The Pine Bush Central School District Board of Education voted unanimously to approve an up to five-year contract for district bus transportation services at the Tuesday, December 13, Board of Education meeting. According to Assistant Superintendent for Business Joseph Lenz the district had four respondents which were reviewed by a five-person team and scored to come up with the recommendation.

Board of Education President Gretchen Meier thanked Lenz for the work completed and shared, “Now therefore be it resolved that the Pine Bush Central School District Board of Education hereby accepts the recommendation of the Assistant Superintendent for Business, and awards the contract for at least one year and up to five years pending approval of the budget at the annual budget meeting scheduled for May 16, 2023. This contract for bus transportation services is awarded to First Student Inc., to take effect July 1, 2023.”

In addition to the new bus contract for next year, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Amy Brockner discussed the need to develop an emergency plan for the remainder of the school year.

“One of the things that we need to start looking at is the state is having us consider needing an emergency plan for next year for the delivery of remote instruction and emergency closing considerations. So I’ve started that process with the elementary principals and I’ve spoken with the secondary principals about what that might look. We have also started the process of being able to use emergency closing days should we use all four of our emergency closing days that we have in the calendar at this point in time,” Brockner explained.

Brockner shared that the district needs to be prepared for remote instruction if it’s warranted. It is expected that the district will have a plan established within the next few weeks so the proper notification can go out to families and faculty.