TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Schools' Biggest Worry Good Friday May Be Buses

ADVERTISEMENT

By MARILYN BROWN

The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 19, 2008

TAMPA - Some Hillsborough County schools are bracing for half of their teachers to be out on Good Friday, with district administrators ready to fill in. The numbers of employees planning to take a personal day is growing, officials said Tuesday.

Before Friday, schools will each have a plan to address the absences, including preparing bag lunches the day before if cafeteria workers plan to be out, and dispersing staff among schools where needed, said Lewis Brinson, assistant superintendent for administration.

"It's not as bad as I expected," Brinson said late Tuesday as a survey of teachers' plans for Friday was being tallied. "It's Tuesday and subject to change tomorrow and Thursday," he said.

Close to 1,500 substitute teachers have been requested for Friday, said Dan Valdez, a deputy superintendent. They still have to fill 500 to 600 of those, he said.

As of Tuesday, about a fifth of the district's school bus drivers had signed up for a "personal day" off on Friday.

Student Attendance Unknown

No one knows how many students plan to take the day off - allowed without penalty if taken as a religious holiday.

Some schools tallied a third to half of their teachers planning to take a personal day on Friday, Brinson said. Traditionally, the district has scheduled Good Friday as a day off, but the schools are trying a secular calendar this year with the only religious holiday off being Christmas.

By combining classes and dispersing personnel, "I think we're going to be OK at the school sites," Brinson said. "The big challenge is going to be transportation."

More than 200 of the district's 1,000 bus drivers had signed up to take a personal day Friday, John Franklin, the district's transportation chief, said Tuesday. The number didn't change much from Monday, he said, but specific plans are being made for each area.

Earlier Tuesday, at a regular school board meeting, board members said they were concerned and want parents to prepare for late buses.

"Please plan in advance because we will not be canceling school," board Chairwoman Jennifer Faliero said. She said she wanted to make it clear that "this is one of the holiest of holy days for me," but the law won't allow a holiday solely for religious reasons. Good Friday has sometimes been included in spring break, but this year spring break is not until April 7.

Superintendent MaryEllen Elia noted that other school districts, including Pinellas County, as well as Hillsborough County government, don't treat Good Friday as a holiday.

Each school will have contingency plans, and parents will be advised of those plans through their schools ahead of time, Elia said.

School board member and former principal Doretha Edgecomb volunteered to fill in. "If you need a substitute, I'm available," she said.

Luis Perez, president of the Hillsborough School Employees Federation and a former bus driver, said he has volunteered to drive.

Even some regular drivers who plan to work are concerned. Mary Dees, lead driver in south Hillsborough, predicts that drivers making double and triple runs to cover for other drivers will have a tough time, and students will be waiting by the side of the road for a long time.

"They won't know which direction the bus is coming from or when it will get there," she said. She thinks that when some drivers given 24 hours notice of all the new runs they must cover "are going to say no," she said.

Tuesday's Other Business

During Tuesday's meeting, the board approved changes for transportation for 2008-09 outlined last week during a workshop. They include assigning specific bus stops for each student and using that same stop morning and afternoon except in some court-ordered custody cases. There will be no more bus service to private day care centers or notes to ride another bus on a specific day, except for emergency or hardship cases.

Also approved:

•Michelle Welch, a reading coach at Plant City High, as supervisor of choice curriculum, effective Monday.

•Suspending Martinez Middle School math teacher Stephanie Ragusa without pay, effective today, after her March 13 arrest on charges of lewd and lascivious battery involving a student.

•A charter school contract for Literacy/Leadership/Technology Academy High School.

Reporter Marilyn Brown can be reached at (813) 259-8069 or mbrown@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT