Transportation issue lingers for St. Veronica School
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
As the students entered St. Veronica School, Howell on opening day, Joseph Mossa, president of the board of education and Joanne Nelson, guidance counselor and former assistant principal, waited with the principal, Resurrection Sister Cherree for buses to roll in with Howell students on board.
The arrival had been the expected result of an 11th hour agreement with the Freehold Regional School District. Two weeks earlier, the district had notified parents by letter that the Howell students would no longer receive busing coordinated for the district by MOESC – the Monmouth-Ocean Educational Services Commission.
The letters informed them they would have to make do. instead with $884 in lieu of transportation allowed by the state which falls far short of solving the problem for the families with most, if not all parents working, Nelson said.
A similar situation had unfolded at about the same time for 24 Lakewood students transferring in from the former Holy Family School. The Lakewood school board had turned down that request for transportation saying the numbers weren’t high enough to justify a bus, Mossa said.
The parents brought their concerns immediately to the school – which, Mossa said, was never directly notified by the Freehold district or MOESC. It galvanized an immediate collaborative effort that mobilized St. Veronica’s administration, faculty, staff and parents who reached out not only to the districts, but to legislators and municipal officials for help.
Though by opening day, there had been assurances that at buses would be transporting students from Howell, in a 2:30 p.m. telephone interview, Mossa said the issue had only been partially resolved for the Howell students.
When school reopened on Sept. 8, after the Labor Day holiday, the situation had still not been totally resolved for Howell or Lakewood students.
Mossa and Nelson spoke of how good communication between all parties could probably have prevented the situation.
“I think we’re entitled to transportation,” he said. “The fact that we send our kids to private school shouldn’t make a difference.” Mossa said the school had to take an active stance in having the transportation restored.
“We’re not going to accomplish anything if we don’t do anything.”
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As the students entered St. Veronica School, Howell on opening day, Joseph Mossa, president of the board of education and Joanne Nelson, guidance counselor and former assistant principal, waited with the principal, Resurrection Sister Cherree for buses to roll in with Howell students on board.
The arrival had been the expected result of an 11th hour agreement with the Freehold Regional School District. Two weeks earlier, the district had notified parents by letter that the Howell students would no longer receive busing coordinated for the district by MOESC – the Monmouth-Ocean Educational Services Commission.
The letters informed them they would have to make do. instead with $884 in lieu of transportation allowed by the state which falls far short of solving the problem for the families with most, if not all parents working, Nelson said.
A similar situation had unfolded at about the same time for 24 Lakewood students transferring in from the former Holy Family School. The Lakewood school board had turned down that request for transportation saying the numbers weren’t high enough to justify a bus, Mossa said.
The parents brought their concerns immediately to the school – which, Mossa said, was never directly notified by the Freehold district or MOESC. It galvanized an immediate collaborative effort that mobilized St. Veronica’s administration, faculty, staff and parents who reached out not only to the districts, but to legislators and municipal officials for help.
Though by opening day, there had been assurances that at buses would be transporting students from Howell, in a 2:30 p.m. telephone interview, Mossa said the issue had only been partially resolved for the Howell students.
When school reopened on Sept. 8, after the Labor Day holiday, the situation had still not been totally resolved for Howell or Lakewood students.
Mossa and Nelson spoke of how good communication between all parties could probably have prevented the situation.
“I think we’re entitled to transportation,” he said. “The fact that we send our kids to private school shouldn’t make a difference.” Mossa said the school had to take an active stance in having the transportation restored.
“We’re not going to accomplish anything if we don’t do anything.”
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