Alleghany Highlands Public Schools

LOW MOOR — Alleghany Highlands Public Schools is excited to announce that bus drivers who were recently hired will soon be available to meet student transportation needs.

Additional bus drivers will be deployed to help reduce crowding on particular runs.  Bus route changes will occur this month and will be announced to parents via school staff at parent-teacher meetings, automated calls, texts, emails, and updates to the 2024-2025 bus list posted on the AHPS website.

The changes will affect some students in the Callaghan and Jeter-Watson elementary zones, and include Covington Middle and Alleghany High students in these areas.  Buses in the Sharon and Mountain View zones are not facing crowding issues.  

For the convenience of the community, many related changes will take effect on Tuesday, Sept. 24, when school resumes after a parent-teacher conference day on Monday, Sept. 23. Schools will be closed on Sept. 23 as previously scheduled for conferences.

Route changes have been posted on the school division’s online listing of bus routes. These changes are posted on www.ahps.k12.va.us as soon as they become available.   In the case of Bus No. 12, the transportation route was previously planned, but no bus driver was available when the year began in August. 

“We appreciate the flexibility shown by our community as we adapt bus routes for efficiency and welcome new drivers,” said Christina Lemaster of AHPS Transportation.  “We are working to make changes quickly while trying to help make sure families have adequate information to plan.”

While excited to share about the new drivers and routes, AHPS continues to seek bus drivers. The pool of available drivers remains below the desired levels. Individuals interested in becoming bus drivers should contact the AHPS Bus Garage at (540) 965-1809 or AHPS Human Resources at (540) 863-1800.  Questions about bus routes should be referred to the bus garage.

“We are so thankful for our bus drivers, substitute bus drivers, ‘shuttle’ car drivers, bus aides, mechanics, and others who help make sure our children get to school safely,” said Kim Halterman and Melinda Snead-Johnson, leaders of AHPS. “To maintain current levels of service, it continues to be important that additional individuals come forward to join our team.”

A nationwide shortage of school bus drivers continues.  According to the Economic Policy Institute, the number of available K-12 bus drivers has dropped 15.1 percent since 2019.

AHPS serves approximately 2,700 students. The school division is jointly funded by Alleghany County and the City of Covington.