News

Law answers questions on bus mix-up

By JESSICA SIEFF / Niles Daily Star
Monday, September 15, 2008 11:32 AM EDT

NILES - The Niles Community School Board of Education will hear a report on enrollment, Monday and recognize four schools for receiving an 'A' on their state report card. And Superintendent Doug Law puts to rest the events of last Thursday's bus mix-up that led the family of a five-year-old girl on a search for her whereabouts.

Niles Community Schools came under some intense scrutiny last week when it was reported that Krosslin Nelson was picked up outside her home by the wrong bus - taken to the wrong school - and dropped off at the wrong stop - without anyone being the wiser.

But with the investigation finally completed, Law outlined to media on Friday afternoon the chain of events for that day - which added a little clarity to an unarguably unfortunate situation.

Where it had been reported that the wrong bus arrived to pick up Nelson at her home on Ninth Street - a bus from an entirely different district - as it turns out, Nelson's address put her on the line of two districts: Ballard and Eastside, Law said.

According to the incident report - Nelson was assigned to Ballard Elementary School at the beginning of the year due to her home address. Law said, "except for the end of the street towards Lake Street, Ninth Street is Ballard."

The report goes on to say that during orientation on Sept. 2, it was noticed that Nelson actually lived in the Eastside district. On Sept. 3, Nelson's mother, Crystal Russell made necessary arrangements for her daughter to attend Eastside Elementary School as well as contacted the bus garage the following day to make arrangements for her daughter's transportation.

But as it seems all paperwork could not be updated and coincided in time - the Ballard bus still came to pick up Nelson, who was still showing as to be picked up and taken to that school.

She spent the day at the elementary school and at the end of the afternoon and, the report states, boarded Bus No. 8 - which happened to be driven on that day, by a substitute driver.

The fifth grader who helped Nelson try to find her home, had noticed Nelson was upset and offered her help. Because Nelson was with an older student and being dropped off at a Community Stop, Law said there was no requirement to make sure a parent or adult was present at drop-off - and the investigation found that no conversation was had between the girls and the driver.

Officials have identified the fifth grader but her name has not yet been made public.

So much confusion led Law to include a list of recommendations to avoid such a situation in the future. That list includes establishing a "reliable line of communication" between police and the transportation department. After the police became involved, when contacted by Nelson's grandmother, after phone calls had been made to both schools and the girl could not be tracked down. The report stated they could not get in contact with the transportation department because the lines were tied up, as Russell was on the phone with them.

Law also suggests that a waiting period be included in the process of changing schools - so as to be sure all necessary changes are updated and in the school's system.

Finally, Law suggests avoiding using substitute drivers in the first two weeks of school.

Monday, the board of education will recognize Eastside Elementary School, Ballard Elementary School, Howard Elementary School and Oak Manor Sixth Grade Center for receiving an 'A' on the state report card.

Also taking place at Monday night's meeting, certification of the 2008-2009 homestead millage, the school system will receive a gift of $120 by Blankenship's Nursery and will go over the results of enrollment projections.

"Definitely we're in a decreasing enrollment period now," said Law. "But we will be above what we budgeted for."

According to Law's preliminary numbers he said the school system is down 20 kindergarten students and 20 high school students - while reporting an increase of about 50 students in grades first to eighth.

Law added that the drop in enrollment of about 75 students was originally what had been projected, as the school saw their biggest class in 20 years graduate last year.

"Overall we'll be above on projection a little bit," said Law.

Not including Adult Education, Law gave a total number of students at press time of 3,848. And, he said, that is just 18 over what he had projected for the year.

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