School is back in session for students attending Lincoln Public Schools. One of the first changes students experience when going back to the classroom is when they get on the school bus.
Transportation Director Ryan Robley tells KLIN News buses won’t be crowded.
“Keep in mind this isn’t just flying by the seat of our britches,” he said. “If you recall, all summer long, buses have been running all summer long with detasseling and there were not outbreaks there. “We’re taking those precautions and extra.”
There is assigned seating.
“There will never be a bus with more than two students per seat. We made sure of that and we added routes where needed. We will distance,” Robley said.
Masks are required for Lincoln Public School students who ride the bus to school and if they don’t they’ll face disciplinary action.
Robley says there are some exceptions for medial conditions.
“I do know that Lincoln Public Schools is drawing a very hard line on the masks. If they get on the bus without and refuse to wear a mask then we will transport them to school and we will do the appropriate disciplinary write up and let the school deal with that.”
That’s not the only change. Teachers protested at the district office Tuesday night.
One parent told KLIN News schools are not safe to open.
“I would recommend doing a pull back and not having any kids in person and spending more time assessing data, listening to families and listening to students themselves.”
Parent Misty Francis spoke with KLIN News during the protest last night.
“I think they should be taking their time and consider safety and not popping them back in.”
LPS begins classes today. Elementary and middle school students will be at full capacity with the high schools on a staggered schedule.
During the regular board meeting, LPS partnered with the City of Lincoln to fund six school resource officers for high schools, six school at the middle school level, and a threat assessment officer who works as part of the LPS Threat Assessment Team.
The LPS Board of Education considered renewal of the agreement at last night’s meeting for the 20-21 school year.
The Board will vote on the 2020-2021 agreement at its next meeting.