New elementary school, new bus routes

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

With the start of the school just two days away, the need for increased busing of elementary students to the new grades 1-5 Van Wert Elementary School has resulted in revamped shuttle bus system for the 2012-2013 school year (click here for the complete shuttle bus schedule).

School start and end times are also staggered this year, with Van Wert Middle School starting at 7:50 a.m. and ending at 3 p.m., Van Wert High School beginning at 7:55 a.m. and ending at 2:38 p.m., LifeLinks Community School beginning at 8:15 a.m. and ending at 2:30, Van Wert Elementary School and kindergarten classes at Washington Elementary School beginning at 8:20 a.m. and ending at 3:20 p.m. and preschool classes at Washington beginning at 8:45 a.m. and ending at 2:30 p.m.

The kindergarten and preschool classes will be moved to the Early Childhood Center at the former Jefferson Elementary School when renovations to that building are completed later in the year.

Bus shuttles for middle school and high school students will begin and end at the S.F. Goedde Building on West Crawford Street. The first shuttle to the middle school-high school complex will leave at 7:10 a.m. and the last at 7:30 in the morning. The afternoon schedule has shuttle buses arriving at the Goedde Building at 2:45 p.m. and the middle school at 3:10 in the afternoon.

The big change comes for elementary school students. Bus stops in the city will include the former Christian Life Center building at the corner of Ervin and Jennings roads, the S.F. Goedde Building, the former Franklin Elementary School, the Universal Lettering building on Grill Road, Trinity Friends Church on North Franklin, Jubilee Park, Washington Elementary School, Smiley Park, Apple Glen Apartments on Kear Road and Wee Care Learning Center on Van Wert-Decatur Road.

Individual city shuttle bus routes are as follows:

• Bus No. 11, driven by Sherry Kitson, will pick up students starting at 7:20 a.m. at the former Christian Life Center. She will then be at the Goedde Building at around 7:30 and then at Franklin School at 7:30 each morning.
• Bus No. 2, driven by Amber Gibson, will begin the day at Universal Lettering on Grill Road, starting at 7:20, and then go to Trinity Friends Church at 7:25 and then to Jubilee Park at 7:30 each morning.
• Bus No. 5, driven by Karen Mengerink, will stop first at Washington School at 7:20, then go to Smiley Park at 7:25 and then to Apple Glen Apartments at 7:30 each morning. Bus No. 10, driven by Greg Breese, will stop at Wee Care Learning Center at 7 a.m., while St. Mary’s students riding shuttle buses will arrive at school at approximately 7:50 a.m.

The afternoon elementary schedule is as follows:

• Bus No. 19, driven by Mike Ragan, will arrive at the Goedde Building at 3:30 p.m.
• Bus No. 5, driven by Karen Mengerink, will arrive at the Goedde Building at 3:30 p.m.
• Bus No. 2, driven by Amber Gibson, will arrive at Franklin School at 3:30 p.m.
• Bus No. 1, driven by Randy Humrickhouse, will arrive at Washington School at 3:30 p.m.
• Bus No. 9, driven by Jenny Yoh, will first arrive at Universal Lettering at 3:30, then go to Trinity Friends Church at 3:40 and then to Jubilee Park at 3:50 each afternoon.
• Bus No. 15, driven by Bob Priest, will stop at Smiley Park each day at 3:30 and then go to Apple Glen Apartments at 3:40 each afternoon.
• Bus No. 11, driven by Sherry Kitson, will stop at the former Christian Life Center at 3:30 each day and then go to Wee Care Learning Center by approximately 3:40 each afternoon.

St. Mary’s students should arrive home by 3:30 each day.