To cut absenteeism at school, Framingham teachers create 'walking bus'

FRAMINGHAM — Last year, Harmony Grove Elementary School physical education teacher Kelsey Duffy watched students regularly trickle into school late.

She remembers one particular student would leave, right after his parents dropped him off.

"We had students who'd skip because they could," said Duffy.

To decrease absenteeism and tardiness, Duffy and other teachers set out to create a "walking school bus" each day.

At 8:20 a.m. Monday, she and language development coach Brittany Macri looped around the school's neighborhood, hoisting rulers with signs reading "walking school bus" in the air. As they made their way around the route, educators picked up students before returning to the Leland Street school for its 8:50 a.m. start.

To combat the rain, Duffy kept an umbrella tucked in her pocket.

"We need to reach families where they are," she said.

Before the school year began, Duffy linked up with the state's Safe Routes to School program, which mapped out walking routes. She and other teachers went out and marked the sidewalk with chalk to map out designated pick-up spots.

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As they walked on Monday, Duffy peppered students with questions about football or what they're doing at school. They stopped periodically to do jumping jacks or squats.

"Some of the kids, we pull up and they'll start with a grumpy face — it's a great way to start the day," said Duffy.

The creative solution was sought also due to a nationwide labor shortage that has left vendors with too few school bus drivers, including Framingham's contractor, North Reading Transportation. As a consequence, the district has had to limit the number of students it transports.

All eligible students — kindergartners through fifth graders who live more than 2 miles from their school — get a ride. Many students who are not eligible are also given rides, but about 125 were left without one, according to numbers before the start of school.

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For buses to run on time, NRT has doubled up runs. Staff will begin routes earlier in the morning so they'll have time to do another run, bringing another round of students to school.

Harmony Grove is one of the schools impacted by this, along with Barbieri Elementary School, McCarthy Elementary School and Fuller Middle School.

"It's unfortunate," said Duffy, saying it can disrupt a family's schedule. "We have working- class families, we have parents who need to be out the door at the crack of dawn."

She said the plan is for the program to continue all year, "rain or shine."

While out on Monday, the group ran into Melissa DaSilva, who has a child at Harmony Grove. She immediately asked Duffy about the walking bus program, and whether her son could be included.

"It makes the kids feel excited and makes us feel safer knowing they'll have an adult with them," said DaSilva.

Zane Razzaq writes about education. Reach her at 508-626-3919 or zrazzaq@wickedlocal.com. Follow her on Twitter @zanerazz.