Sussex-Wantage school board talks student safety
SUSSEX BOROUGH — The Sussex Wantage Regional School District Board of Education discussed concerns regarding: students' safety and solar panels on Oct. 22.
School board member Robert Heiden said the bus evacuation drill, already completed at the Sussex Middle School, should also be done for children who are driven daily to the Clifton E. Lawrence and Wantage schools.
He was especially concerned for students' safety on field trips, saying they, too, should be prepared in the event of an emergency.
School Board Member Bob Maikis asked if that would be overkill to bring in a bus for the students driven to school on a daily basis.
Superintendent Jeanne Apryasz said it takes less than five minutes per school to complete the drill, which invloves jumping out of the back of the bus. According to Apryasz, only the middle school has official walkers. Students are driven to the two other schools.
Only the Middle School has official walkers.
Heiden said it would be quick and give “a lot of kids the benefit of that type of safety training.”
School board member Walter Krynicky said exposing all students to the drill was "common sense" and would "hellp them know what to expect.
Apryasz will ensure that all students are drilled.
Cafeteria arrival
Heiden said lunch starts at 12:30 p.m. and some kids don't get there until 12:40 P.M. Then, they go to the playground for recess at 12:55 p.m. He was concerned that they do not have enough time to eat lunch.
Vice President Janice Mezier recommended that the school see if there is a particular reason for them being delayed in getting to the cafeteria.
Solar panel status
Apryasz said the solar panels do not have the official certificate of occupancy.
Maikis noticed that there are only six to seven cars parking under the solar panels all day.
Heiden said that at most 20 percent to 25 percent parking spaces have pedestals that are convenient for the car doors in “the heading out direction. People don't want to fight doors with the pedestals.”