Johnna Pinholster
The Valdosta Daily Times
VALDOSTA
January 13, 2009 11:36 pm
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The Lowndes County School System discussed the transportation of Headstart students on system school buses at Monday’s board of education meeting.
Superintendent Dr. Steve Smith said transporting children younger than four on a school bus is a liability to the school system.
At a previous meeting Smith had recommended that the board discontinue the service.
In November of 2008, Tonya Thomas from Coastal Plains Headstart came before the board regarding the issue. At that time, the board requested information regarding student transportation and that Headstart contact the school system’s attorney.
Information from Coastal Plains Headstart has been provided, but not what was requested, Smith said. The organization has also not made contact with the system’s attorney.
Smith requested that the board consider imposing a $3 fee per child per day for the rest of the school year and then discontinue the service for the Fall 2009-2010 school year.
The fee is federally funded and is currently paid to two other school systems by Headstart, Smith said.
Board member Fred Wetherington hesitated on the fee stipulation.
“I don’t want to hurt them financially,” Wetherington said. “We need those three year olds in Headstart.”
Smith said that from what he understands the money is allotted specifically for transportation and if not used in that capacity, it cannot be used at all.
Wetherington said he would be satisfied with ending the service at the end of the school year to give the organization enough time to find alternative means of transportation.
Board member Jason Wisenbaker suggested giving or selling Headstart recently surplused buses from the school system.
Smith suggested using the $3 fee to go toward purchasing one of the surplused buses.
In other news:
The Lowndes County School System will have a new Student Information System by August of 2009.
The board approved the purchase of Infinite Campus to replace SASI at the cost of $118,884.40.
The approval of the purchase was approved with the contingency that wording within the contract be clarified and approved by Smith and the system’s attorney.
If the contract is approved in a timely manner, the school system could convert to the program before the end of the current school year.
The Lowndes High School automotive program received its automobile technician training certificate. The certification will allow students within the program to present certification of experience to potential employers.
Smith presented Hahira Middle School eighth grader Wesley Newton and Hahira Elementary School staff member Jimmy Hodge with January’s GREAT Awards.
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