Pittsburgh Public Faculties modifications begin date once more to September third – CBS Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Pittsburgh Public Schools is again changing its start date.

PPS students will now enter the classroom on September 3rd. The district has previously postponed the start date from August 25 to September 8 due to a bus driver shortage.

CONTINUE READING: Parents criticize Pittsburgh public school leaders during the community hearing

The school board approved the latest calendar change on Wednesday evening with 9: 0 votes. Shortly before the vote, PPS Superintendent Dr. Anthony Hamlet to parents, students and staff, saying the district will improve communications so everyone is on the same page.

“Before we proceed, I, as your leader, would like to publicly apologize for the undue stress and malice we have inflicted on our students, our families, our faculty and our staff, our staff. We definitely don’t want that. We do not take it lightly and will definitely take that into account in the future, ”said Dr. Hamlet.

Prior to Wednesday’s board meeting, the PPS families received a phone message from Hamlet informing them of the change. Hamlet’s message said the new start date “allows all students to start as early as possible while also giving the district time to fully implement transportation strategies designed to address the bus driver shortage and get students to school every day.”

Mayor Bill Peduto pointed out how the precarious insecurity affects families. He wonders why this wasn’t addressed earlier.

“There is an obligation to the Pittsburgh families that the school district owes them, and they owe them the ability to know for sure when school will open. So it’s good news to hear it’s five days early, but you still have to answer why you didn’t complete this over the summer, ”said Peduto.

Parents sharply criticized the administrators at a community hearing on Tuesday. Some questioned the 11-hour scramble to fill the bus driver shortage that affects more than 5,000 students. Others were frustrated with the proposed staggering of start and finish times to allow drivers to reach more schools. Parents also considered postponing the start of school to be unacceptable, as the district has been aware of the traffic shortage for months.

CONTINUE READING: Without union approval, the return of Pittsburgh public schools remains uncertain

“I understand the challenges many of our families have faced over the past year and which we continue to face as we continue to deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our primary goal remains that all students in the whole city have PreK 12 for personal lessons 5 days a week, ”it says in Hamlet’s message.

Sylvia Wilson, president of the school board, said the district is doing everything possible to solve the traffic problems.

“Parents have been heard, they have been listened to, and we are still doing everything we can to ensure that as many children as possible go to school,” said Wilson.

“The school board was working on the transport before the end of the school year,” added Wilson. “With the shortage of drivers that we would have if we were on August 25th. would go to school, it just became clear that 9,000 of our children would not be able to go to school. “

The board passed a few more items on the agenda relating to transport.

The board members agreed to enter into an agreement with URSO Bus for transportation services that includes a 25-passenger bus and a 14-passenger bus. Wilson said the company will teach T.

MORE NEWS: Pittsburgh Public Schools discuss school delays and busing issues

The board also approved the extension of a reimbursement option for parents taking their children to school when the district cannot provide transportation.