Transportation director Brad Goembel wanted Tuesday’s first day of school to be as close to business as usual as possible for Luverne students.
As usual, on the weekend before the start of school, each of the district’s 17 drivers phoned families on their routes.
They inquired about which children from each family needed rides to and from school. They also gave families a time schedule that won’t allow their children to be at school before 7:50 a.m.
Unusual was the number of riders on each bus and the need for an early afternoon bus route.
Goembel said schools are required to fill buses only to half capacity to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. All riders wear masks and they sit at least six feet away from non-family members.
Goembel has asked drivers to stay positive and be flexible.
“The first four days of school are going to be a challenge,” he said. “It will work out … but it may be day by day, hour by hour and minute by minute.”
Family surveys several weeks ago indicated about 325 out of the district’s 1,200 students would need a ride to and/or from school.
Goembel said no additional routes have been added, but the district has five extra buses in case an additional route is needed.
Goembel said the district is short on regular drivers and may rely on existing drivers to complete an extra route to keep ridership in vehicles at half capacity.
Drivers will also have a more strict cleaning routine than usual.
After each of the three routes, the buses and suburbans used to transport students are cleaned, with all touchable surfaces wiped down.
Elementary students attend classes in the building every day, but middle-high school students attend school every other day, half the student body at a time, at least through Sept. 18.
Middle-high school students attend classes from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., which means an additional bus route.
Elementary school dismisses at 3 p.m. for a regular after-school route.
“We are trying to keep it ‘business as is,” Goembel said.