Save the School Bus Garage in Sturgis Saskatchewan

Information to Save the School Bus Garage in Sturgis Saskatchewan

 

Report to Area Councils September 15, 2014

 

Background:

 

The Good Spirit School Division has closed the Sturgis School Bus Garage. The Good Spirit School Division advised there are no mechanics and the garage needs many renovations to bring it up to code for Occupational Health and Safety Regulations.  The buses will now be serviced in Yorkton or Kamsack. Questions in our communities today are around safety. If there is a breakdown while the children are on the bus will they will have to wait for a bus to come out of Yorkton or Kamsack. Do our bus drivers have to drive all the way to one of those garages and still make it back in time for their regular pickup schedules? Are all Garages in the Division’s rural areas being closed? Why has this garage not been kept up to standards? Who was in charge of ensuring these standards were met? What other standards in our schools have not been met? We have very active children in our schools who count on these buses and their drivers to ensure they get to school, home and in some cases sporting events in other communities.  Be assured that the Town of Preeceville is doing everything in our power to ensure the safety of our school Children and that proper busing support is provided to all schools in the area. The Town is available to meet with anyone wishing to discuss the issue. Please put any questions in writing so that we can forward them to the Good Spirit School Division.

 

Facts:

 

There have been no funding cuts by the Ministry Of Education for School busing in Sturgis and the surrounding area, so why is the Good Spirit School Division taking away historic funding for our schools?

 

Enrollment volumes have been increasing over the past number of years. The Province is growing and so are our communities making this busing service a must for the safety and peace of mind of our parents. Does Safety of our students not matter?

 

Due to the geographic location of our Schools and rural pickups, response times for back up buses and service will be too excessive (greater than 4 hours) how could anyone rule that to happen?

 

The Sturgis School Bus Garage and Staff have been a Provincial leader in providing safe busing in a rural setting to all our schools kids. Why should we allow a degradation of the service to meet the lower standards of the Good Spirit School Division?

 

The Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA) has proclaimed November 18-22, as Anti-Bullying Week across the country. It’s time rural and remote Saskatchewan stand up for our rights.