A possible strike by school bus drivers could potentially close Danville District 118 Schools early next month. A notice sent to parents today (Friday, Oct. 20, 2017) said First Student Bus Company has notified the school district that contract negotiations have not been successful. The company’s bus drivers and bus monitors have voted to strike if no agreement is reached by Friday, November 3rd.
District 118 says the negotiations are outside of its control. After consulting with the Vermilion Regional Office of Education, District 118 says it has examined three options:
- Have parents transport students to their respective school;
- Utilize Danville Mass Transit service at a few centralized locations throughout Danville, or:
- Temporarily close schools until the labor issue between the drivers/monitors and First Student is settled. It would require the school district to adjust its calendar at the end of the year to make up those days.
A letter sent by Superintendent Alicia Geddis to parents throughout the district says the first two options are not ideal as there are legitimate concerns about school safety, consistent student attendance, cancellation of student programming (i.e. Pre-K programs, extra-curricular and after-school activities), and overall impact on student learning. ‘’It appears that we may be forced to close school should the strike begin on November 3, 2017,’’ added Superintendent Geddis.
‘’We are still weighing the pros and cons of all options, and we will certainly keep you informed as this situation unfolds,’’ added Dr. Geddis. ‘’Meanwhile, we hope that the strike can be averted and our students’ education will not be affected,’’ she added. And Superintendent Geddis’ letter thanked parents and guardians for their patience and understanding as the district tries to understand the options and works through this difficult situation.
[The photos were taken outside North Ridge Middle School.]
