From left, Jamestown Board Of Education Member John Panebianco, Vice President Joe Pawelski, President Paul Abbott, and Superintendent Dr. Kevin Whitaker conduct business Tuesday at a meeting at Washington Middle School. P-J photo by Michael Zabrodsky

To help alleviate low staff levels in its transportation department, the Jamestown Public Schools Board of Education has partnered with the Southwestern Central School District.

JPS board members approved a shared transportation pact Tuesday, and the agreement calls for Southwestern to provide to JPS, on a limited and temporary basis, bus drivers, bus attendants, or bus mechanics.

“This is for the sharing of bus drivers, mechanics, and bus aids as needed. So, if our staff is unable to fill a run, or we have a mechanic who’s out, we are able to contract with Southwestern to help us when we have a need,” said Britnay Spry, JPS Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations.

Board Member John Panebianco asked about who would be the lead district concerning any disciplinary measures for students who ride on the buses.

Superintendent Dr. Kevin Whitaker said that school districts would discipline their own students. An example would be if a JPS student were riding a bus driven by a SWCS driver, then JPS would handle the disciplinary actions.

“I think it’s great that we are doing these things,” board president Paul Abbott said about the shared services agreement.

Abbott added that the state Department of Education is encouraging all districts, regardless of size, to be involved in shared services.

The board also approved bids for capital improvement work which includes heating system upgrades, and outside running track work at Persell Middle School. The bids were opened on Aug. 13, and were awarded to Scobell Company, of Erie, Pa. for mechanical work, Ahlstrom Schaeffer Electric Corp., of Jamestown, for electrical work, and Lake Shore Paving, of Jamestown, for the track improvements.

Whitaker said the construction is for new unit ventilators that were installed in Persell Middle School.

“Over time, we have put in piping and wiring for those unit ventilators, so this (construction) is to move forward with additional ventilation installations,” Whitaker noted.

In other business:

– Board members also OK’d a preliminary external audit prepared by Buffamante, Whipple, and Buttafaro, of Jamestown.

– The board heard a presentation by the Washington Middle School Garden Club. Washington Principal Ericka Alm said the garden eventually will connect to the school’s curriculum and to the district’s food service department.

The garden club was awarded a $5,000 grant from the New York State Farm to School Program. One of the goals of the club is to make the school garden feel like it’s a part of the community, teachers, and families and Washington Middle School. Another goal is to improve communication, by including club parents more in activities by inviting them to more meetings and having them be an active part of the club, and by making parents feel that it is also their garden.