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Tuesday's Internet Edition, January 06, 2009.
Busing issue big concern for parents of CRES students
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The preliminary site plan for the New Cosumnes River Elementary School may provide an option for some CRES students to remain on site for classes during construction. According to Principal Michael Gulden, Elk Grove Unified School District and the CRES New School Task Force are weighing all the options.
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By Karen Everett Watson
River Valley Times Staff
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Once construction begins on the new Cosumnes River Elementary School, parents and students could be facing a busing issue. A survey on the issue to gauge community preferences was completed last month. The last surveys were accepted on Sept. 27, but results have not been revealed by the CRES New School Task Force, and the issue of busing has not been decided.
Principal Michael Gulden said the results will be given first to the Elk Grove Unified School District, but the date is still tentative. “We’re still going through the surveys to see what it indicates,” said Gulden, who added that the ultimate decision on where CRES students will be housed or if they will be bused is up to the district.
Many CRES families are not aware, however, that a small number of students were given the notice this school year that they must be bused. Gulden said four CRES students are currently being bused to other locations due to overcrowding. “It’s not the best situation,” said Gulden. “But it is a solution, and the kids are getting an education.”
The busing issue has directly impacted one such Rancho Murieta family. Linus Coyler, 10, began attending CRES with his sister Bradie, 8, last October. Over the summer, his parents received a letter that he might have to be bused during this school year due to overcrowding. He began the school year at CRES, but three weeks into the semester he was notified on a Friday that he wouldn’t be coming back the following Monday. His sister remains at CRES.
“They told me there wasn’t enough room and that I’d have to get out," said Linus Coyler. He said it was upsetting. “I’m just used to seeing my friends all the time,” he said, and added that he was getting on the bus to go home when he heard the news. His desk was cleared out over the weekend, according to his mother Nicole Coyler, who said it was a very difficult situation.
Gulden said the timing was unfortunate, but that he had to have time to assess exactly how many students would need to be bused before final notification. During the summer, CRES expected that as many as 13 students might have to be bused, but circumstances changed and the number went down due to families moving and others opting for other school choices.
“We had been praying that there would be enough room for him,” said Nicole Coyler. “At least we were somewhat prepared.” The Coylers opted not to have their son bused and instead chose to homeschool him. His mother, a certified elementary school teacher, said it would have been very difficult to have her son bused out of the area. “I have two small children at home, and my oldest daughter is at CRES," she said. "Linus is still considered a student of CRES through independent study. If an opening comes up, he can go back to school.”
According to Gulden, the two closest schools - C.W. Dillard and Sunrise Elementary Schools - are not large enough to house all of the CRES students when new school construction begins. “Dillard is also impacted,” said Gulden. “Sunrise is new but already has around 500 students. There isn’t a way for Sunrise to take 500 students from Cosumnes.”
Gulden said there is a possibility that CRES could still house all or part of the students while construction is underway. “We’re still looking into all the possibilities.”
Elizabeth Graswich, senior communication director for EGUSD, said having students remain on site at CRES is being considered, but the board will wait on recommendations from the task force. “The district believes it’s very important that the community weighs in on this issue,” said Graswich. “We want to know what they are willing to deal with.”
Next year, the Coyler’s situation will become more complicated. “My youngest daughter will start kindergarten next year,” said Nicole Coyler. “I don’t want my five-year-old daughter sitting on a bus for 30 minutes or an hour. It would be hard financially to drive her, but at least she would be in a seatbelt.”
Not knowing what is going to happen is “distressing” according to Nicole Coyler. “I just wish they (school officials) were more forthcoming about what is going to happen so we could start weighing options,” she said, adding that she is very concerned that next year her three school-aged children could be attending three different schools. She is grateful that Gulden has been accommodating to her son this year, allowing him to attend science and P.E. classes on campus. But she said that means two extra trips out of the house with two small children in tow.
Nicole Coyler said this issue comes up often when she talks to other parents. “Many of them have been asking me about homeschooling,” she said. “Everyone I talk to is concerned.”
Progress on the new CRES site is ongoing, according to Gulden. “Right now the district is working on the environmental impact study,” he said. “That will have to be reviewed before the district can buy the land.”
According to Graswich, an option to purchase has been secured between the landowners and the district.
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