Park has implemented a new shuttle bus to help disabled or physically unable students get around the school. With renovations underway in the cafeteria and the C hallway, it leaves many parts of the school inaccessible and unable to go through, especially for disabled students not being able to get around the school or use the stairs. A solution to this dilemma was needed, so the shuttle was implemented.
Sophomore Lucy Moot said she didn’t like riding the shuttle because it can be embarrassing due to the attention around it.
“I stayed away from the shuttle, I personally thought that it was kind of embarrassing and I didn’t want to go on it,” Moot said. “None of my teachers had any problems about me being on crutches, they were always helpful and were okay with me being late.”
Freshman Audrey Winecoff had a different perspective on the shuttle, and said how dependent she is on the shuttle in her day.
“I think the shuttle is necessary because I don’t feel like I could get across the school in a different way,” Winecoff said. “The bus helps me get across the school for lunch and one of my other classes because I can’t use the stairs.”
Shuttle bus driver Orville Thurman said the bus is necessary for students.
“Safety-wise, it’s a long haul over to the other side, especially students that are hurt,” Thurman said. “They know it’s here and ready to go to lunch. I brought them back and you know, everything’s good.”
Principal LaNisha Paddock said the shuttle bus is a necessity to accommodate for physically unable students.
“As we were analyzing the beginning of school and access to different parts of the building, we had multiple projects, the cafeteria link and the media center, that all were in the C1 hallway and were the single access to different parts of the building,” Paddock said. “This leads to the problem, when the cafeteria or the library media center is being worked on, there’s no elevator access to the temporary lunchroom.”
Thurman said the shuttle positively impacts students’ day and that he relates to the students.
“I think the bus is positive. As an athlete, no one wants to be hurt and you feel like you’re cut out because of the competitiveness, you’re at a disadvantage,” Thurman said. “But the reality is, I know I can just hop in this, run over there, come back and no one knows the difference, so it makes the students feel just as included as everyone else.”
Paddock said that Park is actively trying to come up with a long term solution to the accessibility issues posed by construction.
“We were talking with the construction folks and noticed that there was no accessibility without going outdoors. The temporary fix, while we create a temporary tunnel to access that area, is the shuttle for students that might get injured or need wheelchair accessibility,” Paddock said. “They should have something communicated to students and families about what that’ll look like soon.”
The shuttle bus is the temporary solution to getting students around the school while construction continues until further notice.
