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Loss of turnout bus bemoaned by parents

by Pat Grubb

The new superintendent of the Blaine school district, Dr. Mary Lynne Derrington, got a first-hand look Point Roberts parent activism when she and the school board were greeted August 25 by a group of parents from Point Roberts who were upset with the board’s June decision to cut the turnout bus.

The loss of the turnout poses hardship to students who participate in after-school extra-curricular activities. The bus was used to bring the students home around six p.m. after games or other activities. The budget cut was one of a number of programs eliminated or curtailed to make up for a million-dollar funding shortfall from the state.

Point Roberts parent Renee Coe chastised the board, saying parents should not have to learn about the cuts by reading about them in the local newspaper. “I am concerned that parents are out of the loop,” she said. Coe went on to say cutting the turnout bus posed special disadvantages to students and parents on the Point. She added parents would be required to drive for an hour and a half through two borders at dinner time five days a week.

Jim Hammer pointed out that the district last year used two full-size bus and the turnout bus to take students to school in the morning and asked how the district expected to carry the same number of students with less capacity. “Why not just have the turnout bus go later as usual,” he asked.

Dr. Derrington told the board she would confer with district transportation supervisor Carl Wagelie to examine the issue. Board members Mike Dodd and Barrie Hull both said they had not thought the turnout bus cutback had applied to Point Roberts. “Point Roberts is a unique situation,” Dodd said. Athletic director Gary Clausen advised the board that he had been involved in budget discussions with then-superintendent Gordon Dolman and that they had not intended to cut the Point Roberts bus.

Reached later in the week, Derrington said the district was exploring alternatives such as utilizing the WTA community van. She explained that the reason the turnout bus was used in the morning was due to split schedules, a factor that does not reoccur in the afternoon.

According to Derrington, only Point Roberts parents have expressed concern over the turnout bus cut.

Other budget cuts include summer school K-12, homework center as well as a reduction in administrative staff, field trips, drama productions and coaches salaries.

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