We, the undersigned parents and community members, respectfully ask the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District Board to reconsider proposed Transportation Policy 810, as it would limit school bus destinations to state-licensed childcare facilities for morning and afterschool care.

Under Transportation Policy 810, students could only be bused to their home address or to a single licensed childcare provider for all five days of the school week. The proposed policy would effectively exclude long-standing community enrichment programs such as those at Park Avenue Community Center, the Creative Living Room, and the Community Arts Center. These organizations provide far more than childcare. They offer students meaningful enrichment in the arts, creative learning, STEM exploration, and community-building opportunities that many families rely on. For many parents, especially those who commute, have variable work schedules, have limited transportation options, or children attending programs only once or twice per week, this proposal would significantly reduce viable after-school options.

Based on WSSD TRANSPORTATION POLICY 810, families may also be required to select a single transportation destination for all five school days in order to use district bus service. If implemented this way, the policy would unintentionally limit flexibility even for families using state-licensed childcare providers, requiring five-day enrollment or eliminating bus access altogether.  After care programs will not be able to offer 2/3/4 day per week options, and many programs already have wait lists. 

We respectfully ask the district to:

• Allow trusted enrichment organizations to qualify as approved transportation destinations, while maintaining reasonable flexibility for families using both enrichment programs and licensed childcare providers.

• Permit students attending these programs to use existing bus routes already serving district schools.

• Implement simple safety measures such as pre-registered transportation lists, color-coded bag tags, or student slips to ensure safe routing.

• If policy changes are unavoidable, delay implementation until the 2027–2028 school year to allow families time to adjust and to give the district time to evaluate alternative solutions.

These community programs are part of what makes Wallingford-Swarthmore such a special place to raise children. We ask the district to work with families to find a solution that preserves both student safety and access to enrichment opportunities. Programs like this give students a sense of belonging and excitement about learning beyond the school day. Removing transportation access to these programs would significantly limit opportunities for many families whose children benefit from these experiences.

HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT:

1. Attend the next WSSD School Board Meeting on MONDAY, MARCH 23RD @ 7PM, Strath Haven Middle School Library! Please come and share how proposed Policy 810 impacts your family and our community. *Board agenda live on 3/21: https://go.boarddocs.com/pa/wlsw/Board.nsf/Public
2. Sign & share this petition. See below.

Please Share Your Story...

If this issue affects your family and/or you support this effort, please consider leaving a short comment when you sign the petition. The Wallingford-Swarthmore School Board will review community feedback, and personal stories help illustrate how this proposal could affect students and families. 

As a parent of a fourth grader at Nether Providence Elementary, I have seen firsthand how meaningful these programs are for students. My daughter has been part of the Creative Living Room community since first grade and relies on the bus to get to TCLR. Removing transportation access would be incredibly detrimental, as my work commute requires a seamless transition for her afterschool. TCLR is not simply a place where children are supervised after school. It is a place where they create art, collaborate on projects, explore new ideas, and build lasting friendships. Programs like this give students a sense of belonging and excitement about learning beyond the school day. 

You might share:

• how your child participates in a community enrichment program
• why bus transportation makes participation possible for your family
• how many days per week your child attends programs
• why these programs are important to your child

Even a few sentences can help decision-makers better understand how families rely on these opportunities. Examples include:

“My child attends Creative Living Room once a week for art classes. Without bus transportation we would not be able to participate.”

“My child has built friendships and confidence through these programs, and transportation access makes them possible.”

Thank you for helping share the experiences of our community!!