Bus Stop Petition Denied

    A petition filed by parents who live in the area of Woodbine Drive, Glade Road, and Sandra Road to bring back a discontinued bus stop was denied by the Springs School Board on Monday night.

    The written petition submitted earlier in the year caused the school board to commission a child safety zone study, as the parents who petitioned stated that the area, which is just within the one-mile cutoff for buses, was hazardous for kids walking to school.

    The Eastern Suffolk Board of Cooperative Educational Services, in consultation with the New York State Department of Transportation, determined that the area did not qualify for the establishment of a child safety zone. However, Michael Hartner, the district superintendent, was directed to ask the East Hampton Town Board for a reduced speed limit there and a blinking yellow light.

    Also Monday night, Bill Hallman, the school’s library specialist, gave a presentation on the library media program and the Common Core Learning Standards. He told the board of the revamped school library Web site, “where kids can find the right resources and bring it back to the class,” he said.

    When it comes to book borrowing, Mr. Hallman was pleased to report, “We’re 1,100 books over where we were last year.”

    David Baird, the head bus driver, presented Cheryl George, another driver, with a citation. “Cheryl saw a child, unattended, walking on the side of the road,” he said. “The child needed assistance. Cheryl made an important difference in that child’s life that day.”    

    Mr. Baird also continued a discussion of propane-fueled school buses, which are more expensive to purchase but save on fuel and are better for the environment in the long term.