By KAREN CIMINO WILSON
DavidsonNews.net

Davidson IB Middle School officials and parents are seeking help determining where to locate consolidated bus stops that are part of the fallout from big budget cuts at Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools for fiscal year 2011.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will reduce bus routes to some middle and high school magnet programs, which could save CMS more than $3.5 million, according to school officials.

The Board of Education approved the plan at its May 11 meeting. The changes would go into effect for the 2010-2011 school year.

The plan involves creating shuttle stops for all students attending full magnet high schools and middle schools. Shuttle stops will be created for students at full magnet middle schools, serving students who live more than five miles from the school. Parents are responsible for transporting their children to and from the shuttle stops under the new plan.
Davison IB Middle School needs input from parents by Tuesday, June 15, to determine interest in proposed shuttle stops. The deadline for the school to present its location preferences and list of interested students to the central office is Friday, June 18.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has allowed Davidson IB Middle School parents to determine consolidated stops within the five-mile radius that can be used by all students within the violet transportation zone.
Each proposed stop must have at least seven students to become a shuttle stop.

If Davidson IB Middle gets five students for one stop and 15 for the other, then only the stop with 15 will become a consolidated stop.
Both proposed stops are located on the outer fringe of the five-mile radius to maximize usage. Property owners for each location have approved use of their property.

One proposed stop is at Journey Church parking lot in Huntersville. The stop is located at 15711 Brookway Drive off Northcross Lane near back entrance to Birkdale Village, south of Outback Steakhouse. The location offers lots of parking and access to either Exit 25 or Exit 23 for those heading to Uptown Charlotte for work.

The other proposed stop is in the parking lot at Christ Community Church in Huntersville. The Christ Community Church is located at 16301 Old Statesville Road. The location offers ample parking and easy access and allows the bus to continue north on N.C. 115 to Davidson IB Middle School.

E-mail Pam Dolaher at  pdolaher@roadrunner.com or call her at 704-992-0923 by Tuesday if you are interested in either of the stops.

CMS has not determined pickup and drop-off times, but school officials said the shuttle likely would stop at the Journey Church site first in the morning and last in the afternoon.