Father satisfied by MCSD response after bus leaves kindergartner at school

A father said his kindergartner came home crying on Dec. 19 after his bus initially left him and some other students behind at school, but that the district responded in a satisfactory manner.

The kindergartner and his second-grade sister ride MCSD Bus No. 745 home from Eagle Ridge Academy each school day. That afternoon, as the bus left the school, the second-grader and other students alerted the driver that “they had forgotten some of the kids,” the father said in an email later that day to MCSD officials.

The father told the Ledger-Enquirer the driver couldn’t immediately turn around because the traffic is so congested around the school and vehicles must travel only one way. So although the bus didn’t reach its first stop without those students, they were left behind for about 15-20 minutes while the bus looped back around, the father said.

MCSD west region supervisor, Tanya Mays explained in her email that the problem seems to have stemmed from the school’s staff not properly confirming that all the students who are supposed to be on the bus that day were sitting in the cafeteria at the table assigned to their bus.

Asked whether he is satisfied with MCSD’s response, the father said, “Honestly, I am. I feel like they were honest. (Mays) said this happened to her as a driver. That may not be a response I hear often, admitting to problems like that.”

MCSD communications director Mercedes Parham told the Ledger-Enquirer in an email Friday, “This situation was resolved immediately upon notification. The students were transported home on their regular routes that day. Administration spoke with all parties involved to ensure the mishap would not reoccur.”

This story was originally published December 29, 2017 at 4:20 PM with the headline "Father satisfied by MCSD response after bus leaves kindergartner at school."