According to the Holyoke Public Schools:
“Students are eligible for transportation if they live further than the following distance from their home to their assigned school:

PreK: Not eligible
K-5th: 1 mile or greater
6th-8th: 1.5 miles or greater
9-12th: 2 miles or greater”

So, every morning at 8:15 am, Ray Figueroa and City Councilor Carmen Ocasio form a “walking bus” for Morgan Elementary school students to have adults walk with them to school through a half a dozen intersections, two canal bridges, and streets strewn with used needles and broken bottles.

They volunteer to do this, and are vetted, including CORI checks, by the Holyoke Public Schools.

They walk in all weather conditions and Councilor Ocasio has even swept parts of the streets herself to remove garbage. She called the Department of Public Works to trim down out-of-control sharp bushes.

Whatever the rules about public school transportation, for the councilor and Ray, it’s all about keeping the children safe.

The playground at the Morgan school is another danger zone with cracked sidewalks and a play structure that has been broken for months. Yellow “caution” tape is put up to keep children away, but children will be children and they break the ribbon. Councilor Ocasio is pushing for the school department to fix broken pavements and playground equipment already.
More info here.