After learning All-Star Transportation, which oversees most of the district’s student transportation needs, may have stock and ownership transferred to a new company, the school board voted to approve of the company’s plans at its meeting on May 7.

The district learned, from an April 29 letter from All-Star Transportation co-owner John Dufour, the company plans to sell All-Star Transportation stock to STA (Student Transportation of America). Superintendent of Schools Dr Lorrie Rodrigue explained any sale or reassignment of All-Star Transportation’s contract with the school district “must have consent” from the school board.

“This business transaction would make STA the full owner of the company,” Dr Rodrigue shared. She added later, “I have to point out in this particular case, All-Star actually becomes a subsidiary of STA.”

Dr Rodrigue explained Mr Dufour and all All-Star Transportation’s employees will remain with the company “for the day-to-day operations.”

“Therefore, no changes will be visible as a result of this assignment to STA,” said Dr Rodrigue, adding that All-Star Transportation’s quality, level of safety, and care “will certainly continue.”

The 2019-20 school year will be the third year of the district’s ongoing five-year contract with All-Star Transportation, as previously reported in The Newtown Bee.

Dr Rodrigue said STA is a larger company with “a strong, positive reputation in bus transportation in Connecticut, across the nation, and Canada.”

“We’re not worried at all about the change, since we feel strongly the operation will continue,” said Dr Rodrigue, adding that other boards in All-Star Transportation’s coverage area are also having the same discussions regarding the potential ownership change.

Mr Dufour, who owns All-Star Transportation with two of his siblings, attended the May 7 meeting, and he said All-Star Transportation will continue to exist.

“I’m going to remain president of All-Star Transportation,” said Mr Dufour.

In response to questions from school board member John Vouros, Mr Dufour guaranteed employees will remain.

“Our bus drivers are our greatest asset to this company. We work real hard to cultivate these people and work real hard to keep them in the seat, make them safe,” Mr Dufour said.

Board of Education member Andrew Clure questioned what would happen if the board did not support the change, and Mr Dufour said he did not know what would happen.

Mr Dufour found STA’s approach appealing, because, he said, All-Star Transportation will still be run the same way while having more resources.

Both Board of Education Chair Michelle Embree Ku and Dr Rodrigue remarked on All-Star Transportation’s partnership in recent district school start time changes, and school board member Debbie Leidlein said, “That’s not the only time All-Star has stepped up to the plate.”

“You’ve been a wonderful partner, and we couldn’t have asked for more,” said Ms Leidlein.

In other meeting business, the school board approved new math curricula for second and third grades, heard about proposed math curricula for fifth and sixth grades, and voted to approve supporting a Board of Selectmen resolution opposing Governor Ned Lamont’s plans to shift financing the state’s teacher pension burden to certain communities. The school board also approved hiring Reed Intermediate School Principal Anne Uberti to be the district’s assistant superintendent of schools. Read about Ms Uberti being selected as assistant superintendent here.