Help ! Overwhelmed for this years school schedule

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Forum -> Inquiries & Offers -> Lakewood, Toms River & Jackson related Inquiries

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amother

Mon, Jul 19 2021, 11:12 pm

I live right next to Lakewood and don’t have bussing. Yes, I know thats what happens when you live out of L.wood (even tho most non-L.wood kids get bussing , but mine don’t bc their school is small) I took them to school and back for a few years but this year my afternoon pickups are: 3pm from 1 school, and then 3pm, 4pm and 4:40pm for another school. So I basically have to be in 2 places simultaneously (at 3pm) and then pick up 3 kids from the same exact school - but at 3 different times! Why does the school have 3 separate dismissal times? I wish I can take all my kids at once and then just hire a tutor to teach them what they missed in class but school will not allow . If I don’t find a driver within 5 weeks (been looking for 3 month already) I will be on the road from 2:45-5:15 every day. And that doesn’t even include the morning drive which could be nuts with many hyper kids and a tired mom trying to make it on time daily. I love this job and I’m happy to do it I just wish it was doable. 6 drives total daily. I won’t last a day… also is this normal ? Do most schools in Lakewood have 3 different dismissals?

Very specific issue so I know there won’t be much solutions. Just looking for some ideas or thoughts on how to handle this.

amother

Tiffanyblue

Mon, Jul 19 2021, 11:18 pm

Hire a driver? Carpool? Pay another mom picking up (or a teacher) to take home your child?

keym

Mon, Jul 19 2021, 11:20 pm

Boys schools traditionally have 3 or 4 dismissals.
2/2:45/3- primary
4-1st-3rd
4:45- 4th and up
And sometimes a mishmar for older grades
Plus minyan at 7:30 for 5-8.
Girls schools tend to only have 1 or 2 dismissals, depending on the size of the school.

This schedule sounds grueling.
Can you find someone to carpool with, even just to share the burden?

This year, for some reason, Jackson is not giving bussing to many, many schools

It's rough.

amother

Black

Mon, Jul 19 2021, 11:21 pm

Do Lakewood schools not offer aftercare?

SingALong

Mon, Jul 19 2021, 11:23 pm

My sister has this oot where she lives as there is no bussing. Most people coordinate carpools. Would that be an option for you?

Or can you hire a school staff member to stay on with your child for the 3pm pickup to do activities or homework with, and then pick that kid up together with the kid getting out at 3:45? At least that helps not needing to be in 2 places at once!
Btw I had such a dilemma when schools reopened partially after corona and I had just given birth. First day I spent 2 hours in the car. That night I hired a driver to do the afternoon runs. Paid a fortune but it saved my sanity. That was just for the 2 weeks though

Sewsew_mom

Mon, Jul 19 2021, 11:36 pm

Try and speak to the school. See if they have anyone coming your way and would agree to take home every so often or take home for pay. The bus system here is beyond ludicrous, and the schools dismissals are also rediculous. So frustrating. I feel your pain.

amother

NeonBlue

Mon, Jul 19 2021, 11:40 pm

With bussing the staggered dismissal made sense.
Without bussing it’s impossible.
I know some mothers have their kids wait in the school lobby for the next pickup. Not ideal but it’s done.

amother

Petunia

Mon, Jul 19 2021, 11:41 pm

The Lkwd girls school that I sent to has an after school option where the younger grades that have earlier dismissal have an option to stay till the later dismissal time. It’s $75 a month and it’s run by a primary assistant in one of the primary classrooms. It was set up a few years ago by a mom who teaches English in a school and needed later hours. The school has nothing to lose so they agreed to it. See if u can convince ur school to do this..

amother

Mon, Jul 19 2021, 11:51 pm

I had that a certain year when I had a newborn and drove him around town to get my kids. In the snow and rain in middle of his naps in middle of my nursing… it was crazy. I wish I could get a mom in the school but there’s only a handful and they are in different parts of town. At least 10 min extra in traffic. Would love to hire a driver but still couldn’t find one that agreed to this time (also scared of getting a crazy person- but that’s another issue)

After school would be awesome but it would be less than 3 kids ! Wonder if anyone would do it… but I’m anyways heading out for my daughter at 3. So basically this is in my head for 3 months non-stop with no real solutions. Can’t believe more schools have these different dismissals. Thought it was just our school. I might have to accept and mentally prepare myself for a 2.5 hour road trip everyday. Deep breaths and positivity maybe ?!

amother

Camellia

Mon, Jul 19 2021, 11:53 pm

Sounds really not doable. I’m assuming you’ve called other parents in the school who live closest to you and tried to arrange carpool ? The 4:40 kid could potentially take a lakeway, as I’m assuming he’s older . They can give a set driver daily. You really need to hustle to find drivers . Ask literally everyone you know . Advertise, check the BP and respond to all ads, etc etc. It’s not easy but if you hustle you will find. Be prepared to pay of course . But this is your sanity you’re paying for.

small bean

Tue, Jul 20 2021, 12:00 am

I don't have bussing and have boys so they are all on different schedules. It's tough sometimes. I basically live in my car.

amother

Moonstone

Tue, Jul 20 2021, 12:03 am

This really looks like a carpool situation. You can't be in different places at the same time.

amother

Dill

Tue, Jul 20 2021, 12:11 am

Been in a similar situation: it was 3pm dismissal from 3 places at the same time, additional 3:40 and 4;00 from one of the first stops, it’s not doable long term (even though I did it on and off for a year or so; it was super hard)

Here are practical solutions, and I wish you to find drivers for that.

1. You pick up one 3pm kid.
Your 3 same-school kids get extended hours and a driver. If you find another family to split a driver with its best.

2. Same as above, only you find carpool for the first kid. Saves you runs.

3. Same as above, and if schools aren’t too far from home go home and then go back and get 3 other kids after extended hours at 4:40. May be better than having a 5yo in the car with you for 2 hours.

4. Get both 3pm kids; they usually get out 10 mins before so you may be able to get to the first school at 2;50 and second one say 3:05.
4 and 4:40pm kids go home together with a Driver, or another carpool family.
Or you go back to get them at 4:40.

Btw, you can carpool/hire a driver with someone from your area who sends to a different school. We did that too.

Good luck!

ETA: post on your neighborhood chat the area you’re looking to carpool to.

DrMom

Tue, Jul 20 2021, 12:56 am

Can the kids at the school with the staggered times stay at school until 5? Two pick-ups: 3:00 and 5:00.

Or can the kids at the school with the staggered times stay at a classmate's home until 4:45? Then you pick up kid#1 at 3 and after collecting your 2 kids at 4:45, swing by the school and pick up the remaining kid at at 5.

amother

Catmint

Tue, Jul 20 2021, 1:01 am

Everyone that has no bussing oot has this.
We arrange carpools

amother

Stoneblue

Tue, Jul 20 2021, 1:55 am

amother [ Catmint ] wrote:

Everyone that has no bussing oot has this.
We arrange carpools

It is different when the whole town does not have busing and when a small group of kids do not have busing, not always can you have a carpool because there is no one to carpool with.

amother

Peru

Tue, Jul 20 2021, 7:27 am

My neighbor has a frum driver from Lakeway car service pick up 3 of her children every day. You can do this for your older kids and just pick up at 3

amother

Royalblue

Tue, Jul 20 2021, 8:14 am

I live oot and have the same type of situation. It’s doable. I run errands in between pickups so that time isn’t wasted. Most of my weekly errands like groceries, post office, dry cleaners, Target get done between carpools. I keep healthy snacks and water in the car so the kids have what to eat after I pick them up. We shmooze about their day as we run our errands and head to the next carpool. It’s actually nice. I’ve also gotten audiobooks from the library that we listen to as a family sometimes. I used to do carpools but after some bad experiences I now prefer to have this family time in the car.

ETA: for the simultaneous 3 p.m. pickups, just show up ten minutes early to whichever school takes their kids out earlier. Or go by which kid is more anxious- pick them up first.

amother

Cyclamen

Tue, Jul 20 2021, 8:17 am

Don’t know what to say, don’t live in Lakewood…. but that schedule sounds awful & not doable long term.
I hope you find a solution quickly .

Fave

Tue, Jul 20 2021, 10:45 am

Can you have your kids go on the bus and get off at the closes stop to your house (a Lakewood area that is close to your town)? This should cut down on the driving and the the two kids coming home at 3 will get off the bus in the same area.

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