By PAMELA GOULD
Two months into the school year, Spotsylvania County middle and high school administrators report no problems getting students picked up, despite the elimination of activity buses.
However, Spotsylvania Middle and Spotsylvania High reported a drop in participation in after-school activities resulting from the buses' elimination.
In addition, Chancellor Middle reported the lack of buses "posed a significant problem" for attendance at two programs known as My Life and the Young Women's Leadership Program.
That report was presented to the School Board at a recent work session by David Sovine, executive director of secondary education.
The School Board cut the buses because of a tight budget, but some members also expressed concerns about student safety. Activity buses dropped students farther from home than the regular buses, forcing students to walk a mile or more, often in the dark and on roads without shoulders.
With the buses eliminated, school staff were asked to stay late to supervise students until parents picked them up by 6 p.m. at the middle school level and by 6:30 at high schools.
"Just about in all cases, students and parents have made adjustments in when they're being picked up," Sovine told the board.
While that was good news, board member Ray Lora was concerned about the long-term impact of the loss of the buses that ferried children home from clubs, sports and remediation.
"I want you to check in June to see if there is any correlation between activity buses and academic achievement," Lora told Sovine.
He also noted that participation on Spotsylvania High's sports teams had decreased dramatically.
That was supported by Sovine's data, but the report noted that the cause wasn't chiefly about buses.
The drop in numbers has "not been due to transportation but rather the program's win/loss record," the report states.
At Spotsylvania High, 38 students are participating in marching band this year, down from about 58 last year, the report states.
Field hockey had to recruit girls to field a junior varsity team.
And the football team started with 80 players, but dropped off during the season as the team endured lopsided losses.
Lora expressed concern about the dwindling number of athletes at Spotsylvania High and the increasing number of them transferring to other schools.
Sovine joined him in his concerns, in particular about academics. He said he was working with the middle and high schools to schedule academic interventions during the regular school day.
"Before- and after-school programs aren't helping the kids needing it most," Sovine said. "They're going home and caring for younger siblings."
Superintendent Jerry Hill said the division had concerns about Spotsylvania High before the buses were eliminated and that staff is looking into scheduling sports contests differently so games are not "demoralizing."
The football team lost its first two games by a combined margin of 125-0.
Board chairman Gil Seaux expressed concerns, as well.
"We need to be able to answer why that school has less graduates in an academic year," he said. "It goes beyond sports, activity buses."
Hill suggested the school might be better off competing with smaller schools.
And Lora wondered whether it's time to address schools based on individual needs rather than division-wide.
"Are we to the point where one policy for all schools is not appropriate?" he asked.
Pamela Gould: 540/735-1972
Email: pgould@freelancestar.com