By Patrick Tepoorten

The North Branch school board once again addressed its transportation policy at last Thursdayís regular meeting and decided not to make any changes.

The policy had come under scrutiny last April when parent Kelli Klein challenged the policy of allowing parents only one bus change per school year.

Superintendent Rodney Reisnouer referred to that April discussion on Thursday, saying ìWe know the policy doesnít please everybody. It creates problems for individuals; we understand that.î However, he also stated that school busses are not ìa taxi service,î and noted the policy works well for the vast majority of district families.

In comparing the policy against other districtís, Reisnouer discovered that North Branchís is more restrictive than some, and less so than others. Regardless, he described safety as the driving force for whatever policies the district has adopted.

Inserting a clause that would allow the superintendent and Transportation Director Bill Burton to address issues on a case by case basis had been discussed last Spring, but such a clause was discovered to already exist in the policy. That clause does allow for emergency exceptions, but would also have to become the board. Any exception, though would become a policy change, in essence changing the policy.

School board clerk Jeanne Walz encouraged the district to be ìa little more flexibleî where the bus change policy was concerned, especially in regard to elementary students.

ìThere should be some benefit of the doubt for the child,î she said. ìThey have no control over it either.î

Vice Chair Donna Setter agreed to an extent, but added that, before the policy was adopted there was ìchaos.î She said that parents should ultimately be responsible for knowing and adhering to the policy.

In other district news:

ï The board reported that various negotiation, including those with principals and the North Branch Support Staff Association are going well. In both cases the district has received offers and responded with a counter-offer. Negotiations with the Teamsters Local 320, the bus driverís union, has resulted in a tentative agreement, which the union is expected to ratify on Aug. 30.

ï Oberg Fence Co., was awarded the fencing project for the bus garage and athletic fields, with a bid of $97,660.

ï The board adopted the appropriate resolutions to prepare for Fall elections. Three four-year seats are open, including those held by Donna Setter, Jeanne Walz, and Kirby Ekstrom. The seat held by Karen Saltis, who was appointed to fill a vacancy, is a two-year term.

ï Due to a lack if interest, the high school will not have a marching band this year.

ï The board renewed its membership to Schools for Equity in Education. The total cost of membership is $3,933.80.

ï The scheduled Sept. 28 work session was changed to a business meeting in order to hear the proposed levy for the 2007-2008 school year.