Residents request busing for eastside Hennessey students to resume

Hennessey Middle School Principal Ricardo Tarango (far right) translates from Spanish to English for Raquel Medrano. She wants the school board to offer bus transportation to students who live on East 7th Street at South Cimarron Street. “A few years ago we had it,” said Medrano, “then it was taken away.” Medrano (fourth person left of the principal) represented other parents and students in that area. She said a bus route there would allow 15 students to ride. “Everyone (parents) works,” she said and asked the board to reconsider adding transportation this year. Medrano was listed on the agenda to address the board about the transportation issue at the start of the Monday, Sept. 11, meeting. After she spoke, President Luke Lough thanked her and other parents and children for coming, He said the board couldn’t take action on her request that night because it wasn’t on the agenda for action. When asked about the issue after the meeting, Superintendent Jason Sternberger said it’s a state law: “Schools are only required to provide transportation for students who live 1.5 miles, or more, from school. We do provide transportation for some students who live under the 1.5 miles and those would be the students who live on the west side of Highway 81 (Main Street) so they do not have to cross four lanes of traffic.” [KT&FP Staff Photo by Barb Walter]