Possible Bell Schedule Change/Bus Driver ShortageJuly 25, 2022
As we continue planning for the 2022-2023 school year, I want to provide you with some important staffing updates as we prepare to start another amazing year of teaching and learning in the Viking Nation.
Let's start with some good news! By now, you have certainly heard of the teacher shortages that many of our local area school districts are experiencing. I am extremely pleased to share that Lago Vista ISD is 100% staffed for teacher and paraprofessional positions for the 2022-2023 school year. We are excited to welcome some new faces into the Viking Nation and are grateful to our leadership team for their diligence in making sure we are fully staffed and ready for another great year.
That said, Lago Vista ISD is not immune to all of the staffing shortages happening across Texas. I want to make our parents and community members aware that Lago Vista ISD is currently experiencing a critical shortage of bus drivers. What we are experiencing is what nearly all districts across the state and the nation are also experiencing, which is an extreme shortage of experienced, qualified bus drivers. Lago Vista ISD is working hard with our transportation service provider, Goldstar Transit, to hire additional drivers. We are also evaluating our routes and capacities to see what must be done in order to ensure transportation services are available for students whose parents request it.
If Lago Vista ISD is unable to onboard several additional qualified bus drivers and substitute drivers in the next two weeks, there is a strong likelihood that the district may have to move to a three-bus route system in order to provide transportation services to all students who need it in the coming school year. Naturally, this change would necessitate adjustments to start and end times in order to ensure that there is sufficient time to run all three routes.
A revised bell scheduled under a three-bus route system would require the following start and end times:
Route 1: Elementary/Intermediate - 7:30am - 3:01pm (451 minutes)
Route 2: Middle School or High School - 8:20am - 3:51pm (451 minutes)
Route 3: Middle School or High School - 9:10am - 4:41pm (451 minutes)
We realize some families and staff will have to make adjustments and may have questions. Please understand that Lago Vista ISD is working through all possible scenarios and we are doing everything we can to make sure all instructional, operational, and transportation needs for the District are met. We anticipate sending an update on our plans and being able to answer questions by Friday, August 5th.
In the meantime, if you or someone you know would like to apply to become a bus driver for Lago Vista ISD, we invite you to begin the process here (https://bit.ly/3J3XWSF). Starting pay is $19.60 per hour, there is training provided, and there is a $3,000 signing bonus for qualified applicants with prior experience.
Finally, in order to help us plan appropriately, it is imperative that all parents requesting transportation services for the upcoming year complete their student's online registration in Ascender no later than Thursday, August 4th. Each year, parents of existing and newly enrolled Lago Vista ISD students must complete the annual registration process online. Included in the annual registration forms is the request form for District transportation services. Please visit the Registration page on the district website for more information.
As always, we are extremely appreciative of our community and of our parents for their unwavering support as we navigate these challenges. We are excited about the upcoming school year and we look forward to updating you with regard to our transportation plans on Friday, August 5th.
(contents of letter from Superintendent Darren Webb, sent to all district families July 24, 2022)