January 10, 2022 Update:
We are pleased to report that road conditions have improved significantly in the western part of our county and we will be able to resume transportation service tomorrow for all routes in the western corridor. Learn more in
this update.
Original January 9, 2022 Message:
Dear Families, Faculty, and Staff,
We hope you have had a great weekend. We have continued to evaluate the impact of last week’s inclement weather and are pleased to share that
we will welcome students back to all of our schools tomorrow. As we prepare to reopen the school division, please read the following message carefully regarding impacts to our bus service starting tomorrow, both in the west end and throughout the county.
While conditions have improved enough for us to reopen our schools, there are still a few areas in the western part of our county that are experiencing hazardous road conditions, including downed and hanging trees, limbs, and power lines. We remain in communication with our valued partners at the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office and the Virginia Department of Transportation regarding the conditions of our roads. Additionally, members of our own transportation department have been evaluating the roads and bus routes themselves all weekend.
While many roads are now passable and safe for normal vehicular traffic,
some roads remain unsafe for bus travel. As a result, we will be unable to provide bus service to students on parts of the following routes tomorrow:
Elementary Bus Routes:
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Bus Route 193 for stops on Hopeful Church Road - PM (South Anna Elementary)
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Bus Route 284 for stops on Hopeful Church Road - AM (South Anna Elementary)
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Bus Route 306 for stops on Ben Gayle (Beaverdam Elementary)
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Bus Route 357 for stops Woodman Hall and Connie Hall south of Robert Terrell zoned for South Anna Elementary
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Bus Route 385 for stops on Clazemont (South Anna Elementary)
Secondary Bus Routes:
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Bus Route 280 for stops on Clazemont (Liberty Middle and Patrick Henry High)
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Bus Route 333 for stops on Woodman Hall and Connie Hall south of Robert Terrell (Liberty Middle and Patrick Henry High)
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Bus Route 358 for stops on Ben Gayle (Liberty Middle and Patrick Henry High)
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Bus Route 385 for stops on Hopeful Church Road (Liberty Middle and Patrick Henry High)
For families impacted by these changes, we regret that we will be unable to provide transportation. We ask that you transport your child to and from school if you are able to safely do so. If you are unable to transport your child, your child will receive an
excused absence for the day, and teachers will provide make-up work, as needed.
Please know that we will continue to monitor road conditions daily and make any necessary adjustments to this list as quickly as possible. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to provide transportation service to as many students as safely possible.
In addition to the continued hazardous road conditions in some areas, we continue to experience a bus driver staffing shortage due to unfilled vacancies and absences due to illness. This will likely cause service issues, such as delays in pickup and dropoff times, beginning tomorrow across the county. As always, any delays will be communicated directly to the parents and students impacted as soon as possible. Again, we appreciate your understanding.
We recognize that the majority of the hazardous conditions over the past week have been in the west end of our county and that the extended closure was disruptive. We sincerely appreciate your patience as we operate as
one unified school division, making the best possible decisions for all our students and staff under difficult circumstances. We are also grateful for the outpouring of support many of you shared for our students, staff, and families who endured the extended power outages and hazardous conditions in the western portion of our county.
Again, we are delighted to welcome our students back tomorrow (finally!) for the new year and appreciate your patience, grace, and kindness as we work to serve your family.
Thank you.