ELLICOTT CITY, Md. — New start up times mean adjusting bus routes when school resumes next week in Howard County, and Superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano says the drivers will be in place to carry out the plan.
“We believe that we’re fully prepared for the first day,” said Martirano, “That we will have all of our bus routes covered and that students will receive the transportation they need and deserve in Howard County and of course, it there are any challenges, we will do everything that we can to mitigate those.”
The Howard County School system received its largest budget increase in a single year in its history this year, $47 million, yet the superintendent had sought more than twice that amount.
To help cut down on transportation costs, more than three thousand students who once caught a bus to school will no longer have that option.
“My personal opinion. I think it’s a shame that Howard County is one of the richest counties that there is in Maryland and that the children have to walk that far,” said Mindy Roche, a driver with a local school bus contractor.
“There was concern from the community and I have heard that loud and clear,” acknowledges Martirano, “and we’ve worked individually with our parents who’ve had challenges. There was an appeal process—-a review for safety and we’ve mitigated a number of those.”
Still, with more parents choosing to drop off and pick up students rather than leaving them afoot, the superintendent has asked each of the system’s 78 schools to review how they can do so safely.
“57,000 young people, 10,000 employees, lots of parents and guardians and adults who take care of our children. Please be patient with us,” said Martirano, “You know we’re going to respond and we’re going to make things right for your child.”
