LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Frazier Museum was one of many Louisville businesses offering deals to JCPS families as the district works out their transportation debacle.
Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio apologized for the challenges drivers and students had to endure but also said the district was working to get it right.
“Going back to what we were doing is not an option,” he said.
Pollio further explained a “staggered opening” he shared with parents via email before his Monday evening news conference.
Elementary and middle schools will return to classes on Friday while high schools will head back on Monday.
A bus tracking app will be available to help parents keep track of buses.
“They can have notifications as well in the morning and afternoon, so if they want to know if their bus is five minutes away, they can set an application or notification for that,” Pollio said.
Pollio said the district hopes to have it up and running by Friday.
The district will also use JCPS vans and drivers available to take elementary students home or back to school if no adult is waiting for them.
JCPS staff members with cell phones and GPS will ride school buses with the longest routes.
Every child will be tagged for their morning and afternoon school bus routes.
They will cut the length of routes with too many afternoon stops.
“I do want to say this to our families – again, this was our mistake. We are going to do as much as we possibly can to forgive days that were missed,” Pollio said.
WHAS11 News found parents of JCPS students still trying to recover from the first day nightmare.
“They rode the bus home and the scariest part for them is that we didn’t know all of the entire routes. They were afraid they were getting forgotten on the bus,” parent Megan Jones said.
With more off days from school and an extended start day, Jones finds herself in the same situation but said she will drop her sons off at the Frazier Museum.
“It was, what are we going to do with these kids? I've already rearranged my work schedule a couple of times now. I'm on the ‘it’s time for school to start’, so I have meetings all day. What am I going to do again?" Jones said.
James Roberson chose to drive his son to school after his wife, a JCPS bus driver, warned him about the routes being hectic.
“She feels like it’s frustrating because for the last – I want to say 10 years at least, she has been running the same runs,” he said.
Pollio said the district is working to recruit more bus drivers and increase pay.
The new return days will not affect the fall athletic schedules.
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