Here I am from Park West High School, where a bunch of busses from P138M are picking up kids really late and also arriving late. After I experienced my own issues with bussing, I decided to get some questions answered and figure out why these issues are happening. I decided to interview two people. One, a student who has been impacted by the bus being late and our school's bussing coordinator who has behind the scenes information. When I asked him how he felt about the bus both missing him and picking him up late, he said "I felt so disappointed. On my birthday I waited outside to come to school for my party but the bus never showed up. I was so upset". When his mom called the bus company they would not even pick up the phone! His sister ended up bringing him in on the third day the bus didn’t show up. According to the Unit Coordinator, Ms. Allie, “The busses are arriving late and The OPT aren’t giving the correct information for schools or parents.” When I asked her why this is happening she said, “It’s probably because there’s not enough staff members, not enough training for the staff members, and not enough money for the budget.” 

It may seem like a dire situation, but there are things students and parents can do. So when I asked her how the students and parents can advocate for themselves she stated, “Well, the students can advocate to the teachers, and parents can call The OPT, 311, and the news, they can even reach out to a lawyer.”

At the time of press, that student was still late.

Everyone is so excited to be back in school. Some of us haven’t been in the building since March 2020. Although we are excited, we are still in a pandemic and don’t want to get sick from COVID-19. Here are five ways students can stay COVID safe in school.  

1. Wear face masks! The most effective way for students to wear face masks is to make sure the mask is covering our noses and mouths.

2. No giving high fives! Instead, do fist or elbow bumps. This keeps our hands clean.

3. Keep classrooms clean! Students should clean their classroom daily so everything is sanitized. Students can do different cleaning jobs like sanitizing computers, wiping tables, and cleaning shared school supplies.

4. Wash hands well! To wash your hands well, you need to always use soap and water and make sure you are lathering in between your fingers. Here's a fun little trick: You can hum or sing the "Happy Birthday" song (or another song) to make sure you are washing for the right amount of time (20 seconds).

5. Maintain personal space! In the cafeteria during lunch, students should keep space between themselves (at least three feet).

Although following these guidelines can be challenging, just try to do your best. What truly matters is that we keep each other safe.