Maple School Board approves bus route consolidation, cuts 4K program
May 8—MAPLE — The Maple School Board has approved consolidating bus routes for 2024-25 in the Poplar, Amnicon and Hawthorne areas.
"From checking cameras and from doing student lists we're finding out that our buses are, we're running half full if we're lucky," Art Amys, director of transportation for the district, said
during the school board meeting Monday, May 6.
Some buses have 20-30 student riders under the current routes, he said, and far too many drivers have routes that crisscross the district.
The move would reduce the district's general bus routes from 16 to 15 and only impact start and end times for one route, according to information provided to the board. The number of special education bus routes would remain at three.
The new routes would be refined over the summer.
The board also approved a non-renewal notice for the 4-year-old kindergarten teacher at Iron River Elementary School for 2024-25.
"At this time, student numbers do not support a 4K program at Iron River Elementary School," District Administrator Karl Morrin told the board.
Six students are enrolled in 4-year-old kindergarten at Iron River Elementary School; nine students are needed to have a program.
The six Iron River area children will be bused to Northwestern Elementary School if their families choose to participate, Morrin said.
If more students enrolled in Iron River, that decision could be reversed, board members were told. Due to
Wisconsin statutory requirements,
teachers must receive written notice of nonrenewal by May 15.
The board held its reorganizational meeting before the regular meeting. Mike Granlund was elected president; Jeremiah Glonek was elected vice president; Dan Cowley was elected clerk; Adam Landwehr was elected treasurer.
