UPDATE 10/4/2024: An email send out to parents reads the following.
Dear Calvert County Public Schools Community,
I am writing to address the recent incident involving bus transportation on October 1, 2024, which has understandably raised concerns among our families and community. I want to express my sincere apologies to the students and parents affected by this situation. The safety and well-being of our students are our highest priorities, and it is clear that we must do better.
The incident, in which 12 children were left waiting in the rain after being mistakenly dropped off, highlights a need for improved communication and oversight within our transportation system. I want to assure you that we are conducting a thorough review to understand how this occurred and to implement measures that will prevent it from happening again.
We are committed to excellence in all aspects of our school district, including transportation. This includes enhancing our communication protocols to ensure that parents are informed promptly about any issues that may arise, as well as reviewing our training procedures for all transportation staff.
I appreciate the feedback from our community, which is crucial for our growth and improvement. Your trust is paramount, and we will work diligently to restore it through increased transparency and accountability.
Thank you for your continued support as we strive to provide a safe and nurturing environment for all our students.
Excellence in Truth and Service, Dr. Andraé Townsel, the Superintendent of Schools Calvert County Public Schools
10/2/2024: On Tuesday, October 1, 2024, at approximately 7:33 a.m., Chief 5 of the Dunkirk Volunteer Fire Department requested police and the Director of Transportation to contact him after he located 12 children standing in the rain after being abandoned by a school bus driver.
Chief 5 remained on the scene with the children until the arrival of police and another bus. Chief advised 12 middle school children were left at the intersection of Ponds Wood Road and Moonbeam Avenue in Huntingtown after being abandoned by the driver of school bus 211.
The school bus driver reportedly dropped the kids off after realizing they were supposed to be on bus 35. A bus was sent to pick up the children approximately 7 minutes later.
Fire Chief 5 responded to Plum Point Middle School to make contact with the School Resource Officer.
SMNEWSNET is awaiting further information, and will be seeking additional details from the Calvert County Board of Education and Calvert County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident has reignited discussions about the overall quality of school transportation in the area, with parents sharing their own concerns and frustrations about late buses, lack of communication, and previous safety concerns and issues.
One concerned parent said, “We trust the school system with the safety of our children every day and this is simply unacceptable,” Another parent said, “My child had no idea where they were, could not contact us and was standing scared in the rain.”
According to weather history reports, the temperature was 66 °F with a light rain/light drizzle and a NNE wind of 7 to 9 mph with 90% humidity.
Updates and any further information will be provided when we obtain it.
