Kingston School Committee Approves New Bus Stop Location for Student Safety
Community-led fundraising effort raises nearly half of playground funds needed
KINGSTON - December 2 - The Kingston School Committee has approved moving a bus stop for 50 students to improve safety. The new location near Cancun restaurant aims to prevent students from crossing a busy street during peak traffic hours.
The decision came after concerns were raised about the current bus stop at Main Street and Bonnie Lane, where 50 students from 149 Main Street wait for the bus to Kingston Elementary School and Kingston Intermediate School.
"There really isn't a great spot for a bus stop for 50 people, 50 students, plus parents and kids, siblings and strollers and things like that," said Sarah Hickey, Director of Finance and Operations for the District.
The new bus stop will be located on Main Street at Hilltop Ave, where students will wait on the pavement next to Cancun restaurant. This move eliminates the need for students to cross the busy street to reach their bus.
Committee member Sheila Vaughn emphasized the importance of the change, stating, "I honestly think that the most important thing is that they're on the side of the street. To me, 50 students crossing the street is really the issue."
While the committee does not need to vote on moving the bus stop, they agreed it was necessary to inform Cancun restaurant about the change as a courtesy. The bus company will be responsible for notifying the restaurant.
In other news, a community-led fundraising initiative for the Kingston Elementary School playground has raised nearly half the funds needed. The effort, spearheaded by Kerri Brennan and supported by various community groups, demonstrates strong local support for school improvements.
Tricia Arieta, a committee member, praised the collaborative effort: "It was pretty inspiring to see how people jumped in to set up in their areas of expertise… It was just this entire collaborative with the community coming together."
The fundraising group, known as Playground Pals, organized various events including pie contests and bracelet sales. Their efforts have been documented on their Facebook page, which serves as a testament to the community's involvement.
Dr. Kerri Whipple, Principal of Kingston Elementary School, expressed gratitude for the community's support: "I just want to recognize the KES school community. And when I say school community, I mean like the entire town of Kingston, because it took a lot of support, a lot of help from everybody involved."
The playground equipment has been ordered, with installation pending weather conditions. The successful fundraising effort has significantly reduced the financial burden on the school district.
In other business, the committee approved a new job description for a lead custodian position. The role, which has been vacant since October, will now be posted for applications.
The committee also heard updates on professional development activities for teachers, including workshops on structured literacy for K-2 teachers and writing instruction for grades 3-6.
Dr. Tricia Clifford, Assistant Superintendent, reported on the district's ongoing literacy needs assessment: "We're doing this really to find out more about all things literacy, K through 12, to find out sort of the state of the state and where we are with literacy."
The next Kingston School Committee meeting is scheduled for Jan. 6 at 6 p.m. at the Kingston Town Hall.