- April 19, 2024
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The new Flagler County bus schedule shaves seven routes from last year’s alignment.
Flagler Schools Supervisor of Transportation Bruce Preece presented recent accomplishments to the School Board, Aug. 16, before putting his department’s proposed bus route schedule to a vote, which later was approved unanimously.
Flagler was ranked second in the state in ridership last year, he said, with 86% of enrollment, or about 10,000 students, using school transportation. It also ranked fifth in Florida for expense management.
“We’re considered one of the most economically sound operations in the state,” Preece said, noting that, per student, the state averages a cost of about $800 per year in transportation costs. Flagler averages about $500.
Then he explained the changes in the upcoming year’s route schedule.
A total of 89 routes are currently slated to run throughout the district, he said. Last year, 96 routes were scheduled. The year before that, there were 100.
“We’re fine-tuning the routes as best we can,” he added. “This is a more economical way to transport our students, without compromising safety.”
The reduction will save about 700 miles of road time a day — from about 8,000 total miles down to about 7,300 — which equates to cost-savings from less fuel and fewer buses.
A single bus route can cost anywhere from $30,000 to $50,000, Preece said.
“Once you give somebody something, it’s hard to take it away from them,” School Board member John Fischer noted. “But we’re trying to do the best for the safety of the children, most efficiently and economically.”
In the upcoming school year, most middle- and high-school bus routes have been combined, School Board member Colleen Conklin added.
“We look at these routes. We make adjustments … And we are sensitive to parent (input),” Preece said.
All routes are subject to change in the next few weeks.
“I would never want to be a bus driver,” Chairwoman Sue Dickinson said. “So I do appreciate the time and (hard work) you’ve put into this.”
For specifics on individual routes, visit www.flaglerschools.com/content/ bus-routes.
Aside from the bus route changes, the School Board identified that the critical shortage areas of instruction in Flagler County are speech/language pathologists and instructors for the vision impaired.
“We continuously have a problem getting certified teachers for these positions,” Superintendent Janet Valentine said.
Currently, these services are being contracted to meet the need.
A bonus of $1,000, in addition to a salary of $38,213 to $44,205, will be awarded to qualified teachers in these positions.
+ Flagler student resource deputies appointed
Flagler County Sherriff Don Fleming has agreed to employ five full-time deputies to the Student Resource Department at the following schools: Flagler Palm Coast High School (two deputies will be staffed, and will also respond to Pathways Alternative School when necessary), Matanzas High School, Indian Trails Middle School and Buddy Taylor Middle School.
One of the five deputies will be assigned as first-line supervisor.
On duty from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, student resource deputies will organize an intramural Police Athletic League outreach program at Buddy Taylor and Indian Trails middle schools. The program will not incur overtime pay. After-school transportation options are still being considered.
The Sherriff’s office will be reimbursed by the School Board a total of $290,266 quarterly, a decrease of more than $10,000 from last year’s contract. Over-time pay is set at a rate of $32 per hour.
+ Out-of-state training approved for two teachers
Paid for through Pell grants, two teachers — Ellen Albano and Susan McManus from the Flagler Technical Institute — have been approved to participate in the Title IV “Fundamentals of Title IV Administration” training course, in September. The training course will take place in New York City and will cost about $3,500.
The training course focuses on administering Federal Student Aid programs.
