Accepted the resignations of Barb Ihnen, sixth grade teacher at Laketon Elementary School and Becky Steele, administrative secretary/food service bookkeeper at Maple Park Educational Center.
• Approved the recommendation of Dave Harms and Jack Rupley as volunteer football coaches at Manchester Junior-Senior High School.
• Approved the hiring of Patricia Reid as technology assistant at Manchester Elementary School.
• Approved requests for three grants: an Indiana Early Intervention Grant for $32,530; a Community Foundation of Wabash County grant for $505.04 for exploring career pathways; and a Community Foundation of Wabash County grant for $1,381.13 for equipping students for the 21st century.
• Approved minutes from the July 5 meeting and executive session.
Manchester school board members are Sally Krouse, president, Todd Speicher, Thom Frantz, Kent Terrill, Brian Schilling, Carlye McLaughlin and Steve Flack. Superintendent is Diana Showalter.
