Petition for Adding a Middle and High School Bus Route in the VOU

The Board of Education of Frederick County, MD - Transportation of Students - Policy 441.1-441.3 was written in 2009 and amended in 2010. These policies need to be revisited and revised to ensure the safety of our residing in the Villages of Urbana.

The current 1.75 mile boundary line required for 6-12th grade students to walk to and from school is excessive. The average walk time to and from Middle and High Schools is approximately 35 minutes one-way, conditions and weather permitting. This petition proposes a modification in the existing boundary line from 1.75 miles to 1.25 miles.

Our children need a safe means to and from school on a daily basis. No child should be concerned about how they will get to and from school each day. They should be focused on their school/homework. Moreover, not all parents are able or available to drive their children to and from school on a daily basis. This newly proposed bus route proposal would hopefully follow the current elementary school bus route U3A and 529A, this will lighten the traffic within the drop off and pick up lines, which are congested daily.

The revised policy would provide transportation for all Middle/High school students residing in the areas of: N. Worthington Blvd, Amelung Street, Amelung Alley, S. Sprigg Street, Tavistock Street, Islington Street, Lew Wallace Street, Lew Wallace Road, Bealls Farm Road, Sprigg Street N, Rushworth St, Seward St, Seward Ln, Harris St, Harris Pl, Bush Creek Cr, Bush Creek Dr, Clendenin Way, Travener Cr, Major Smith Ln. and all students within the 0.5 mile walking distance to the proposed stops.

Our students are currently forced to walk in all weather conditions, which are potentially hazardous: dark early winter mornings, hot/humid summer days, as well as wet/cold slippery rain, snow and ice, with risk of injuring themselves. Walking to and from school in the winter months could also potentially cause students to get sick, and/or arrive to school late and wet. Frederick County Public Schools Board of Education states in Transportation Policy 441.1-441.3 that parents are responsible for their students to and from school when walking. In order to ensure the safety of a child walking to and from school, parents would physically have to accompany them on a daily basis.

The Villages of Urbana (VOU) is listed as the “2015 Best Places to Live in Maryland”, yet we don’t have proper bus transportation provided for our Middle and High School children. We are proposing a revised Middle and High School bus route to take effect on the first day of the 2017-18 school year and thereafter.

Please sign our Petition to help us get a Middle and High School Bus route in VOU.

Thank You!