Getting kids in the door: How parents are navigating school transportation amid pandemic

Parents are preparing to send their kids back to school for the first time since March, and things are going to look quite different.

Ashley Nelson, a parent, said her daughter is excited to start first grade a Bluff Creek Elementary in Chanhassen.

Normally, she would take the bus to school, but this year, Nelson is working with neighbors to do pick-up and drop-off.

“It was one less variable, one less risk of exposure and one less thing to worry about,” she said. 

Rachel Brandt has a third and first grader also going to Bluff Creek. In the past, they used before and after-school programs. But, because she and her husband are working from home, they’ll do drop-off and pick-up, too.

“Based on my assumptions, I thought there could be around 150 families that consider dropping their kids off tomorrow,” she estimated.

Both mothers said that with increased traffic, they’re not sure how smoothly things will go.

“I’m not sure what time we should leave, how long drop-off is going to take, how long the pick-up is going to take, so we’ll pack some coffee, we’ll pack some snacks, we’ll have some music,” Brandt said.

“We are going to be there a little bit early on the first few days just to make sure she isn’t late,” Nelson said.

But like with so much this year, they said they’ll go with the flow and adjust.

Statement from Eastern Carver County School District:

Our district has been planning all summer for this moment, and we are so excited to welcome our students back whether that’s in-person or virtually.  As with any beginning of the school year, there are always hiccups, and this year brings an extra set of challenges.  That’s why we’ve been communicating so frequently with our families – to help them understand drop-off and pickup, what riding the bus will look and feel like, and what the classroom experience will be – over the past several weeks. 

Our families are our partners – and we will be constantly evaluating our processes, seeking out and listening to feedback, and adjusting as necessary as we get the school year underway to make sure we are continuing to deliver an excellent education in as healthy and safe an environment as possible.  And this first week especially we appreciate their grace and patience as we welcome students back and get them transported to and from school safely.