My son is a newly-minted Freshman at Newton North, and is playing on the Freshman soccer team. We found out late last week that there would be no daily bus for the team to practices at Warren Field (2.5 miles from NNHS), so parents of the 30-40 players will have to scramble to find rides for them after school- every day.
I know buses cost money- everything does, but as parents we were all caught aback by the lack of what seems like basic need for the team to function – and yes, I suppose our $300 fee is eaten up in other ways. Does anyone else here have any perspective on the how and why of this maddening system deficiency?
I remember that happening for my son’s freshman year too, but I thought the reason they had to go to Warren was because of the High School construction. Aren’t all the fields done now? Is there still no practice field for Soccer?
(BTW … I think practice started at 3:30p so my son had time to get home, dump his school books and strap on his “soccer” bag and biked to practice every day. It was closer than biking to Newton South every day which he had done all summer for tennis.)
This is Freshman team so understand if there is no room for all three teams to practice at HS fields. But to have the team practice nearly 3 miles away but not provide transportation (except for away games of course) boggles the mind. Team parents are scrambling to get rides for kids.
I don’t believe there is any after school hours busing for specific teams and/or activities other than the 1 late bus (5 pm?). I know for jazz band, pit orchestra, pep band, model UN, math and science team, we were always driving independently or arranging carpools.
Personally, I think this is an argument for a longer school day, with sports, theater, music, science teams built into the schedule. I don’t know how students without access to a car and/or driver can participate in after school activities.
It’s my understanding this “no bus” situation is for Freshman teams only (or just soccer? Not sure)
I agree – it has left us scrambling to get the kids to the practice and to the home games. I think it is only the freshman soccer. Warren is 2.5 miles away from NNHS – don’t we bus the kids to school if they live more than 1 mile away from the school ?
So why not at the very minimum bus them to the Practice Field and then by 5pm when the practice ends most parents might be able to pick them up. It would be nice to hear the reasons behind this decision.