Abramson Enterprises Inc. facility on St. Croix Photo Credit: VI CONSORTIUM
The V.I. Department of Education announced Friday that it has suspended school bus service on St. Croix until further notice. The department asked that parents continue to provide transportation to and from school for children attending in-person classes.
The release further stated that Special Education students in self-contained classrooms attending in-person classes are not affected and will continue to receive school bus service.
D.O.E said it will provide an update on when bus service will resume, but the department did not provide a reason for the suspension. As of mid-July negotiations between Abramson Enterprises Inc., which has long provided school bus transportation on St. Croix, were ongoing. And just on Sunday, D.O.E. said school bus service would resume on St. Croix Sept. 13.
“We have been working diligently with our school-bus vendors and the various negotiation teams and are pleased to be able to provide school-bus service to St. Croix families on September 13,” said St. Croix District Superintendent Carlos McGregor in a release D.O.E. issued Sunday. “We thank parents and families for their flexibility as schools prepare to reopen safely for students and staff.”
The department further stated in the Sunday release that "while school bus service will be available in both districts this year, parents who can transport their children to and from schools are encouraged to do so. This will aid in the compliance of social distancing requirements on school buses. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines allow for up to two students per seat, a decrease from the three-person per seat standard arrangement."
D.O.E. said the St. Thomas-St. John District is not affected by the suspension on St. Croix.
