JCPS approved a $100 bonus for all bus drivers with perfect attendance every week at its monthly board meeting on Oct. 25 at the VanHoose Education Center.
This new policy will go into effect immediately.
JCPS Chief Business Officer Tom Hudson first presented the proposal, claiming that it will resolve common issues in the transportation system.
“This would hopefully fix the problem of the lack of bus drivers and dropping of routes. If it does not show improvement, we would be willing to discontinue it,” Hudson said.
Manual student Ginny Reams (11, HSU) felt that the new policy would not be the most effective solution to manage the problems at hand.
“I think that there should be some incentive system; however, JCPS should focus their spending on hiring more drivers and the purchase of new buses because so many of the problems that occur in our transportation system have to do with overcrowding,” Reams said.
Additionally, the board discussed its new plan for access to public school choice, called Vision 2020. The plan will use targeted advertising and revised technology, with the intention of improving JCPS’s presence for a larger community and accessibility during application time.
“Not only do we want to attract more families to apply to JCPS schools, but we also want to understand what may have prevented other families from doing so,” said Dena Dossett, JCPS Leader of Data Management.
Supporting board members of the Vision 2020 plan even expanded on the idea with the proposal of moving school applications online in the future, even with the possibility of online tracking and notification.
“We think this would eliminate the barrier between some families and applying while assisting in a digital format,” Barbara Debsey, the JCPS Director of Student Assignment, said.
Also, Manual’s principal Jerry Mayes was one of the principals who earned recognition for a 15th District Kentucky Parent Teacher Association Award.
The next regular JCPS board meeting will take place on Nov. 15 at 7p.m. at the VanHoose Education Center.
