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JCPS offers more resources for families ahead of first day back to school

The district is working hard to ensure a safe start to in-person classes after being virtual for a little more than a year.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — JCPS is opening its bus hotline on Monday to take transportation questions as parents prepare to send their kids back to class. The hotline number is 485-RIDE(7433). Through that number, parents can talk to a member of JCPS staff, who can provide info like a child's bus number and nearby bus stops.

The call center's phones rang consistently throughout the first day Monday, with parents looking for answers to their child's bus stop location, time, and route. 

"We'll probably ended up today with a little over 100 calls. We started off early this morning, pretty much the before school time when people were thinking about their bus stops," Ken Stites, JCPS transportation specialist, said.

The hotline will be open at the following times:

  • Monday, March 15 - 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Tuesday, March 16 - 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Wednesday, March 17 - 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
  • Thursday, March 18 - 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
  • Friday, March 19 - 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • Monday, March 22 - 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Additionally, families can use the JCPS Bus Finder online tool to find information on bus routes and numbers.

The district's protocol for buses includes assigned seats for every student and mask requirements for both students and staff.

Hand sanitizer will be available once kids enter the bus, and drivers will clean high-touch areas like window handles and backs on seats after each run. 

Because all students are on a hybrid schedule, there will be fewer kids on a bus each day. Some routes have been consolidated, which could mean some changes from last year’s bus schedule.  

"We've re-routed to allow for capacity on busses whenever possible, shortening routes whenever possible," Stites said. "We're still getting kids to school at a reasonable time. Very few routes are coming in at what we would consider extremely early so hopefully it wont be too much of an inconvenience for parents who are used to for example previous years bus times and stop times."

Elementary students start in-person learning Wednesday, March 17, while middle and high schoolers will head back to the classroom beginning April 5.

The district's customer service helpline (313-HELP) is available all year for families who have district and school-related questions. During the school year, that helpline is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The district is also now offering rapid COVID-19 testing that began Monday. JCPS is partnering with Louisville Metro Public Health & Wellness and Sphere to provide free, voluntary COVID-19 rapid testing at select school sites. 

 "Working together to make sure that we can find out if there is a case, someone can be quickly identified, they can be treated and they can get the help that they need and if there is a quarantine that is needed, we can do that too," district spokeswoman Renee Murphy said. 

A limited number of unscheduled walk-up/drive-ups will be accommodated as available.

The rapid testing will be available at the following school sites Mondays Thursdays from 3-7 p.m.:

  • Academy @ Shawnee, 4001 Herman St.
  • Ballard High School, 6000 Brownsboro Rd.
  • Central High School, 1130 W Chestnut St.
  • Fairdale High School, 1001 Fairdale Rd.
  • Iroquois High School, 4615 Taylor Blvd.
  • Marion C. Moore School, 6415 Outer Loop
  • Seneca High School, 3510 Goldsmith Ln.
  • Thomas Jefferson Middle School, 1501 Rangeland Rd.
  • Waggener High School, 330 S Hubbards Ln.
  • Western Middle School, 2201 W Main St.
  • Western High School, 2501 Rockford Ln.
  • Valley High School, 10200 Dixie Hwy.

Additionally, all JCPS schools will be provided with rapid COVID-19 testing kits for students or staff who arrive at school with symptoms of illness. The tests will be administered by nursing staff. 

The drive-thru sites are for those within the JCPS family who are asymptomatic, may choose to get tested regularly, and/or have been referred for testing as part of contact tracing efforts.

"We want this to be an opportunity that's available for people if they are showing symptoms or if they have been exposed. This is free, it's a rapid test and it will be available at 12 of our schools," Murphy said.

For more infrormation on appointments and how to schedule, click here.

Also busy behind the scenes in the days leading up to school doors officially opening are teachers and staff. Many educators spent the weekend preparing classrooms and will spend the next few days finalizing plans and reviewing safety protocols. 

"We had to bring tape measures and space everything out," Kristin Logsdon said. "It's like the first day buts its so different, its like it's been building for a year and the hardest part is we cant hug our kids."

Logsdon is a fourth garde teacher at SHelby Traditional Academy and she'll return to her classroom in-person in Thursday which 14 students, down from the usual 28- student class size. 

"For me, it's like Christmas Eve when I was little and couldn't fall asleep because I was so excited," she said. "There's a lot that goes into this. I had no idea how much planning and preparation and then just the flexibility teachers are being asked to have. and staff and parents. Everyone is asking for grace. we all have to just breathe and kind of take it as it comes"

Logsdon said the return brings mixed emotions, but she wants parents and families to know the schools are doing everything possible to make it a smooth transition back. 

"I'm a little nervous but I'm feeling a little better because everyone understands what's expected and everyone understands were going to keep everyone safe," Logsdon said. "We're going try and make it, I'm not going to say normal, but as comfortable and feels like home."

►Contact reporter Tyler Emery at temery@WHAS11.com. Follow her on Twitter (@TylerWHAS11) and Facebook.  

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