Starting August 26th in the 2013-2014 school year, the Harford County Board of Education has announced four different transportation changes for all Harford County Schools.
Bakerfield, Red Pump, Bel Air, and Forest Lakes Elementary School have been put on the fourth tier schedule, starting at 9:30 a.m. and ending at 4 p.m. Students at magnet schools such as the Natural Resources and Agricultural Science Program at North Harford High School, the Science and Mathematics Academy at Aberdeen High School, and the Global Studies Program/International Baccalaureate Program at Edgewood High School will have their direct bus service cancelled. These students will have to report to their original district school, also known as their “home school,” and take the bus from there. Stops are also being consolidated, combining several smaller stops into a larger one. Also, students who live within one mile of the school will not receive a bus service at all, and waivers are no longer being accepted.
The new fourth tier type schedule will affect every student and staff member in the pertaining schools. The policies pertaining students who live within a mile of the school still apply.
“By modifying the school day for these four schools, buses will be able to service more schools, thereby decreasing the number of total buses necessary and eliminating costs associated with the extra buses, such as fuel, maintenance and personnel costs,” commented the Harford County School System news release.
In previous years, magnet school students were provided with their own bus service. This allowed them to be picked up from their neighborhoods to be taken to their school. The new policies will omit this service. 420 students will now be asked to first transport themselves to their home school. From there they will take a bus to the school of the magnet program they participate in. Students not affected include students at Harford Technical High School.
“This should reduce the time these students spend on the buses…HCPS feels the safest practice is to have students wait for their bus on HCPS property.” Terry Kranefeld, HCPS Manager of Communications, commented.
All parents and students are urged to carefully review their area’s bus route revisions, which are made available on the Harford County Public School website.