Changes to Bus Transportation

Dear Community Members,

Today I am writing to you as the new Interim Superintendent and even in my first message to you I understand that this school district has always been more than a place of learning—it is a center of connection, support, and belonging.

Because of that, the changes the Board made in April are not just budgetary, they are deeply personal and take into consideration all our students safety and learning needs. The Board and Administration respect the voice of our community and the process that brought us here, but we must also be honest about the difficult path ahead and the real impact these decisions will have on our students, families, and staff.

Recently, we heard your significant concerns regarding the transportation changes announced in the April statement by former Superintendent Kotlowski. That initial plan, driven by urgent fiscal constraints, required students living within two miles of their school—including all families north of the school and within village limits north of Hwy 21—to walk, get rides, or use designated pick-up locations instead of individual bus stops.

Members of our School Board have heard from you, and value your feedback. As a result, they have decided to reverse this decision about transportation and have restored the original bus routes for the upcoming school year except for the designated pick-up locations north of HWY 21. Our transportation department will be rescheduling routes and notifying affected parents/students of their new expected pickup times for the 2026-2027 school year.

However, this reversal is a temporary, one-year measure. To maintain these bus routes and preserve financial stability moving forward, we will need to pass a community referendum within the next year. We look forward to working together to secure the future of our district's services.

Yours In Community and Education,

Dr. Jarred Burke

Interim Superintendent