NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) — The North Kingstown School Department is taking steps to protect students after a child was unintentionally left on a bus unattended over the summer.
The 4-year-old boy was being brought to the district’s extended school year program back in July when the driver and monitors left him behind after parking the bus. He was eventually found wandering around the bus yard on Fairway Drive by a district employee.
The district is now in the process of re-training its bus drivers and monitors, as well as adding a “safety check and attendance protocol” that will coincide with school attendance records.
BACKGROUND: North Kingstown student unintentionally left alone on school bus North Kingstown Superintendent Kenneth Duva said the district is also exploring new technology add-ons for its buses, such as enhanced security cameras.
Bus drivers, monitors and residents shared their thoughts on the incident with the North Kingstown School Committee during a meeting on Aug. 1.
North Kingstown resident William Howard said the district’s bus drivers and monitors deserve better pay and training.
“The training is poor to nonexistent,” Howard said.
In a letter sent to parents Friday, Duva explained that the North Kingstown School Committee rejected his request to fire the bus driver and monitors who left the child unattended.
Donel Cooper told the committee that she knows the bus driver and monitors involved. She urged the committee not to move forward with firing them.
SEE ALSO: District seeks to fire bus driver, monitors who left child unattended “I know in people’s minds they think, ‘how could this happen?'” said Cooper, who’s a bus driver herself. “It can, and there’s been other stories, and none of them of which any of us are ever not already punishing ourselves. Believe me.”
12 News reached out to Duva and the committee regarding the enhanced procedures but did not hear back.
Kate Wilkinson ( kwilkinson@wpri.com ) is a Target 12 investigative reporter for 12 News. Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook .
Sarah Doiron contributed to this report.
Close Thanks for signing up!
Watch for us in your inbox.
Subscribe Now
Daily Roundup
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com.
Most Popular
Comments / 0