Under the leadership of Proviso School Board President Emanuel "Chris" Welch and the Proviso School Board, PTHS 209 is taking the next step toward providing free district wide transportation as part of the Proviso East and West School Improvement Plans.
Over the Summer, District 209 received approval from the Illinois Department of Transportation to classify certain areas around the school district as safety hazards.
This approval allows PTHS 209 to be reimbursed by the Illinois State Board of Education for transportation expenses for students who live within a 1 1/2 mile radius of their home school building.
Now, the district is taking the next step by soliciting transportation bid proposals.
"This is an effort improve the quality of life for our students, to ensure that they get to school safely and on time and ultimately improve PTHS 209's truancy rates," said Dr. Nikita Johnson, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations. "We are dedicated to improving student achievement and we understand that a big part of that is improving student attendance. With district-wide transportation we eliminate some of the hazards or obstacles that may keep students from getting to school and getting the education they need."
In March, PTHS 209 submitted a transportation hazard waiver that analyzes various hazards that Proviso students face when traveling to and from school. The Illinois Department of Transportation approved the waiver recognizing the need to overcome such obstacles.
The PTHS 209 Board of Education approved a transportation bid at the August meeting.
PTHS 209 will begin the process of establishing bus routes and notifying applicable parents of transportation options once the bids are approved.
Administrators are hopeful that this process will begin no later than the start of second semester.
Showing posts with label Transportation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Transportation. Show all posts
Friday, September 05, 2008
Sunday, April 06, 2008
District 209 Looking To Improve Transportation!!!
Chuck Feldman of the Proviso Herald reports that Proviso High Schools is looking to improve its transportation for students to and from High School. According to Feldman, with hopes of eventually providing free transportation to all of its students, the Board of Proviso High School District 209 has requested a hazard waiver from the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Attaining the waiver would be a big step toward improving transportation to and from school for students attending Proviso East in Maywood, Proviso West in Hillside and Proviso Mathematics and Science Academy in Forest Park, said TaQuoya Kennedy, spokeswoman for District 209.
In most cases the state allows free school transportation only to students living at least 1 1/2 miles from the school they attend. Children who live less than 1 1/2 miles from school but have to cross a busy street, railroad tracks, or walk by a street without sidewalks may be eligible for a refund of some of their parents' transportation costs, according to the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education.
"We have so many kids that have to walk to school," said Nikita Johnson, District 209's assistant superintendent of finance and operations. "Some of them have to walk through bad neighborhoods past gangs, and sometimes when there is inclement weather, they don't show up at all. So, requesting reimbursement is the first step in our plan to acquire transportation for all of our students."
Improving transportation, Johnson added, likely would help to "improve our attendance rate and improve student achievement."
"It is a struggle to give the students all that we have to offer if we can't even get them into the building," said Daniel Johnson, Proviso East assistant principal, "so, there is going to be a big push to get transportation."
Attaining the waiver would be a big step toward improving transportation to and from school for students attending Proviso East in Maywood, Proviso West in Hillside and Proviso Mathematics and Science Academy in Forest Park, said TaQuoya Kennedy, spokeswoman for District 209.
In most cases the state allows free school transportation only to students living at least 1 1/2 miles from the school they attend. Children who live less than 1 1/2 miles from school but have to cross a busy street, railroad tracks, or walk by a street without sidewalks may be eligible for a refund of some of their parents' transportation costs, according to the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education.
"We have so many kids that have to walk to school," said Nikita Johnson, District 209's assistant superintendent of finance and operations. "Some of them have to walk through bad neighborhoods past gangs, and sometimes when there is inclement weather, they don't show up at all. So, requesting reimbursement is the first step in our plan to acquire transportation for all of our students."
Improving transportation, Johnson added, likely would help to "improve our attendance rate and improve student achievement."
"It is a struggle to give the students all that we have to offer if we can't even get them into the building," said Daniel Johnson, Proviso East assistant principal, "so, there is going to be a big push to get transportation."
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