IP bus cuts to WHHS will have 'little to no impact' on students
The Island Park school district, which does not include a high school and sends its teens to either West Hempstead or Long Beach high schools, is cutting some of its late-bus service for high school students.
In an effort to save money in tough economic times, the district decided to eliminate a 7:15 p.m. bus that catered to children at West Hempstead High School. It also eliminated a summer shuttle bus and evening "will call" buses and Saturday runs to both WHHS and LBHS. Island Park taxpayers passed their 2011-12 school budget on May 17, thereby approving the bus cuts.
One West Hempstead resident, who asked not to be identified, expressed concern upon learning about the bus cuts, claiming it could effect the district's team capacity and potentially reduce the number of prospective Island Park students who choose to attend WHHS. With fewer Island Park students, the district would lose tuition revenue.
But schools Superintendent John Hogan and Deputy Superintendent Richard Cunningham are not concerned about the cuts.
"Based on information given to us, we believe that this budgetary decision by Island Park was strategic in that it will have little to no impact on a student who lives in Island park and chooses to continue their education in West Hempstead," they recently told the Herald.
Island Park, which recently realized that neither West Hempstead nor Long Beach provide late-bus service for their in-district students, reported that more often than not the late buses were "undersubscribed with only one to three students on them," Cunningham said. "Many times the buses are running empty, and in terms of the 'will call' buses — often, when the bus arrives, the student is no longer waiting and has gotten another ride."
Cunningham went on to specify that Island Park did not eliminate of its late-bus runs. These were eliminated because they were determined to have very low ridership, primarily as a result of parents providing children transportation.
