Students at Butler intermediate high and middle schools had delayed bus rides on the way home Tuesday afternoon, which seemed to be the biggest glitch of the first day of school in the Butler School District.

About 7,000 students returned to class on Tuesday on the first day that districtwide consolidation officially took effect in all nine schools.

Delayed buses

Carolyn House of Center Township waited until nearly 5 p.m. for her son Logan, a fifth grader at the middle school, to come home. Middle school students are released at 3:30 p.m.

“His bus ride, it used to be five minutes. It took him 80 minutes to get home,” she said. “That's really disappointing.”

Dale Lumley, superintendent, said delays at the intermediate high had a ripple effect to the middle school bus routes. He estimated routes were running 30 to 45 minutes late.

“This is out of the ordinary, and I think it's because the loading time at the intermediate school was delayed,” Lumley said. “It just took too long. We'll be working to adjust it.”

He also said the district's bus contractor — Valley Lines — had to revise bus schedules to account for a higher-than-usual number of requests for bus route changes. He said these changes many times involve having a bus stop moved.

Lumley said this morning that the district used its alert message system at 8 p.m. to send an apology for the buses being so late. The message said the district was reviewing the bus performance and ways to improve them.

Tiffanie Hans of Oakland Township peered out the window of her home about 5 p.m. Tuesday, still waiting for her daughter Lillie to arrive. Hans called the administration office, the middle school and Valley Lines bus service, but hadn't gotten any answers as to why her daughter was late.

“We were promised bus rides no longer than 45 minutes,” she said. “This is not acceptable.”

Because her daughter is too young to have a cell phone, Hans was hoping to at least have the automated call system let parents know of the delay. Her son, Hunter, a third grader at Center Township, left for school after his sister and was home before her, Hans said.

Other concerns

Several parents expressed their concerns on a school-related thread posted to the Butler Eagle Facebook page Tuesday afternoon.

Jennifer Tirk said her daughter, a fifth grader, didn't come home until 5:19 p.m.

“I was livid,” Tirk said. “My daughter came home red faced and sweating and with a tummyache from the bus ride being so long.”

Lynette Cyphert said, “My pm kindergartener and another little girl waited for over an hour for a bus that never showed up.”

Others said some lunchrooms were running out of food.

Tamara Finucan said, “My son was charged a lunch and fed a small box of cereal because they ran out of pizza.”

Lumley said this morning that he was unaware of problems in the cafeteria operations, but would be checking with the food director today.

Candidates react

Several school board candidates have expressed ongoing concerns about transportation issues.

Suzie Bradrick-Hammonds, among those on the ballot on Nov. 3, said the transportation issues should not be taken lightly.

“My biggest concern is getting the kids safely to and from school,” she said in an e-mailed statement Tuesday night. “ ... I hope the community works with the powers that be so this can all get back on track as quickly as humanly possible.”

Nina Teff complimented faculty and staff for readying the schools for students after touring the intermediate high, the middle school and Connoquenessing Elementary last week.

But she still had concerns about transportation: “I hope that the administration and staff can iron out any kinks in transportation quickly at the start of the school year.”

John Conrad, a school board member who voted against consolidation, also lauded the district's efforts.

“I know that the staff has worked very hard to ensure a smooth transition,” he said. “They do deserve an 'A'. You may rest assured that any issues that come up will be handled as expediently as possible.”

Smoother adjustments

Many other parents and students said they thought the first day was pretty typical. There were some kinks to be adjusted, but nothing else out of the ordinary for the first day.

Butler Middle School sixth grader Abigail Bosco was excited to be united with old friends.

Clutching her lunchbox outside the school with her mother, Jessica Bosco, and little sisters, Alexandra and Amelia, who had their first day at Summit Elementary, Abigail was happy to see students from all over in one building.

“It's really fun getting to meet all of the new people,” she said.

Abigail attended Clearfield Elementary last year, as did her sisters, and she also went to Northwest Elementary before that. So she knew students from several schools.

She also was pleased with her new teacher, Elise Palamides, the lunchroom food, which looked better than what was offered at Clearfield, and her locker she shares with a classmate, something that isn't offered at any of Butler's elementary schools.

Luke Bowden, another sixth grader, came to the school from Butler Catholic. His grandfather, Michael Spack of Chicora, picked him up, with Luke's little sisters, Lauren and Lyla, in tow.

“I think the transition time was right,” Spack said of Luke going from a private to a public school.

Luke's older sister, Leah, also came into the district from Butler Catholic. She started ninth grade at the intermediate high.

Luke was a little nervous, but excited about all of the changes.

“You're getting to meet your teacher and it's a little scary,” Luke said. “It's different because there's also metal detectors. I felt like I'd make it go off, but I didn't.”

A typical start

At Summit Elementary School Principal Bill Chwalik said there were transportation hiccups, but characterized the issues as normal for the beginning of any school year.

“It's no different than a typical year in my opinion,” Chwalik said.

He said the school was processing some busing change requests from some parents, but did not immediately know how many had been received.

Chwalik said the challenges for Summit, which absorbed students from the now-closed Clearfield Elementary School, revolved more around in-school traditions than logistics.

“The challenges are always ... continuing the great traditions Summit has had, and introducing some of our own (and) that's a challenge every year, regardless of consolidation,” Chwalik said.

He called the building's first day a success.

“I've seen nothing but smiling faces,” Chwalik said.

Some parents picking up their children from the school said they approved of the consolidation plan and believed it would help students make more friends and better prepare them for the district's intermediate and high school buildings.

“I like it. I came from a small school so I think it's good that they get interaction with kids from other schools,” said Justin Christie, whose daughter, Jocelyn, a fourth grader, was starting her first year at Summit.

Jocelyn said she noticed the difference, but said switching schools was easy and she likes her teacher, Angela Eyth.

Another parent, Francis Geibel, said he agreed. Geibel, whose 5-year-old son, Trevor, is starting kindergarten, said he came to the intermediate high school building knowing no one. He hopes his son won't have that same issue.

“I think it's a really good idea because when we went to the high school, we didn't know nobody,” Geibel said.

Christine Nagel's son, Nathan, is a fourth grader who has been at Summit Elementary for years. This year his class is full of people Nathan doesn't know, but the 10-year-old said he doesn't mind and likes meeting new people.

“I think it's working good,” Christine Nagel said. “He loves school, so it's really not a problem.”

New sign-out at CT

At Center Township Elementary School many parents and students were excited about the start of school. Drop off and pickup of their children was about what they expected.

Sandy Bohin of Center Township said if anything, her daughter, Mary, was more excited than nervous.

Mary, who's a fourth grader in Randi Stoner's class, was ready 45 minutes early for her first day.

She was excited to meet her new teacher and interested to see the mix of old and new faces in the classroom. She said the day went well, and she thought the integrated children felt as welcomed as she did.

The school introduced an identification-first pick up procedure, which most parents liked.

Joe Kasecky of Center Township held the hand of his daughter, Pyper, who had her first day in kindergarten.

“She enjoyed it,” he said. “I liked how they checked everybody's ID. I'm fine with it, if it takes longer, as long as it's safer.”

Kasecky said he appreciated the fact that they were taking the proper steps, which he understands will take more time.

Amanda Heimstead of Butler didn't mind the procedure either, even after she ran back to her car to get her driver's license to pick up her son, Hayden Mazzanti, a third grader.

“It's fine with me,” she said. “I think it's really great.”

Hayden said he felt good about his first day, and he didn't feel uncomfortable because he saw some familiar faces. Hayden previously attended Emily Brittain Elementary School, where his music teacher, Shanna Kelly, and Principal Jeff Mathieson worked last year.

“I saw some people that I knew,” Hayden said.

He said he will probably become friends with everyone in his class, which he counted out.

“I'm pretty sure 19, including me.”

Five elementary schools, Broad Street, Center Avenue, Clearfield, Meridian and Oakland, closed in June. The remaining six elementary schools, Center Township, Connoquenessing, Emily Brittain, McQuistion, Northwest and Summit, have a new kindergarten through fourth grade configuration.

Fifth and sixth graders now attend the newly formed middle school, which previously was the junior high building. Center Avenue School reopened as a special needs and alternative school.

The intermediate and high schools have changes, too. The intermediate now houses seventh, eighth and ninth graders while the high school has freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors.

,i>Eagle staff writers Nathan Bottiger and Phillip Rau contributed to this report.