AMSTERDAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) — When Greater Amsterdam School District students came back from the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, many were left in limbo January 17 as the first day without a bus to get on to get to their daycares. It’s been a little more than a week since the district officially called it quits on providing bus service to local daycares, and for parents, the stress is still high—especially with Wednesday being an early-dismissal snow day.
“I’m having family members and, like, friends pick my kids up from school, but there are days when I can’t find anyone,” explains mom of three, Laree Ochoa, who also works a demanding job in the healthcare system. “It’s an extremely overwhelming feeling all the time.”
There is some slight relief for the parents with kids at Sunshine Kids Corner and Memory Lane daycares. Owners sending out an email notice letting parents know they’d signed their own bus contract to fill the gap and at no extra tuition charge.
“I would’ve either had to have a cut in my hours, or I would’ve lost my job and, as I said, being a single parent, I can’t really afford to lose my hours, because if I do, how am I supposed to survive?” explains one anonymous mother of her panic when the school district announced cutting daycare bus service.
“When [the daycare owners] sent out that email, my heart just went right back into my chest, I relaxed, like they’ve got it under control,” she goes on to say.
As NEWS10 has reported over the last few months, the GASD Board of Education initially decided in an October meeting to suspend daycare bus service effective November 23. However, a tide of angry parents quickly rose reacting to the potential change as well as a lack of notice.
Superintendent Richard Ruberti had previously stated to NEWS10 the ongoing bus driver shortage was behind the sudden decision to cut of daycare bus service and that the October decision “will be something we revisit”. It was later decided daycare bus service would continue until January 13 to give time for families to adapt.
Ruberti also announcing in November the district had contracted a program called Healthy Kids to provide before and after school childcare. For the parents speaking to NEWS10, they say between the program’s hours and the cost, it’s just not an option.
“When you’re opening at seven and there’s some parents that, you know, work in Albany and they have to be into work at 7:30, seven o’clock just isn’t going to be a feasible time,” explains the anonymous mother.
“Especially with the cost of living rising too, it’s making people have to work more hours or do overtime and whatnot just make ends meet,” adds Ochoa.
Sunshine daycare owners telling NEWS10 Wednesday they’ve gotten calls from parents begging to use their new bus, because the school district’s after hours childcare program closed with the snow day early dismissal.
Superintendent Ruberti turned down NEWS10’s request for a follow up.