Due to recent schedule changes across the district the Aspen School District, the Aspen Elementary, Middle, and High schools all begin at 8:00 AM and end between 3:15 and 3:25 PM. Unlike the past few years, students aged 5 to 18 all arrive and leave campus at the same time on the same bus routes.

High schoolers have collectively created a trend of avoiding the official sidewalk, and walk on the road from the High School down to the Middle School parking lot, where many students park or get rides. This road is generally designated for school buses, so any students using it as their walkway are at risk of being in the way of the buses.
This could create a serious safety issue for younger students who are less visible to bus drivers. Jolaine Pfeifer, AHS Registrar, works bus duty daily.

“Now that all the schools start at the same time, we have lots of little kids,” Pfeifer said, “Little kids are followers, so if they see older students walking in the middle of the road, they’ll start following them.”

Kids are like sponges, and as Pfeifer explained, younger students tend to imitate older students, following their behaviors and etiquette. Because of this, elementary students often find themselves weaving in and out of the school buses and walking on the road rather than the sidewalk. This can pose pressing safety concerns, and interfere with our many ASD buses and drivers.

Pfeifer, along with the other bus duty staff, repeatedly remind students to walk on the sidewalk and make way for the buses.

“We always get about a dozen kids who just walk in the middle of the road and they’re not listening. It’s usually either with their heads down with phones or headphones on,” Pfeifer said.

According to ASD administration, it is vital for ASD students to be aware of their surroundings by refraining from walking in the middle of the road. This will improve the safety on campus, and maximize the efficiency of our school buses.