Where's Miss Frizzle's Magic School Bus? Probably on strike

The school bus union is prepared to strike if they don't get a better contract. That means no school bus service for the kids until it's resolved.

"We regret the possibility of what could be a major disturbance in the lives of students and their families. We continue to hope that the bus driver and escort union will not take such unwarranted action in response to what is the proper, legal course of action for the Department of Education to take on behalf of our students and the City taxpayers," Walcott writes.

He says that parents can request MetroCards for their children through the school, or for children in IEP classes, parents who will need to drive their children can get reimbursed 51 cents per mile or the cost of the taxi fares (you'll have to fill out a reimbursement form, of course).

The worst news, to the students, is that any field trip that is suppose to use school buses during the strike is cancelled!

On the bright side, at least next week's only a three day week! Good luck, parents.

Parents Bus Transportation Chancellor Letter_English

Diaz calls for further action on behalf of PS 51 families

Walcott speaks to PS 51 parents last week.
Photo by Miawling Lam.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. has issued a letter to City Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott, urging the Department of Education to take action on a number of specific issues concerning the relocation of P.S. 51/Bronx New School from its former home at 3200 Jerome Avenue (We'll have a story on that for you tomorrow).

Diaz, while applauding Walcott's handling of the messy situation, demanded he take further action to ensure this school year start off as easy as possible for the relocated children.

...we are less than three weeks from the start of the new school year and the Department of Education has yet to publish the TCE test reports, sign the lease on the alternate facility, disseminate the new school location to all parents or announce new bus routes and pick-up schedules. In addition, the DOE has not set a date for the school open house, which my office requested at the August 14, 2011, and was publicly promised at the parents meeting on August 18, 2011, nor has the DOE provided a streamlined process for parents who wish to transfer to their zoned school.

Jump below for the full letter. And while you read it, wonder to yourself: How would Cathie Black have handled the situation?