School Board Approves Purchase Of New Bus
The Wolf Point School Board approved the purchase of a new 46-passenger bus at the cost of $282,000 during its monthly board meeting on Monday, Feb. 9.
Before the decision was made, Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Perkins explained that the school district has only two yellow buses with depreciation left. Two other buses are completely depreciated.
“At the same time, the last MCI replaced an old MCI. It did not expand our bus numbers,” Perkins said. “With the next route that we established, we should add a yellow bus for several reasons.”
Reasons listed included that the school district struggles with keeping some of the older buses running, and the school district might end up short of buses that are large enough with the increased numbers on some teams and activities.
“A 14-passenger may no longer be adequate to transport some of these teams like we have in the past. Thus, we would have to choose which athletes or teams go to games,” Perkins said. “Our route buses have served as activity buses as well. So, we may have to choose between a route and an activity if we are short a bus. And finally, we need to increase the funds going into the bus depreciation fund to allow us to continue to update the fleet in the future.”
Perkins added that the school district will probably look at trading another bus which is out of depreciation in one or two more years. Then, the district should rotate buses on an ongoing basis.
“The logical answer is to purchase a yellow bus that can double as a route bus and an activity bus. Thus, the proposed bus is a yellow bus with storage capabilities of an activity bus. The seating room has been expanded to allow for larger athletes. This option would also start replenishing the depreciation fund immediately. This would give the greatest flexibility,” Perkins said to trustees.
Perkins said a training for bus drivers will be held in Wolf Point with the goal of recruiting new drivers. Perkins hopes to hire five new drivers with the 10-day training. Having the training in Wolf Point saves the district from paying travel and lodging costs. Trustees approved paying nonstaff members $15 an hour for the training.
“You’re going to have to put out money to get drivers,” Perkins said.
Trustees heard from school principals regarding problems with students’ use of cellphones in the classroom. High school principal Kim Hanks said the problem seemed to particularly increased during November.
The school district’s cellphone policy reads that cell phones/earbuds/ headphones are not allowed in any classroom or learning environment at the junior high and high school.
Resignations included Brianna Perkins as Northside paraprofessional, Melissa Acenas as Southside special education teacher, Eric Peterson as activities director and Patricia Toavs as concessions manager. Toavs said she started working in concessions in 2000 and became manager in 2011.
Trustees approved the district improvement plan and school wellness plan.
Discussion was held regarding renovation or replacement of the junior high/ high school west entrance walls and doors. Trustees gave approval to bid the project.
