COVINGTON, Ga. — Parents of Newton County Theme School students are frustrated with the drop-off and pick-up experience, saying it takes way too long. They’re also worried that too much traffic is detrimental to the nearby hospital and its ambulance services.

In response, district administrators affirm they’re doing all they can to improve the situation but said delays were a product of a shortage of bus drivers.

“Unfortunately, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve experienced a shortage of bus drivers that has impacted our student transportation services,” Newton County Schools Superintendent Samantha Fuhrey said. “Many more parents are now driving their children to school, which has resulted in longer than usual car-rider lines at all of our schools.” 

Fuhrey also stressed the importance of parents allowing “ample time for student drop-off and pick-up.”

“Students may be dropped off at Newton County Theme School as early as 7:05 a.m. each morning,” she said. “We encourage our NCTS families to enter car-rider line prior to 7:25 a.m. to avoid the rush; unfortunately, we begin to experience delays in our morning drop-off due to the volume of cars arriving after 7:25 a.m.” 

To speed up the movement of the line, Fuhrey said it was “critical” for parents to have their students ready to exit the vehicle as soon as they arrive to the drop-off/pick-up area.

There are two drop-off/pick-up locations for NCTS: one in front of the school and one at the rear. 

“Even with two drop-off locations available, it is still important that parents enter the car-rider line prior to 7:25 a.m. to ensure their student is not late,” Fuhrey said.

But one parent, who asked to remain anonymous, said roughly two-thirds of students were being taken to the rear location — which the parent believed was “a safety issue as well as equality.” The parent said there have been ongoing issues since schools opened in August.

Fuhrey said the school’s leadership team would continue to share the message about both drop-off/pick-up locations, as well as the tips and suggestions for parents to help make the process go smoother via School Messenger calls. Any suggestions, ideas and concerns from parents about the process are welcomed, Fuhrey said.

Also among parents’ concerns was “blocking ambulance services [and] streets” while waiting to drop-off or pick-up their child.

A representative of Priority Ambulance Services, who has been providing ambulance services for Piedmont Newton Hospital since May, reports school traffic at NCTS was not causing any issues.

“National EMS has continuous access to the Piedmont Newton Hospital from multiple entrances,” Priority Ambulance Services Director of Communications Amanda Jennings said after speaking with local operations. “Newton County Theme School is located two blocks to the west of Piedmont Newton Hospital. School traffic in the mornings and afternoons congests Mill Street one block west of the hospital entrance; however, the traffic does not hinder the approach or exit of the hospital entrances. 

"Additionally, ambulances have the option to enter the hospital premises from Highway 278 at the north side of the property or Dearing Street to Tate Street on the south side of the property when needed. National EMS ambulance crews and dispatchers monitor and plan for traffic patterns and trends across the county during certain times of the day and week, and our crews are trained to use alternate routes around traffic congestion when needed.”

Fuhrey said school leaders ask parents to “follow traffic laws and remind them of general safety procedures, which include not blocking entrances, not blocking intersections, and staying in the correct lane of traffic for all two-lane roads” to ensure it never becomes a problem for local emergency services.