Attendance was excellent as usual. Only a couple of parents missing. Families enjoyed a Franklin/Randall Learning Moments slideshow featuring all Latino students during dinner. Two hot topics around safety were selected by the parents for this meeting: Bus Safety & Community Safety.
Lidia, Spanish speaking rep. from Badger Bus was invited to come hear parents concerns and answer questions regarding the school bus. Some of them were:
- Why does school bus doesn’t put down the STOP sign, or flashes red lights for cars to stop when it picks up and drops off students around our neighborhood?
- Cars are not stopping when bus is picking up or dropping off kids
- Up to how many students are to be seated per seat?
- I think 3 per seat is too many. My child has fallen off the seat several times as bus turned
- Is supervisor supposed to get off the bus at bus stop to guide students in?
- Older students are being disruptive as they wait for bus in the morning. They budge in line and push little ones on to the street
- Do ALL 4K students seat in front seats?
- Bus supervisor is not very friendly and yells at students
- Are bus seats assigned?
- Can bus supervisor help a student get on and off the bus when student is injured? My 4K son has a hand cast and needs assistance. No one helped him and he fell getting off the bus the other day.
- Can students with special needs get an assigned seat in front?
- Can bus stop on other side of street so my Kindergarten age son doesn’t have to cross the street on his own?
Having Lidia at the meeting was excellent! She heard parents concerns with empathy and answered their questions. Parents now feel comfortable having a familiar person they can contact at Badger Bus with any of their needs.
Officers Amanda Analla and Steve Schvala from Madison Police were invited to come and discuss the issue of neighborhood safety. Amanda serves the S.Park area and Steve is one of the officers in charge of the Bayview community. Both of them were very friendly and showed much interest in the community they serve. Some of the comments and questions from the group were:
- Cars are constantly speeding when kids are being dropped off or picked up from school bus
- There is a family who has recently caused many problems at bus stop around S. Park area. Mom has cussed at me and has made fun and said very hurtful things about my special needs son in front of all the children at the bus stop. The dad tried to punch one of the other dads at the stop. The police has been called twice. Problems continue. What can we do?
- Is it against the law to record or videotape someone with your cell phone without their consent?
- I am concerned about school shootings. Why don’t middle and high schools have metal detectors?
- I am concerned about illegal drug activity around the neighborhood
- Am I held responsible if my special needs son does something wrong during his time at Bayview Community Center’s after school program? Like if he hurts someone or steals something?
- How old do children have to be to be able to stay in the house by themselves?
- How old do children have to be to be able to take care of younger siblings alone at house?
- What can we do to make our neighborhood safer?
Parents appreciated getting to know Steve and Amanda. They found their advice to be very useful, and for this reason they invited them to come to a future meeting to talk with their children about personal safety.
The connections of trust that were established in this meeting are invaluable!
The meeting ended with announcements and info handouts:
- Early release tomorrow. No school for 4K
- Marvelous Math flyer
- Reminder of Conference times scheduled
- Social Emotional Learning Standards in Spanish handed out
- Learn how to use MMSD’s Overdrive for audiobooks and ebooks. Stop by Randall’s LMC on Nov. 16th
- No school Wednesday, Thursday & Friday – Thanksgiving
- Lice – school procedures, home recommendations info.
- Fall Fundraiser update. A few comments about Badger games Randall parking. Overall parents feel very lucky to be part of this caring and generous school community and are willing to support the PTO in any way possible.
- Movie Night flyer
- The Little Match Girl Show schedule flyer
- West High Re-Sale event flyer
- Listen to La Movida’s MMSD Radio Show