District 87 Board Discusses Student Safety

By Sharon K. Wolfe, The Pantagraph, Bloomington, Ill.

May 10–BLOOMINGTON — Keeping students safe was an often discussed topic Wednesday night at the District 87 school board meeting.

Proposed student handbook changes include what to do when weather sirens sound while children are on a bus. In the proposal, students would be taken to the nearest school and sheltered indoors and remain until the National Weather Service cancels the emergency watch or alert.

That proposal is among a dozen paragraphs and school bus rules that could be added to handbooks for students throughout the district.

Also, Bloomington High School students would be required to have their school identification card in order to board or ride any bus. Cards were already required while at school or any school function.

The proposals came about after several months of study by school officials and First Student, which provides buses to district students, as a way to improve communication, safety and methods of operations.

Another proposal for high school students dealt with threats through computer, phone, or other electronic devices.

The board will vote on the handbook changes at the next meeting.

Without comment, the board also unanimously approved a one-year contract with First Student, which includes a 3.1 percent increase, effective with the 2007-2008 school year. It will mean an increase of $60,000 to $100,000 in the current $1.9 million contract, depending on the number of buses and bus monitors used, David Wood, chief financial and legal officer, said earlier.

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Copyright (c) 2007, The Pantagraph, Bloomington, Ill.

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