PODCAST: Rutherford County Schools (RCS) spokesperson James Evans and Elementary Education Coordinator Anne Haley joined WGNS Action Line to discuss pressing district matters, most notably a recent crisis involving bus transportation. The district was forced to reassign routes after a major contractor lost insurance coverage, affecting 41 buses. Evans noted that while other contractors stepped up to fill the gaps, the school board is now considering a hybrid system where the district owns more of its own fleet to prevent future disruptions.
Also of importance... the county school district is amping up its focus on "Covid babies"—the wave of children born during the pandemic who are now entering the school system. Anne Haley emphasized that kindergarten registration opens April 15 and urged parents to sign up early to assist with teacher placement. Haley highlighted a decline in social and language skills due to increased screen time and shared "parent hacks," such as reading cereal boxes and practicing transitions at home, to help new students prepare for the classroom environment.
Haley also answered the question that many new parents ask, what are the key things new kindergarten students should know when they walk into the classroom for the first time?
In the meantime, don't forget that Spring Break is just around the corner for area students, with both Rutherford County Schools and Murfreesboro City Schools closed from Monday, March 30, through Friday, April 3. Schools will reopen the following Monday after Good Friday, meaning students will be back in the classroom on Monday, April 6.
