So, as I mentioned in a previous post, the bus information that was supposed to be available on August 25th was still nowhere to be found on the 29th. After calling the bus company, I finally had our child entered into the system.
Despite calling several times, the staff at the YMCA-run after-school would not let me speak to anyone else aside from the designated person, because this person WILL get back to me within 24 hours. The day of school and many phone calls and messages later, we still have no after-care. No one ever called back.
Morning of the first school-day. Parents are waiting at the bus stop with, as it happens, all first-graders. About 10 min after the designated time and a bus passes us by. Then another one stops in the opposite direction, on the other side of the road. The traffic is piling up, since no one is supposed to pass a stopped school bus. Finally, a couple recognize the bus driver from last year, their child went to the school for kindergarten. The bus driver tells us that she is from our school and that she confused her route and is going in the wrong direction. So, turns out, it really is the bus our children are supposed to take. Thankfully, all children had their parents there, otherwise they would either be left behind, being confused as to what bus this is, or would have to cross a busy street, with cars just barely fighting the nerves at this point not to drive through, as the confusion is being sorted out. It took a few more minutes as parents somewhat reluctantly load their children into this unlabeled bus Being a little hesitant, I went to the school to wait for their arrival.
It took at least another half hour before they arrived, about fifteen minutes after the last of the other buses of arrived. I think the driver was lost. At first I was satisfied with the way things were handled, One of the staff boarded boarded the bus and gave the children stickers as to which bus they will be taking home. The problem was, these numbers had nothing to do with the actual route numbers given to the parents, who were told to write them on the tags and attach these to their backpacks. I think you can see where this is going.
Anyway, in the mean time, the children came off the bus and were told to go around to the back of the school. All by themselves. I was happy I was there to escort my child, especially when I saw the back of the school, which is a soccer field, full of children and adults, trying to sort out where their children belong. The teachers were holding up small signs with their name, which didn't help, as we were not told who the teacher will be. To my surprise, there was no organized way of catching the children as they enter and escorting them to their group. It looked like a mayhem. I'm really not sure how a lone first-grader would find their teacher, with all the towering adults, blocking any possible chance of seeing a sign with a name, even if the first-grader knew who the teacher was and could read the sign. Perhaps they mopped-up the last few lost souls when the crowd dispersed?
I was able to catch one person with a list who, eventually, after wondering if we are registered at all, did find my child's name and sent us in the right direction. Once in the group, I was satisfied that my kid had a fighting chance making it to the classroom and I left.
What else could possibly go wrong? After all, I called the school to make sure that there would be no more hiccups with the bus and they assured me that our child will get onto the correct bus. So, everything should go smoothly now, right?
End of the day. We were waiting for 35 minutes for the school bus, then we started making phone calls. I called the school inquiring about my child. Finally, another 10 tense minutes and a bus approached, we were relieved, our child was there. Finally the school called back, we were told that our child was on the wrong bus, among a couple of others, and that they are being taken back to school. They were surprised when we told them that we have our child already.
Turns out that the bus in the morning wasn't our bus after all, although it went to the right school. Because it wasn't labeled, we didn't realize that there are two routes on that street for the same school and neither did the bus driver. The fact that she said that she confused her route and that she is going in the wrong direction assured us that this is the correct bus. So, by getting on the wrong bus, getting the wrong sticker on arrival and the bus numbers having no connection to the sticker numbers indicating which bus the kids should board on their way home, therefore making the school bag tags useless, our kid and the others who boarded the same bus in the morning, got sent home on the wrong bus, arriving about 40 min later than they should.
I sure hope for a smoother ride to morrow!
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