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Schools

After-school kids get bus back for the year

The school district and the county have struck a tentative deal to give Apollo Beach Elementary kids a ride to a park nearly 2 miles away.

By S.I. ROSENBAUM
Published October 7, 2005

APOLLO BEACH - Kids in Apollo Beach will get their bus back - for now.

But the future is uncertain.

That's what the Hillsborough County School District said this week after forming a tentative pact with the county Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation.

The school district used to bus children from Apollo Beach Elementary School to an after-school program at Apollo Beach Park. But this year, facing a shortage of money and bus drivers, the district cut the bus route.

"It's not our responsibility to take kids to after-school care," school spokesman Steve Hegarty said.

The bus was a "courtesy," he said.

Cutting it saved the district $216,000 per year.

But parents protested that their children were forced to walk nearly 2 miles each day near the homes of registered sex predators or offenders.

Some parents drove their children from the school to the park. To show solidarity with the children whose parents had to work, others walked the route each day with the children.

Parks spokesman John Brill said the two government agencies talked for weeks about how to solve the problem before finally striking a deal on Friday: The school district would provide the bus, and the parks department would pay for gas, upkeep and a driver.

It was an offer the parks department had made earlier, Brill said. But Hegarty said the school district was initially wary.

"We were uncomfortable about it, because it would still be a Hillsborough County School District bus with someone else driving it," Hegarty said. "We had some liability questions."

But superintendent MaryEllen Elia consulted with lawyers and determined that the solution was acceptable, Hegarty said.

He stressed that the agreement was still tentative. "We still need to work out the details," he said.

For example, he said, the parks department needs to find a qualified bus driver.

Brill said that while they're searching for one, children will be shuttled to the park by Sunshine Line vans, starting this week.

Even if the deal with the school district works out, it will last only until the end of this school year, Brill said.

"I'm sure we'll meet as we get down the road here and figure out what we're doing" for next year, he said.

Amy Overholt, an Apollo Beach mother who has been vocally in favor of restoring the bus route, said she's pleased that her daughter will have transportation.

But she's concerned about the long-term solution.

"It's great for this year, but we have to keep fighting," she said. "What's going to happen next year? We can't go through this every year."

S.I. Rosenbaum can be reached at 813 661-2442 or srosenbaum@sptimes.com

[Last modified October 6, 2005, 08:26:07]