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SPENCER – Students taking part in activities off school grounds will now have two 2024 Chevrolet buses in which to travel.
The Spencer – East Brookfield School District took delivery of the vehicles March 7, months ahead of schedule, School Superintendent Paul Haughey said.
“We really weren’t expecting these until summer,” Haughey said, adding that policies and procedures for the use of the vehicles are being developed and insurance requirements are being worked on.
The vehicles can carry up to 12 passengers and one is outfitted with a lift and is wheelchair accessible, Haughey explained.
The high school has several programs that will be aided by the new mode of transportation including early college, career tech ed, sports and music.
Smaller teams like the gold team can travel to competitions in the new vehicles, Haughey explained.
“The only thing they cannot be used for is transportation between home and school,” he said.
The bus outfitted with the handicapped access package cost $111,449 while the other was priced at $98,835 and both were paid for using funds from a federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSR III) grant, according to Haughey.
A survey on what would benefit the district showed tangible items were at the forefront and programs like early college and tech ed, which give students a head start in colleges or careers, were a priority, Haughey said.
Because of that, the decision was made to buy “multi-function student activity buses.”
One use for the buses will likely be getting students to work sites in the community.
Haughey said the local Exchange Club has partnered with the school and presses for students to get work experience in placements at local businesses.
“We’re really just levelling the playing field with what other districts are offering,” Haughey said.
The buses likely won’t be pressed into service right away, since they arrived much sooner than anticipated.
A list of those who will be driving the buses will be submitted to the school’s insurance carrier and other paperwork will be wrapped up before students are transported but Haughey said he expects the buses to be very useful in helping enhance the education of district students.
