MONROE, N.J. — The Monroe Township School District is changing its emergency response system after a school bus crash May 7 that left 22 children injured.
In a letter sent to parents and guardians May 8, Superintendent Ralph Ferrie said that parents had expressed concern that they first heard about the accident from the local press rather than directly from the district. Ferrie said the district did not initiate a Global Connect call because all parents would have received the same message rather than just parents of students involved in the accident.
In response, the district is updating its Global Connect database for the 2007-08 school year with emergency-contact phone lists for each bus route, said Ferrie. The current system is organized by school. The district is also investigating an e-mail alert feature offered by Global Connect.
The accident occurred at 9 a.m. on May 7 when one school bus collided with another parked bus while transporting students to two local elementary schools. Twenty-two students were transported to four area hospitals and were all later released after treatment for injuries mostly consisting of cut lips and neck and back pain, according to officials.
No charges have been filed against either driver, pending police investigation.
