Hopkins has a school bus issue at Sycamore School

A shortage of school bus drivers has had a tremendously adverse impact on Sycamore Elementary in the Hopkins school district.

Superintendent Gary Wood told Board of Education members Monday evening that a limited number of bus drivers is available for pickup and delivery of students at the rural school, located west of Dorr on 142^nd Avenue. He added that if substitute drivers are called in, it will negatively impact taking sports teams to games.

Citizen Bridgette Rillema said her daughter has become disillusioned riding the bus because it’s taken as many as 70 minutes, which Mrs. Riilema said causes problems with study habits, physical fitness and eventually academic performance.

She said as a result she has driven her daughter to Sycamore herself and noticed an average of 108 students being dropped off at the elementary each day rather than ride the buses. She agreed the bus times have improved by as much as 10 minutes lately, but noted recommendations are for elementary children to have to ride the bus for no more than 30 minutes per day.

“I believe our school district can do better,” she told the board, suggesting a task force get to work on the problem.

Wood agreed and said he and other officials will put their heads together to try to find a better way to handle rural busing times.

In other business Monday, the school board:

• Was given a virtual presentation about the districts’ Robotics Team program and the projects the sudents and advisers are working on this year under the shadow of Covid-19.
• Was told by Wood that since returning to more in-person instruction March 8, so far, so good. He said he knew of only one current Covid case in the middle and in the high school.

Hopkins High School went to in-person classroom instruction for four days a week, with Wednesdays set aside for all virtual learning. Elementary students now attend all five days.

• Discussed the possibility of offering a summer school program in the wake of an academically trying year, caused by the Coronavirus.
• Gave conditional approval to a proposed trip in spring 2022 by Jacob Oster and members of the high school choir to New York City. Conditions will be dicated by Covid-19.