SLPS board approves transportation changes

Spring Lake school board members unanimously approved a change to the district's transportation policy on Monday evening. The changes mean that, starting next school year, students might have to walk a little farther to school to reach their bus stops, said Superintendent Dennis Furton. By condensing stops, eliminating two routes and changing some parts of the policy - while keeping student safety in mind - the district could save as much as $74,000 per year, he said.

Jordan Travis

Spring Lake

Apr 19, 2011

Policy changes mean that Spring Lake school buses will drop off and pick up a student at the same spot every day, said Linda Evans. The two locations can be different, but must be consistent from day to day, she said.

“We had bus stops for one child on a route that is only on the bus once per week,” Evans said.

The bus still had to drive pass the house every day, she said, adding distance and time to the route. This change would eliminate that problem, she said.

Walking distances — both to school and to bus stops — have also been established. The new policy states that students could walk as far as a mile to school and bus stops for middle school and high school students, and elementary and intermediate school students would walk up to a half-mile to bus stops.

To read more of this story, see today’s print edition of the Grand Haven Tribune.