On Monday, acting superintendent of the St. Louis Public School District, Dr. Millicent Borishade, held a press conference to provide updates on the first day of school and transportation issues the district is combatting.
The district was notified the weekend before school started that Xtra Care Transportation would not be able to provide buses for students at nearly two dozen schools which meant that as many as 1,000 students would be without transportation. More than 6,000 students were expected to use vans, sedans, cabs and SUVs to get to class.
Transportation issues may persist throughout the week, Borishade added. To help with some of those transportation problems, she said the district activated before and after care at every elementary school.
The district operates approximately 60 school buildings for its 20,000 students. It instituted an “Adopt a Stop” program which stationed background-checked adults at bus stops, including both traditional school bus stops and Metro bus stops.
Saying that she wanted to share in the experience of students using public transportation, Borishade started the day by catching a Metro bus at Natural Bridge and Kingshighway. Enroute to Gateway STEM High School on McRee Avenue, Borishade said she saw students, SLPS safety and security personnel and “a few police officers and supervisors” board the bus as well.
The acting superintendent said she visited 10 schools that morning and witnessed students, staff and families who seemed excited to be returning to school. Borishade thanked families, SLPS staff, volunteers, educators and the entire St. Louis community for supporting public school students on their first day of school.
Also speaking at the press conference, SLPS Chief Operations Officer Square Watson said there were no reported safety issues from morning pick-up on Monday. Watson also shared his personal observations of the day.
“I saw parents dropping off students, I saw families, I saw a community, I saw everyone coming together to make sure we had a successful first day.”
Transportation issues may persist throughout the week, Borishade added. To help with some of those transportation problems, she said the district activated before and after care at every elementary school.
“Even with challenges,” Borishade concluded, “the first day attendance was 72% which was the same as last year. This tells us that our families are supporting us in ways that are unprecedented. They understand that we have challenges, and it takes a community to make things happen.”
Sylvester Brown Jr. is the Deaconess Foundation Community Advocacy Fellow.
if we stop looking at the negative and focus more on the positive, things will work out better.