NEW GLASGOW – There will be a few new bus routes in place for students starting back to two elementary schools this fall.
The Chignecto-Central Regional School Board sent out a letter last week informing parents with children at Acadia and Temperance, who are moving to Brown School, that bus routes will be available for children living more than 1.6 kilometres from the school.
“Some children have been bused in the past, but for others this will be a new experience,” said Debbie Buott-Matheson, communications director for the CCRSB. “New routes will be in place for the next couple of years.”
There will be no busing changes for children at New Glasgow Junior High School which will be held at Temperance Street School.
New Glasgow Junior High students will attend school at Temperance Street Elementary until 2014 so that the former junior high can be torn down and a new building erected in its spot. When completed, the $18-million school will replace Temperance Street Elementary School, Acadia Street School and New Glasgow Junior High School.
Until construction is completed, all Primary to Grade 3 students who in the past went to Temperance and Acadia will move to Acadia Street School and all Grades 4, 5 and 6 students from the schools will move to Brown School beginning in September which will be called Temperance Street Elementary at Brown School.
In addition to new busing routes, school hours have also changed at both Acadia and Temperance at Brown schools, but remain the same for New Glasgow Junior High School students.
Elementary school children at Acadia and Brown will begin at 9 a.m. and lunch will be from noon to 1 p.m. Afternoon classes will be in session from 1 to 3 p.m.
Buott-Matheson said the board has received calls from some parents upset over the time change.
“We are working to se what we can make to accommodate these parents,” she said.
One upset parent, who asked not be identified, said the time change will effect her job because she needs to be work at 8:30 a.m., but her six and eight-year-old children can’t go to school until 9 a.m.
“It’s a huge economic concern for me,” said the single mother. “I can’t be a half hour late every day for work and my children are not old enough to get themselves off to school on their own.”
She said she would like a supervisor at the school by 8:15 a.m. each morning to keep an eye on the children until classes begin.
The hours will remain the same for New Glasgow Junior High School students and a lunchroom has been constructed inside the school, but there are no cafeteria services.
Students at Acadia, Temperance at Brown School and New Glasgow Junior High School will also begin classes on Sept. 10, unlike other schools in the county that will open Thursday.
New bus routes for Acadia and Temperance Street School at Brown School:
Bus 24E Morning Adam MacAulay/ Bus 127E Afternoon Kevin Cameron
Bowden/Vale Road 8:40 a.m.
Marcus/Vale Road 8:42 a.m.
Tremont/Vale Road 8:44 a.m.
Albert/Forbes St. 8:47 a.m.
Arrival at school
Acadia Street School 8:51 a.m.
Temperance Street School at Brown School 8:55 a.m.
Afternoon buses will drop students off at 3:05 and 3:15 p.m.
First Run Bus 4W Morning Dave Hines/Bus 129E Afternoon Karen MacGregor
Corner of Summer Street, Lawton’s employee parking lot 8:30 a.m.
Corner of MacGregor and South Frederick 8:34 a.m.
Corner of Granville and Nelson 8:36 a.m.
Corner of Temperance and Brother 8:38 a.m.
Arrival at School
Acadia Street School 8:41 a.m.
Temperance Street School at Brown School 8:45 a.m.
Afternoon buses will drop students off between 3:05 and 3:15 p.m.
Second Run Bus 4W Morning Dave Hines / Bus 28E Afternoon Judy Martin
Car wash on Trenton Road 8:40 a.m.
O’Brian and Trenton Road 8:42 a.m.
Arrival at school
Acadia Street School at 8:45 a.m.
Temperance Street School at Brown School at 8:50 a.m.
Afternoon buses will drop students off between 3:05 and 3:15 p.m.
Any questions regarding busing can be directed to Acadia Street School at 755-8430, Temperance Street School at 755-8420 and Celtic Family of Schools Office at 755-8132.
