You’ll notice extra traffic and numerous school buses on your drive to work in Columbia Tuesday morning.
It’s the first day of school for Columbia Public Schools (CPS) students, and nearly 19,000 CPS students are returning to the classroom. CPS spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark is asking for your patience and grace during this first week:
“We’ll have a lot of new routines, new traffic flows, obviously new buses, new bus company providing service for our students,” Ms. Baumstark says.
Columbia’s school board has awarded Kansas-based DS Bus Lines a three-year contract to provide school bus transportation for the district. Ms. Baumstark tells 939 the Eagle that DS Bus Lines is fully staffed with drivers to start the year, adding that they also have a brand-new fleet of buses. About 8,000 CPS students will ride buses this year.
Fast-growing CPS is now Missouri’s fourth-largest school district. It has 39 schools and three support facilities. Ms. Baumstark says some CPS students participated in Monday’s jump-start day:
“We have this early day for students in sixth grade and ninth grade because they’re transitioning from elementary to middle school and then middle school to high school. So it just provides them an opportunity to learn more about the school building. To walk their schedules, to meet their teachers,” says Baumstark.
She says it also helps the sixth and ninth-graders get comfortable in their new building environment. We will get first-day enrollment numbers later today. Ms. Baumstark also tells 939 the Eagle that CPS’ classroom teaching spots are filled.