A bus mix-up in the Pembina Trails School Division meant a number of children were dropped off at home without supervision, rather than to their daycare, as parents expected.
In a statement to Global News, the division says it contacted the families and daycares immediately and offered an apology. The incident is also being reviewed, which includes an evaluation of the division’s communication processes.
Parent Helena Nicholson told 680 CJOB’s The Start that her boys — ages five and seven — were among those dropped off incorrectly. She says she wasn’t able to get hold of anyone at the division, even on its emergency line, when she learned from a neighbour that her kids had been left at an empty house.
“I called them a bunch of times and it just rang and rang, and then they ended up hanging up on me,” Nicholson said.
“I got no word, no voicemails, anything. I did email after…. It’s not much of an emergency line if I don’t know where my kids are and I can’t get through to anybody.”
According to the division, a glitch with a new transportation app caused the incident.
“We are grateful that all the children were safe, and we are deeply sorry this happened,” superintendent Shelley Amos said in the division’s statement.
“We sincerely apologize and are committed to preventing such incidents in the future.”
Nicholson said she’s lucky a trusted neighbour was around to help, and that there’s some trepidation among parents, who worry it might happen again.
“My kids were lucky. I don’t know how many other kids this happened to…. It’s frightening.
“We’ve all got backup plans. I’ve actually asked my neighbour just to be at the bus, just in case, and I know that other parents are coming early from work, to just double-check that our kids are safe.”