Hello Davenport friends, families, and neighbours,
First let me say 'welcome back'! I hope you had a great summer. School has started and our students and staff are hard at work. Unfortunately, for many this first week at school was not the smooth transition we aspire to as trustees, administrators, teachers and families. I wanted to take a moment to share with you some of my own thoughts as well as some information about recent events.
Buses: I think it's fair to say that at the start of every year, there are a few 'bumps in the road' when it comes to bus routes, pick up locations, etc. It's also fair to say that as a Trustee since November 2014, I've received many, many calls from parents about bus issues...late pick ups, drops offs, etc. It is an imperfect system, undoubtedly.
However, the issues faced this week by students and families relying on school buses, was more than a bump…it was total chaos. On the morning of Tuesday September 6 I received an email from a parent a Regal Road Jr PS to inform me that their bus had never shown up. Calls were made. By the end of the day, again, there were issues with the same bus. At this point, it was becoming clear that this was not an isolated incident. By the second day of school, Trustees were learning that the whole system was in disarray, and that students at other Boards (especially the Catholic Board) were equally or more affected.
The reasons for all of this have now been widely reported. Here is my understanding of what took place (thus far):
- On September 6, 2016 the TDSB and TCDSB were unexpectedly informed of a serious shortfall in the number of school bus drivers employed by three of the four transportation providers: Attridge Transportation, Wheelchair Accessible Transit and Sharp Bus Lines.
- As a result, some students attending TDSB and TCDSB schools have experienced very significant school bus delays and, in some cases, cancellations.
- The problem was so widespread that the shortage of bus drivers could not be solved immediately.
While the shortage of bus drivers may be largely beyond the school board's control, as your School Board Trustee I want to sincerely apologize for the inconvenience parents suffered. I attended a meeting last night with Superintendents and the Director of Education, Dr. John Malloy, where we asked for answers and accountability from the companies, and a clear explanation of what occurred and why the Board was apparently unaware of the issue. Dr. Malloy has asked for some patience while staff focus on trying to do everything they can to solve this urgent issue -- as of today, about 1275 students attending 50 TDSB schools continue to be affected -- but that we would absolutely be demanding accountability.
Beyond accountability, I have
questions about the procurement program that is forced on school boards by the provincial government. Many
critics have argued that the Request for Proposal system for awarding school bus contracts, that has been rolled out by the province, leads to
constant instability and contract flipping as school bus companies try to outbid each other for contracts.
I know that when the latest contracts came to the Board for approval, Trustees expressed concerns and asked many questions to ensure that issues like safety and security of students were paramount in the selection process. However,
I believe that the process -- fundamentally -- is flawed. After much public outcry, the province has agreed to a review of the process. I urge you to check out the
website for the campaign to change the process, and take action by demanding our local MPP,
Cristina Martins, and the
Minister of Education push for change.
Again, thank you for your calls and emails. For those affected by the delays, please note that parents/guardians of impacted students will be receiving a separate letter from their school with information and instructions on morning and afternoon pick-ups and drop-offs for next week.
Sincerely,
Marit Stiles
TDSB Trustee, Ward 9 (Davenport)
P.S. more news to follow shortly about upcoming Ward Council meetings and other information… please be sure that at your first School/Parent council meeting of the school year, you assign or elect a parent to be your Ward Council representative. Many thanks!
