School Committee hears plans for school bus bids, welcomes back superintendent

School administrators managing the city’s bids for a new school bus contract spoke to the School Committee at Wednesday’s meeting.

Waltham currently charters 31 school buses from the Eastern Bus Co. The contract is due to expire in August.

Crystal Philpott, a purchasing agent for the city, presented the bid to the committee. She and her team are asking for 30 vehicles to serve the community through the 2027-2028 academic year, with the chance of a two-year extension.

In addition to the current safety features on the buses and driver checks, Philpott and others working on the bid want to implement exterior cameras to help kids cross the street safely.

Chad Mazza, the school district’s assistant superintendent for finance and operations, noted how difficult it has been to find an accurate number of students riding the bus every day. He said the city needs to streamline communication to get a better count of students riding the bus and determine their age and grade breakdowns.

The state’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) sets busing requirements for municipal school districts, with factors such as students’ grade levels, distance from schools and road conditions determining whether districts must provide buses.

Mayor Jeannette A. McCarthy recommended that school administrators create alternative bids to help the city learn more about the students riding the buses. 

Discouraged by the many empty buses she sees, McCarthy said she hopes the alternative bids will buy the city time to get a more accurate assessment of school bus needs and create some flexibility regarding the cost of the buses.

Superintendent returns after illness

Superintendent Marisa Mendonsa returned to the School Committee on Wednesday after taking medical leave earlier this year to undergo treatment for breast cancer.

Mendonsa opened Wednesday’s committee meeting upbeat, grateful and emotional.

“I really want to take a moment to thank the entire city of Waltham,” she said.

Mendonsa highlighted the support she received from the youngest Waltham residents. Mendonsa, who is known for her bright and fun footwear, said that there were 800 submissions in the Super Cool Kicks contest, a sneaker design competition that was held in the city.

Mendonsa said she was “bolstered” by this support.

Mendonsa thanked her family, especially her mom who cared for her during such a difficult time and often live streams the School Committee meetings. She also expressed excitement for the future.

“I’m thrilled to be back,” Mendonsa said.