A school district south of the metro is halting all school bus services after four bus drivers tested positive for COVID-19.
School buses in the Conestoga School District will stop running for at least two weeks to allow the drivers to quarantine. All twelve of the district's drivers were exposed to the virus.
That leaves parents in the Conestoga School District scrambling to get their kids to school. Parent Amanda Anderson tells WOWT 6 News, “The buses were picking up and dropping off yesterday. Last night we got the message that they were going to cancel the busing due to COVID positive tests on the bus from the drivers."
Superintendent Beth Johnsen tells 6 News that the students on the bus had a very low exposure and for now they won’t be tested. “The bus drivers sit upfront, you know, where they normally sit. They wear a mask as they drive, the kids wear a mask."
Parents say despite the frustration that’s coming with this news, they are finding a way to work with one another to make this work for the community. “No sooner than that message went out, there were people in the community saying how can I help out? Who can I carpool to school with? I have seats. It was really nice to see everyone come together even though it’s a frustrating situation,” says Anderson.
Amanda Anderson has three children in the district and is concerned about what comes next. She says her biggest worry is her kids may be back to learning remotely after the holidays. “It’s a scary issue because a lot of us can’t take time off of work. We just don’t have the funds to be able to do that,” says Anderson.
District leaders say they are doing all they can to keep students in the classroom but the future is uncertain. “We just don’t know. We are working to have school every day. That’s a big thing for the school board,” says Johnsen.
(Photo by WOWT 6 News)