Aug 22, 2013 2 min read

When students in Trinity Area School District head back to school Wednesday, they will board GG&C and Schweinebraten school buses.

As the legal impasse with the school district over a transportation contract stretches into the new school year, the local bus companies will continue to provide Trinity services under the terms of the contract that expired June 30.

“We just haven’t come to an agreement, and we all knew we needed to provide transportation,” said school board President Jennifer Morgan. “It’s still being negotiated.”

A group of residents in the audience applauded when Morgan said the district will use the bus companies for the 2013-14 school year.

Earlier this year, GG&C and Schweinebraten sued the school district after it awarded an $8.86 million transportation contract to First Student Inc.

GG&C bid $8.67 million, but questions were raised about how the bids were calculated and whether GG&C submitted its bid properly.

In another matter, the board voted 5-1 to hire an additional second-grade teacher at Trinity East Elementary School to reduce the class size from 27 students. Superintendent Paul Kasunich said the school district aims to keep class size lower in grades K-2, where children are learning reading skills.

Voting in favor were directors Henry Clemens, Penny Caleffe, Kerrin McIlvaine, Morgan and Tamara Salvatori. Jenene Hupp opposed.