Parents concerned about school bus cuts in one South Jersey community

WOOLWICH TWP., N.J. (WPVI) -- As the start of the school year quickly approaches, parents in one South Jersey community are preparing for a big change regarding transportation for their children.

In June, parents of students at General Charles G. Harker School in Woolwich Township found out that 'courtesy busing' would be eliminated. Because of the cut, the school's third through fifth-grade students, who live within two miles of Harker, will need to walk to school or find another ride.

Action News attempted to speak with the superintendent of the Swedesboro-Woolwich School District, Dr. Kristin Kellogg, after a board of education meeting on Wednesday night, but she declined an on-camera interview.

In an email, Kellogg said cutting the courtesy busing for Harker will help the school district save more than $140,000. She said that money could be used for "academic programs, student services, and essential district operations."

"The district understands and hears the concerns that come with this change and is here to answer any questions that remain. Our district goal remains the same: to provide a high-quality education for all students while being responsible stewards of public funds," she said in a statement.

According to New Jersey law, school districts are not required to provide busing to students who live within two miles of school. Dr. Kellogg said Harker is the only school in the district that still offers courtesy busing.

"I do understand the need for budgeting, but it should have happened in a phased-out way," one parent said during Wednesday's meeting.

Because the district is cutting courtesy busing, some parents say their children will be forced to walk through ongoing construction in their neighborhood.

The township's mayor, Natalie Matthias, told Action News that township officials are working to improve pedestrian safety in that area. Mayor Matthias also said the township is working to hire additional crossing guards. However, as of Wednesday night, the mayor said no one had applied to the open positions.

The superintendent said a newly-installed walkway has created a safe pathway for potential student travel.

But some parents, like Melinda Jacobs, said they are still worried.

"They need to provide a safety audit to all the parents. We need roadmaps," Jacobs told Action News. "Me and my husband drove through the development the other day to take pictures of all of this and it is so unsafe."