By 1808Delaware
Westerville City Schools is taking a significant step to ensure that its youngest students start the school year smoothly. For the first time, preschool and kindergarten students eligible for school transportation will be able to ride the bus during the Gentle Start dates for the 2024-25 school year. These dates are August 14-16 for kindergarteners and August 14 and 15 for preschoolers.
A New Initiative for Equal Access
In previous years, transportation services for preschool and kindergarten students began after the Gentle Start period. Gentle Start is a program designed to help small groups of students transition into the school environment by attending classes on a modified schedule. This year, however, the district has recognized the need to provide transportation during this period to ensure that all eligible students have the opportunity to participate in the Gentle Start program.
Transportation Schedule Details
The transportation schedules during the Gentle Start dates are aligned closely with the regular school day schedules:
- Kindergarten Students:
- AM Schedule: Gentle Start runs from 9:15 AM to 11:45 AM, with buses following the regular schedule, which includes a 9:00 AM arrival and an 11:55 AM departure.
- PM Schedule: Gentle Start takes place from 1:10 PM to 3:40 PM, with the regular bus schedule running from a 1:00 PM arrival to a 3:40 PM departure.
- Preschool Students:
- AM Schedule: Buses will operate on the regular schedule with an arrival at 9:15 AM and a departure at 11:50 AM.
- PM Schedule: Afternoon sessions will have buses arriving at 1:00 PM and departing at 3:35 PM.
This new initiative by Westerville City Schools ensures that all preschool and kindergarten students can benefit from the Gentle Start program by having access to school transportation from day one. This change not only supports equal access to education but also helps ease the transition for young students and their families as they begin their educational journey.
