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Sunday, August 30, 2015

Major Board Of Education Issues Just Before School Starts

My name is Joel. We had a house built in a brand new neighborhood (SandyWood Estates, just off of the west side of Forest Grove Rd in Parsonsburg, MD) . Part of the reason my wife and I had the house built where we did is because not only did the realtors tell us that the neighborhood was in the Willards/Pittsville school district but the WBOE also confirmed that it was. In speaking with many of our neighbors who will soon have school age children as well as a soon to be neighbor who is currently having a house built and does have school age children, they too either in part bought or built homes in this neighborhood because of the school district. We got a letter in the mail earlier this summer from Willards Elementary informing us that our 7 year old is now enrolled into their school based on where we live. They sent us a list of the bus routes and info on how to contact the bus company who comes closest to our home (Hollaway). We then contacted Hollaway Transportation about having our child picked up for school and they informed us that they would not reroute their bus a half mile in order to pick up our child because there is a Beaver Run Bus that passes by our neighborhood. We then contacted the head of transportation at the WBOE, and he was absolutely no help. He basically told us that transportation can do that if they want. We've since left a message with his boss and have not heard back. Last night my daughter and wife went to Willards Elementary for their open house and met her home room teacher. Here it is Thursday, 08/27/15, and the first day of school is Monday, 08/31/15, and my daughter still does not have a bus that will transport her to the school that she is rightfully enrolled in based on the school district we live in. Because we seem to be getting no where with the WBOE nor Hollaway Transportation, we don't know where to turn for help with this issue.

ANOTHER VIEWER WRITES:

So we were contacted by Beaver Run earlier this summer and they informed us that we are actually in the Willards/Pittsville school district. This is what we've wanted all along, it's part of the reason we built the house where we did. We received a letter from Willards accepting our daughter into the school. She is currently enrolled, has a home room teacher and a schedule. So she not currently enrolled in Beaver Run. Now transportation is trying to say that they won't reroute a bus, less than half a mile to pick her up since a Beaver Run bus already goes by our house. How can transportation dictate this when transportation is contracted to get kids to their proper schools? We've contacted the head of transportation at WBOE, he was absolutely no help. We've also left a message with his boss and have yet to hear anything back. We've spoken with our neighbors about this issue and they agree, part of the reason the built/or bought in this neighborhood is because of the Willards/Pittsville school district. They want their children to go to those schools as well. It's only 4 days until the first day of school and we plan on fighting this issue to the very end, as do our neighbors.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

That neighborhood is in the beaver run, wi middle district.

Anonymous said...

Same person wrote these. Not different ones.
Now..... The bus owners feel they can do what they want. And they do. The school board allows it. Your child can be placed of the bus for absolutely no reason. It's not the counties bus. My kid was accused of throwing things out of a window and kicked off the bus. They tried to suspend her from school. The bus company refused to show the tapes they said they had showing this accusation. The school asked for them and was refused as well.saved her from a suspension. After a week of battling the kids told the truth and pointed out the kid that did it. It wasn't my kid. She was allowed back on the bus at that point. But I wasn't having it. I now take my children. Especially after finding out the bus driver from Willards was a pervert and already settled one case out of court and was being charged with another sex crime.

Anonymous said...

You also forget as usual, there has been or will be redistricting for schools and a lot of Delmar kids will be forced to go to these other schools like willards and pittsville and such...

If you people would do you due diligence and if you people would remember things then this can be avoided... Unless you live what 2 or more miles from school, they do not have to provide a bus... Times have changed and you people, well 90% of you people just let it happen and don't fight and well now the boe has more power than you like and is using said power... Like i say all the time what are you going to do now??? If you listened to us years ago instead of calling people name like tin foil hat and such we could have stopped it before it was to late... No you had to wait until it cant be fixed and at the time you are finally being affected, now you want change... Well forget it, it is to late now as usual...

Joel said...

There was an error in what I wrote; "just off the west side of Forest Grove Rd", the neighborhood is actually on the east side of Forest Grove Rd.

Anonymous said...

1:44 Who are YOU PEOPLE????

Anonymous said...

I think the problem is, that your road is not in the wcboe database. I can tell you with out a doubt, they people across from you on Forest Grove Rd and that other road, go to Beaver Run, unless they obtained special permission and drive their children to the school.

Now, I don't think that the bus contractors can dictate anything. They work for the boe. The boe sets the boundaries, not the bus companies.

As far as your realtor telling you one thing, I say it is up to the buyer as well to do their digging as well. We looked into the neighborhood, but we called the boe and they said it is NOT a Pittsville district.

Good Luck to you, I am very interested to see where this goes.

Anonymous said...

Seaside Christian Academy!

Anonymous said...

........why not just drive your kid yourself???

Joel said...

To 2:30,
Thank you,

That is the issue. You are correct that the other side of Forest Grove Rd goes to Beaver Run. According to BOE, the district line is actually Forest Grove Rd. Anyone living on the west side of the line is Beaver Run/East Salisbury, and anyone living on the east side of the line is Willards/Pittsville. Every home in the neighborhood has a Mason David Ln address, not a Forest Grove Rd. Every home is on the east side of the line according to the BOE. Us along with multiple neighbors have contacted BOE and have all been told the same thing.

Joel said...

@ 2:48,

My wife and I both have full time jobs. Driving her in the morning would not be as much of a problem as picking her up in the afternoon. We have an older child, in high school, that is able to get her off the bus, but not pick her up.

Anonymous said...

2:48
Have you ever seen the cluster at the Pittsville School during drop off and pick up? It's a mess. If you happen to be using Main street during these times it is a nightmare. Coming one way you can't get past because there is a line waiting to get into the school and coming the other way you are stuck behind people trying to make a left turn into the school. Some days I wonder if anyone is using the bus.

Anonymous said...

Call your County Executive. People complain to his office about everything else. Complain about the Board of Ed.

Anonymous said...

Same problem in Somerset with the bus driver. Same results too. Also same problem with driving my kid. Mornings OK though the office wasn't happy about her arriving at 6:45. Afternoons they had to hold her until 3:15 and once again the office staff was not happy. Finally worked it out with a different driver to come get her but no help whatsoever from Transportation.

Anonymous said...

If it was me, I would not be posting my name, approximate address and demographics of children that are home alone while parents are at work.

Anonymous said...

2:05 lol I wondered the same thing since it was repeated over and over. Drinking and typing no doubt.

Anonymous said...

When I lived in parsonsburg Jones hasting road was the but off point to go to Willard's and BC we lived in front of the rd my son had to go to beaver run

Anonymous said...

I believe that for the north side of route 50, that Jones Hastings road may still be the line. I have heard that it may also now be Parsonsburg Rd, but I'm not sure if that.

Anonymous said...

I find it very hard to believe that one side of Forest Grove goes to Beaver Run and the other side (like right across the street) can go to Willards. I don't think it would matter if you address is Forest Grove Rd or Mason David. That section of Forest Grove has always gone to Beaver Run. I believe the bus lines stops at Rohm. Forest Grove past Rohm to Mt Herman I think goes to Willards.

If you, the original poster get the house number of the homes right next to your development, I mean on the same side of the street as you. You will see according to the BOE database, they go to Beaver Run. If the BOE sends 2 buses down the same old country road one to service each side, they are further gone than I thought.

Now last year, during the great redistricting debate of 2015. Your road along with several others in that area (longridge, arvey, walston switch), where to be included in the Willards/Pittsville district, however they would have still been in the WI High area. Confused yet?

You said you had an older child, what school does she attend (wi hi?) or does she have special permission to Parkside?

You have opened the door for a lot of parents in your area who drive their kids to the East side schools. I am certain they are following every passage on your post.

Anonymous said...

Where is John Palmer (WBOE member) when they need him to thump Dr. Freddy?

Anonymous said...

Find a day care in Pittsville for Pittsville pickup. The board has to provide transportation for your child. Go talk to someone at the board in person. Why you wait so long?

Anonymous said...

I have had the same problem with the Board of ED.
Every time I have tried to contact them about situation, I am told to contact school.
School tells me to contact BOE.
And when we tried to go to BOE in person, the doors where locked, and no one answered.
One question..... What is the preprocess of the BOE?

Anonymous said...

What difference does your whole comment make? They've already established with the boe that they are correct with the school district and their child is in fact registered. It seems obvious there is a disconnect between the BOE and the transportation department. These parents are responsible enough to try to get this worked out. What you find hard to believe makes no difference and adds nothing to the conversation. If you have something constructive to add fine. If not..... Why not STFU and stop complicating the matter.

Carol said...

Wait till first day of school. Call Bd. Of Ed Transportation Supervisor and if can't resolve call your congressman. Thats what I did several years ago and was taken care of before end of that day.

Anonymous said...

(Referencing a fairly recent post...)

Claim to be "homeless" and from Willards, they HAVE to transport your child to "their" school, no matter where they actually live!

Unknown said...

Drop your child off at school the first day. Meet the teacher. Stop in the office on the way out and tell them you haven't heard from the bus driver, your child will be riding the bus from here on out. Please call you before the end of day with the child's bus number so you know what bus she will be going home on. Once they realize they have to get your child home at the end of the day, it will get resolved quickly. The last thing they want is a child there after all the rest have gone home.

Joel said...

Thank you all for your comments. We were contacted last Thursday by someone higher than than the BOE's head of transportation and he informed us that the issue has been taken care of and that a bus will be picking our child up to go to Willards Elementary. To answer a question: we didn't wait until the last minute to try to get this resolved. From the moment we received the letter from Willards Elementary we have been making phone calls. We were just getting no where with anyone.