GAS PRICES MAY FORCE SPOTSYLVANIA POLICY TO TAKE A HIKE OTHER SYSTEMS' POLICIES ABOUT WALKING TO SCHOOL
School system's policies on students walking to schools and bus stops come under fire
Date published: 7/27/2008
By DAN TELVOCK
Spotsylvania County supervisors and school officials might have some intense policy discussions as the economy continues its downward spiral and fuel prices continue to climb.
In an effort to cut costs, some supervisors have questioned school system policies that discourage students from walking to school and limit the distance students can walk to bus stops. The rules are some of the strictest in the region.
Federal health officials reported earlier this year that nearly a third of U.S. children are either overweight or obese. On July 17, Gov. Timothy Kaine announced $1 million in funding to 13 localities to promote bicycling and walking to school. No school in this region received money.
"I think in light of the continual news stories about childhood obesity and the rising cost of gas, I think it is time we visit this no-walk policy," Supervisor Hap Connors said during a recent interview.
With gas prices hovering well above $3 a gallon during the 2007-08 school year, the school system spent $280,000 more on fuel than it had budgeted. For 2008-09, the system has budgeted $2.3 million for fuel.
In a July 2 letter to supervisors, Spotsylvania Superintendent Jerry Hill wrote that the health and safety of students is a priority in School Board policies.
"The School Board has been reluctant to change this standard because of the tragic circumstances surrounding the deaths of several Spotsylvania County students who were abducted en route from their bus stops," Hill wrote. "At this time, the School Board has not created any walk-to-school zones because of these concerns."
Hill's letter is referring to the abductions and murders of Sofia Silva and Kati and Kristin Lisk.
Supervisors asked county staff on July 8 to verify Hill's letter because they disputed his account of the students' being abducted en route from their bus stops.
Silva, 16, was abducted Sept. 9, 1996. She is believed to have been working on homework on the front stoop of her home. Kati, 12, and Kristin Lisk, 15, were taken from their home on May 1, 1997.
"I know the panic that was in the community back then, but I don't think the policy is justified now," said Supervisor Jerry Logan.
There were 8,742 bus stops for the 2007-08 school year.
Spotsylvania elementary students are allowed to walk one-tenth of a mile to a bus stop; middle and high school students can walk one-third of a mile.
STAFFORD COUNTY
Stafford students can walk up to one mile to school. Bus-stop walks are limited to two-tenths of a mile for elementary students, three-tenths of a mile for middle school students and a quarter of a mile for high school students.
There are 9,351 stops for all schools, including activity runs, and 1,441 stops for special-education students.
ORANGE COUNTY
There is no policy on students' walking to school. Officials are looking at ways to consolidate bus stops to save fuel.
CULPEPER COUNTY
There is no policy on students' walking to school. Officials are looking at ways to consolidate bus stops to save fuel.
KING GEORGE COUNTY
There is no written policy, though there are only a handful of students who walk, most of whom attend Potomac Elementary School.
School staff has discussed consolidating bus stops to save fuel. There are 3,201 bus stops, not counting stops for Head Start and pre-K programs.
CAROLINE COUNTY
No information available.
Read more stories about Spotsylvania Date published: 7/27/2008
Walk or Bike 10 miles?(posted by
staffmom
, July 28, 2008 2:53 pm)
I would love for my kids to walk or bike to school. However, they don't have the extra 7 hours it would take them to walk both ways. Even my father-in-law who walked up hill both ways in the snow did not walk as far as my kids would have to walk.
4 day school week...(posted by
woozer
, July 28, 2008 12:23 pm)
I am a teacher and used to work in a district that was large and rural. We worked about 1-2 hours more the four days we were in school and had Mondays off. Everyone loved it and it was one of the top 4 public schools in the state. Many districts in the West have four day weeks and it saves quite a bit in gas and expenses in general.
I was extremly upset when I saw this article because my son went to a county school for 3 years, in which my husband and I took and picked him up (saving the schools money because he was not using the bus) and because we moved they declined letting him continue at the school. I went around and around with the head of elementary education about this! Now they are pretty much asking kids not to ride the bus!!
Why Not Cut "Half Days?"(posted by
AnaMatopoeia
, July 27, 2008 10:14 pm)
why not cut the useless half days at the end of the year to
save fuel costs? in spotsy, the kids go over the 180 required
days and the half days accomplish nothing anyway.
Not possible to walk to schools(posted by
kimcmitch
, July 27, 2008 3:28 pm)
Stafford has a few schools built in communities and
students do walk or bike to school. Spotsy has not made
that a priority/consideration. There are only a couple
schools that could be walked to since there are curbs and
sidewalks. The rest of the schools are built off major roads
and it is impossible to walk to them. Louisa has no schools
that could be walked to for the same reason.
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