PHOENIX — While it’s still to be determined when in-person classes will start for many students in the Phoenix metro area, the transportation staff at one Valley school district is creating a comprehensive safety plan for students when the time comes.
The changes start long before students step foot on campus for students who take the bus to school.
Right now, the Cartwright Elementary School District is working on creating information packets to send out to parents so their kids know what protocols to follow before they even get to the bus stop.
“We want to ensure, even at the bus stop, that our kids are socially distant, that they understand the importance of wearing their mask,” said Ceci Sanchez, Assistant Superintendent for District Operations.
She says they’re approaching in-person transportation plans with caution.
“Our staff will be trained to screen the kids, know how to look for symptoms, we have thermometers to ensure kids don’t have a fever and then we will also have sanitizer to ensure prior to getting on the bus that kids can sanitize their hands,” said Sanchez.
After a student passes the screening and sanitizes their hands, they can then get on the bus.
“They are used to having multiple children to a seat,” she said. “Now we can only have one person to a seat.”
That will triple or even quadruple the amount routes that used to be done in just one trip for drivers like Sylvia Reyes, who has been a school bus driver for 25 years.
“I’m ready and I’m excited to start a new and different year,” she said.
Reyes is prepared.
“I’m going to see a lot of kids probably kind of scared, but that’s what I’m here, to calm them down and let them know everything is safe,” she said.
The drivers will wear masks, face shields and gloves, and all 40 buses will undergo a continuous in-depth disinfectant process.
“Each of our buses will be equipped with a handheld disinfectant machine that between each route they’ll go through seat by seat and all high touch areas and make sure that they’re disinfecting the entire bus,” said Sanchez.
It’s still to be determined when that first bus route will be scheduled.
“As soon as the data says that it safe, we will be ready to bring them back,” she said.
In the meantime, Sanchez wants parents students and staff to feel reassured
“We don’t want our kids to be afraid, we don’t want our parents to be afraid,” she said. “If there’s anything we can do to reduce the risk, we’re doing it.”
When the bus arrives on campus, every kid will sanitize once again, just like they did when they got on the bus, before proceeding to class.
One more thing parents can prepare for. Students will have to pre-register for assigned seating before they get to the bus stop, so every student is accounted for.
