Fox C-6 Parents Press District for Transportation Solutions

District remains eight bus drivers short as officials review applicants, outside transportation options, and available space on existing routes

By The Jefferson Review Staff

ARNOLD, Mo. — Fox C-6 School District parents called for immediate action to address ongoing transportation gaps during the Board of Education’s Tuesday, Sept. 1 meeting, warning that some students are being left to walk along busy roads without sidewalks or shoulders.

Two parents addressed the board about the effect the district’s bus driver shortage is having on their families. The district currently needs eight additional drivers and has established areas where transportation is not being provided.

Candice Greer said her son lives approximately three miles from school and would face about an hour-long walk along a major thoroughfare.

Greer also raised concerns about students living near Tenbrook Road and the Arnold Water Department who would have to travel along winding roads without sidewalks or shoulders.

She encouraged the district to consider short-term solutions, including helping other qualified district employees obtain commercial driver’s licenses with school bus endorsements. Greer also questioned whether Fox C-6’s bus driver pay is competitive with neighboring districts.

Matthew Platter, a Fox C-6 graduate and parent of two students, told the board neither of his children currently has bus transportation. He said his family has repeatedly rearranged work schedules to get the children to and from school.

“We give up hours of work daily in order to replace these missing bus drivers,” Platter said. “Not every family can do this.”

Platter said students should not be expected to walk along Frisco Hill Road, Seckman Road, and other potentially dangerous routes while carrying backpacks and musical instruments. He urged the district to increase wages to improve driver recruitment and retention.

Superintendent Dr. Paul Fregeau acknowledged the concerns and thanked the parents for meeting with him before the board meeting. He said the transportation problem is not unique to Fox C-6 but recognized that the national driver shortage does not resolve the difficulties facing local families.

According to Fregeau, six district schools currently provide transportation to all students: Antonia Elementary, Clyde Hamrick Elementary, Hodge Elementary, Lone Dell Elementary, Meramec Heights Elementary, and Ridgewood Middle School.

Fregeau said five of the district’s eight comparison districts also maintain areas where transportation is not provided, although some of those districts use shorter distance limits. He also noted that Fox C-6 currently has three drivers on long-term medical leave and has had 17 drivers retire during the past four years.

Five prospective drivers are now moving through different stages of the district’s hiring process. Applicants must complete background checks, training, medical requirements, drug screenings, and the testing necessary to operate a school bus.

Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Nathan Burch said a district hiring specialist is staying in regular contact with the applicants to help them complete the process as quickly as possible. The district is also working with outside organizations to generate additional candidates.

Board President Todd Scott emphasized that the district is actively working with applicants and encouraged anyone interested in becoming a bus driver to apply through the district’s website or contact the district office at 636-296-8000.

District officials are also reviewing actual bus ridership after discovering that some students who registered for transportation are not regularly riding. Transportation staff members are analyzing routes and adding students when space becomes available.

Fregeau said the district was also awaiting a transportation proposal from First Student. Chief Operations Officer Tracy Schmidt said Fox C-6 had received a separate proposal from another transportation provider.

District Reviews Improvement Plan

The board also received an update on the district’s Comprehensive School Improvement Plan, commonly known as the CSIP.

The current plan was developed beginning in 2022 with input from approximately 2,000 staff members, parents, and community members. Fregeau said one of the strongest messages received during that process was the need for greater consistency across district schools.

Since then, the district has established a six-year curriculum review cycle and aligned its curriculum with Missouri learning standards and state priority standards. District officials have also developed a system to evaluate fifth-grade students for placement in advanced courses as they enter middle school.

Teacher and principal evaluations now include reviews of whether the district’s approved curriculum is being used. Student conduct handbooks have also been reviewed and aligned with board policy throughout the district.

Building improvement plans now use the same general format from prekindergarten through high school. However, administrators said individual schools retain flexibility to address their own student achievement, professional development, attendance, discipline, and school culture needs.

District administrators plan to review the building plans monthly so they can identify trends that may be affecting several schools.

The district will begin developing its next five-year improvement plan with two public town hall meetings. The first will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8, at Seckman High School. The second will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, at Fox Middle School.

Board member Joe Looney encouraged residents to participate in the planning process and help establish the district’s future goals.

Facilities, Finances, and Employee Compensation

Fregeau also updated the board on energy-efficiency improvements being completed through performance contracting.

LED lighting work has been completed in 10 of the 13 buildings included in the project. The remaining lighting work is expected to be finished by the end of September.

Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning control upgrades have been completed at Sherwood Elementary and Fox Elementary. Additional work is planned for the district service center during Thanksgiving break and Fox High School during winter break. Work at Meramec Heights Elementary is awaiting equipment that remains on back order.

The district is continuing to plan projects funded through the $48 million Proposition M bond issue approved by approximately 65 percent of voters. Planned work includes roofing, HVAC, and safety improvements.

The district has also moved from a five-year financial forecast to a two-year outlook because of continuing uncertainty surrounding school funding. Schmidt said administrators regularly monitor revenue, expenditures, investments, and building needs.

Fox C-6 recently received an unmodified audit opinion, the best opinion available during an independent financial audit. The district has also paid off certificates of participation early and adjusted the timing of investments to improve interest earnings.

Employee compensation was another part of the improvement plan. Fregeau said Fox C-6 teachers are now in the top half of the district’s eight comparison districts. Classified employees previously received a $2-per-hour increase in addition to a cost-of-living adjustment.

The district is continuing to review compensation for classified employees, including bus drivers, custodians, paraprofessionals, and secretaries.

Board Approves Staff Stipends

The board unanimously approved additional workday stipends for six Fox Elementary employees who could not access their classrooms during the week of Aug. 17 through Aug. 21 because of facility repairs.

The affected employees missed scheduled classroom preparation days and the school’s open house. They later worked an additional day to prepare their rooms for students.

The board also approved its consent agenda, which included accepting a $500 donation from the Glore Foundation for the Fox High School Alumni Association.

The Fox C-6 Board of Education includes Todd Scott, president; Curtiss Frazier, vice president; Michael Myers, treasurer; Jim Chellew; April Moeckel; Travis Lintner; and Joe Looney. Susan Graham serves as board secretary but is not an elected member.