LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Friday was Jefferson County Public Schools' second attempt at a first day of school.
A JCPS spokesperson confirmed with WHAS11 News that the last student was dropped off at 7:43 p.m. Friday.
The first attempt featured multiple hours-long bus delays. The second attempt had several families still experiencing issues even after the district implemented "short-term changes" during six days of canceled school.
"I know it can be kind of hard getting used to the new locations," Dania Gonzalez, a middle schooler at Marion C. Moore, said.
Gonzalez was waiting for a bus to pick her up off of South Hurstbourne Parkway. WHAS11 News spoke with her at 7:50 a.m., when her bus was already 30 minutes late.
She hadn't been picked up when WHAS11 News left her stop at 8:20 a.m., 1 hour after she believed it would pick her up.
JCPS parent Myesha Mosley said her child's bus was only about eight minutes late. She wasn't so worried about the ride to school, as she could take her if she needed to, but the ride home was making her worried.
"She's calling me, telling me she's hungry, she has to go to the bathroom and stuff like that. They eat pretty early, and then her not getting home until three hours later," Mosley said, reflecting on the first day of school for her elementary schooler.
Her daughter was waiting at school for over an hour last week, and Mosley ended up making the last second decision to go pick her up herself on Aug. 9.
Other parents did experience improvements.
Erin Hinson's son Oliver was picked up within 5 minutes of his bus's scheduled time to Noe Middle School. He ended up arriving 20 minutes after the first bell.
"He got to school 10 minutes faster than his first day, even though he was late today. It was still progress so we'll celebrate that!" Erin said over text.
Brittany Becerra, who got her bus stop request form denied last Friday, walked her son Lucas to his new stop .2 miles from their house. Unlike the first day of school, his bus did actually arrive this time.
One parent who is continuing to go through it is Berkley Collins.
She called her daughter Arai's school, Carter Traditional Elementary, nearly every day the last week and asked when her daughter can have a p.m. bus stop. The district said it's not possible right now, and will not be addressed until after Labor Day.
"Honestly kind of makes me feel a bit powerless," she said.
Berkley is currently having car trouble and a plumbing issue in her kitchen, so she can't pick Arai up from school. Since she only has bus transit one-way, she had to keep her home Friday.
"I expected to always have that bus. And rely on that transportation from the school," Berkley said. "I shouldn't feel bad that I don't have the tools necessary right now to get them to school."
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