Medina school district wants input on whether to go to 2 bus runs

MEDINA – The school for about a dozen years has had a single bus run in the morning and afternoon, with an expanded walk zone – 2 miles for students in middle and high school, and 1 mile for those in elementary school.

The district made that decision during a budget crisis when the state made steep cuts to school districts in 2010-11.

The district is in a stronger financial position now, and is discussing whether to return to two bus runs in the morning and afternoon, said Dr. Mark Kruzynski, the district superintendent.

School leaders expect to discuss the financial implications of two bus runs during the budget process for 2024-25. Kruzynski and the district officials want to hear from the community about whether to go back to a bus run that would arrive at school around 7:30, with a second run for elementary students around 8:30 a.m. In the afternoon, the two runs would also be staggered about an hour apart.

“We’re just exploring,” Kruzynski said today.

He has been concerned that about a third of Medina’s students are in the walk zone and need to either get a ride to school or travel by foot (or bike).

“It’s a lot for a 5-year-old to walk almost a mile to school,” he said. “From an equity standpoint, why are we busing some students, but not all?”

Not all of the sidewalks in the village are in great shape or shoveled. That can cause some of the kids to venture into the streets, posing a safety concern, Kruzynski said.

The district also tends to be more cautious in calling snow days because so many students are walking to school. Kruzynski keeps a close watch on the wind chill and will close school if it’s too cold, even if there isn’t any snow in the forecast.

Medina, if it went to two bus runs, would no longer have a walk zone and everyone could ride the bus. The district wouldn’t have to add buses if the change was made.

The online survey (click here) closes at the end of this week. Medina is asking families how their children currently get to school – bus, a ride or by walking – and if they support two bus runs where everyone could be on a bus.

Kruzynski said switching to two bus runs, with an hour gap from older to younger students, could pose a childcare hardship for some households.

“We’ll see where the survey goes,” Kruzynski said. “We’re very interested in talking about this.”