Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools (RDCRS) trustees have approved updates to the division’s transportation policy as it relates to access at day homes and other child care situations.
In her monthly report to the board, superintendent Kathleen Finnigan said updates are related to broader transportation model changes coming into effect at the beginning of the 2023-24 school year.
Changes already approved for the next school year include (Guideline 3): "For registered riders, only two addresses will be utilized; the primary address (where the student resides) and one additional address (where the student resides) with appropriate joint-custody orders on file. Family may incur the costs of having student taken an additional seat on a second route.
As a result of communicating these changes to families in early 2023, “It came to our attention that Guideline 3 is causing challenges for families who access day homes. This school year there were 197 that requested alternate drop off on the registration sheet,” she said.
At the recent board meeting, trustees approved updates to the guideline, which now reads as follows:
• Each child will receive, if necessary, up to two bus stops to accommodate up to two address. The second registered address need not be an address where the students resides.
• Should the student’s second bus stop be located on the same route at the student’s primary address bus stop, no additional transportation fees will apply.
• If a student’s second bus stop requires the use of a second bus route, within the school catchment, a fee of $150 will now apply to offset the seat being occupied on a second bus route.
• If a student’s second address is outside the school catchment, there will be no busing provided.
The updated transportation processes will come into effect in September.
The 10,400-student RDCRS division includes schools in Innisfail and Olds.
