Lost student quickly retrieved
By Kevin Schnepp Staff writer

Delphi Community School Corp. Superintendent Ralph Walker recently asked the public for patience and teamwork during the first few days of school to allow district-wide format changes to fall into place.

That request was put to the test on students' first day of school.

A student at Camden Early Childhood Center who boarded the wrong bus after school Wednesday was returned safely to her mother shortly thereafter according to school officials.

Walker told the Comet last Friday kindergarten students were given color-coded bracelets to help identify which bus they should take home. He said two children switched bracelets, apparently because they liked the other colors, and one boarded the wrong bus.

When the student's mother discovered her child did not ride the bus home she went to the corporation office and waited while staff contacted bus drivers.

Within a few minutes, a bus driver responded the student was on her bus and transported her to the office.

Walker said he and staff would not have thought trading bracelets would be an issue.

"It's unfortunate," he admitted. "We certainly didn't want it to happen."

The following day students sported tags with their names and bus numbers in lieu of the bracelets.

Walker said bussing procedures are smoothing out and all operations have gone without a hitch since the first day. He expressed gratitude to transportation coordinator Pam Ryves and the bus drivers for their help in finding the child.

A difficulty for the school is that 50 to 60 percent of students go to different places such as daycare facilities or babysitters after school two to three days a week, and even daily in some cases.

"It's a challenge, and will continue to be," Walker concluded. "We have to be 100-percent right 100-percent of the time. We can't afford not to be."