Greenwich Public School Busing to Eagle Hill School

ALL students deserve equal education opportunities.

Access to busing is vital for so many of our EHS families. Please reconsider this decision.

We, like many families have expressed, and are so thankful for your vocal and proactive support on behalf of our children on this and so many issues that you and your staff graciously advocate. Clearly, for many reasons this basic fact of school attendance must be addressed in no uncertain terms to not only the local officials but to our elected officials serving in both the House of Representatives and Senate-some of whom are Greenwich residents. School attendance is no small thing, by any means. Eliminating public transportation to schools is at the very least misguided and I personally feel is quite negligent of the school board. While Mr. Ralph Mayo’s service as Interim Superintendent for GPS is appreciated, I disagree entirely with his decision. As his tenure ends this month to be replaced by Dr. Toni Jones starting July 1st. I believe that meeting with her ASAP would be vital to reversing this decision. To all the parents who have expressed interest in organizing please count me in as I believe this is a far bigger issue. Certainly, with so many public schools under-attended e.g. Parkway School. Preference of school attendance is weighted towards private schools where drop-off and pick-up is predominately observed to be privately owned vehicles. As a legality Greenwich residents are taxed for public institutions such as public schools, public school transportation and the salaries of GPS administration etc… Indeed, the Greenwich school system is a predominate determinate for families deciding to move to Greenwich. Yet, as parents of children with learning differences we are receiving little benefit from GPS's budget because our children are private school attendees of Eagle Hill School. Most of us have tried public schools in Greenwich and learned that despite their best efforts our children’s learning needs can not be addressed effectively in the public school system. Again, I will be attending upcoming

My son went to EHS , they are the best and they need the buses

For many of our students, busses are the only way they can get to school and access the education they so desperately need. Please reconsider.

Busing is obviously crucial to the education of the students at Eagle Hill and I urge you to reconsider this decision that will be disastrous for the students!

Eagle Hill is providing a great service in the community by providing necessary resources to advance struggling students' education. Hopefully the community can continue to support Eagle Hill by helping families to get their children to school, the same way every other child has access to attend any other school.

This decision by TOG is penny-wise, pound-foolish. Educating these children in our schools would be significantly more expensive and these children deserve what GA, Brunswick etc students get-bussing to their school within the town. Why does GPS need to do it wrong before a petition makes them consider doing it right. Just do right and you won’t have constant public outcry with parents with special needs kids!

EHS students thrive here! Don't take their transportation away!

Please reconsider this decision which impacts vulnerable students with disabilities.

Please reconsider.

Please reconsider and rescind this decision. Transportation to and from EHS is imperative to the families who depend on this daily service. Removing the bussing option is unnecessary, unfair and unconscionable. Do the right thing, and keep the busses rolling! It’s the least the Town can do to help these students (residents) get the educational opportunities they so rightfully deserve.

What message are you sending the EHS students by discontinuing their access to school buses?

The Eagle Hill School students should be taken to town hall and the administration told that without transportation, they are now the responsibility of the town to educate and transport to Greenwich schools.

It makes no sense. It would cost so much more if all of those students were to be enrolled in the public schools.

Please! Find some way to keep the funding for busing for those who attend the Eagle Hill School. Taking away busing from a special education school would prevent students from getting to a place that helps them grow out of their scared, helpless shell and into confident, capable people who can take on the world. I was just a witness to that. And nothing is more heartwarming, especially as an Eagle Hill parent, to see your child confident & capable. All thanks to Eagle Hill our son got the skills he needed to make a difference. So please find a way to keep your buses running to and from Eagle Hill next year and so on. Your buses will be blessed with students who can make a difference.

As a teacher at EHS and a parent of a Greenwich high school student, I have difficulty understanding how this decision is fair.

We need this please reconsider

Eagle Hill serves an important function to the children in the greater Greenwich community. Please continue to support this school and its mission by providing bussing services.

Every child has a right to an education and public transportation to it. Parents who live in Greenwich pay for it through taxes, buses included - even if they don't use it public schools. It’s one of those things that may save the town money and may be “legal” to not do, but it’s not the right thing to do. Could it open the door to claims of discrimination against those with special needs? The threshold to qualify for services is high in the public school system forcing parents to seek private therapy or education, so I can’t help but wonder what this could mean for the Town. Surely there are other ways to save a buck than making life harder for parents and children who already face challenges. So let's talk numbers. Parents of children with special needs, who pay Greenwich taxes, do not use the public school system but opt to go to private schools, will be SAVING the Town of Greenwich $20,038 according to the proposed tuition rates for 2018 - 2019 (employee rate for non residents). The community preschool program is $7,689 0 $10,351 (there are other rates). There are 39 special needs children in the preschool program for this forecast - roughly the same number as Greenwich Eagle Hill students. The latter deserve equal rights to transportation to education, as children of Greenwich taxpayers. https://www.greenwichschools.org/uploaded/district/departments/business_services/tuitionrates/FY20_Tuition_and_Fees_9-20-18_(Final_Package).pdf As to the argument that it's too expensive for the Town, it gets partially reimbursed. Ask yourselves if this bus service is "reasonable and desirable" for the parents of Eagle Hill students who are Greenwich residents and pay local taxes. STATE SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION REQUIREMENTS AND FUNDING >> State law requires school districts to provide transportation for all school-age children whenever it is "reasonable and desirable" (CGS § 10-220(a)). In general, this requirement is limited to transportation to publi