The following message was emailed to PK-12 parents on Thursday, January 6.

Dear Parent/Guardian,

As you know, COVID-19 and the latest spike in cases are affecting school operations and causing staff shortages. This has been especially challenging for our Transportation Department which is also impacted by the national bus driver shortage.

Our Transportation Department including our bus drivers, aides, mechanics and office staff prides itself on efficient, safe service to the students and community. However, we are in a period of increased employee absences due to illness which is causing delays. Due to employee shortages, daily bus routes are being adjusted which at times require some buses to follow unfamiliar routes and some buses to take one group of students and then come back and pick up another.

In all cases, when we anticipate that a bus will be delayed returning students home in the afternoon, every effort is made to communicate with parents by school Principals.

We also anticipate that some morning pick-ups may be delayed. We ask for your patience and understanding. If the bus is late by 5-15 minutes, there is no need to call the Transportation Department. We encourage you to call if the delay exceeds 15 minutes. Should you need to call the Transportation Department, please have your child’s bus route number available. Please remember to have your students outside and visible.

We hope that these delays will be a short-term inconvenience as we manage the spike in COVID which has occurred during and after the holiday recess.

The district is constantly recruiting full time and substitute bus drivers. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a school bus driver, please call 518-207-2529.

As we are now in the winter season and working to overcome current challenges regarding shortages of staff, the district continuously strives to keep our students, bus drivers and other drivers on our roadways safe.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.