Beginning with the 2014-15 school year, students living in the Harrow area will no longer have busing provided for General Amherst or Kingsville for courses or extracurricular activities not available at Harrow Secondary School.
The Greater Essex County District Board of Trustees voted Tuesday to end the program that was created in 2004. The decision was made at the request of the Harrow community, which prefers the students stay at their home school.
The smallest high school in the board currently has an enrolment of 261 students.
“This decision had nothing to do with cost, it was strictly the community’s wishes,” said Penny Allen, superintendent of business.
There are 38 students at General Amherst and 14 at Kingsville who are scheduled to return next year in the busing program. Those students will be grandfathered and unaffected by the changes.
Allen said the school will ensure students get specialized courses, such as senior chemistry and physics, by making sure students are aware when they’re being offered. If they miss the year, the course is taught at Harrow, they’ll be able to take it on-line through e-learning.
She conceded there’s not much that can be done over Harrow not offering such extracurriculars as football because of the school’s population. However, those willing to provide their own transportation can still access Kingsville or General Amherst.
