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PHILIPPI -- The Barbour County Schools system is suffering from a lack of available bus drivers as students have returned to classes this month in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Superintendent of Schools Jeff Woofter has acknowledged the problem, making a public appeal for people to enter the school system's bus driver training program.
"We've had several drivers quarantined due to COVID-19," Woofter told The Inter-Mountain. "It's just the luck of the draw, with COVID.
"We just added one driver to our training program, but we are still encouraging anyone who wants to help to contact us," he said.
Woofter has kept parents updated on the situation, in his regular phone calls and Facebook posts.
"Due to a lack of substitute drivers, we have made arrangements with other drivers in the area to assist us in getting as many students to school as we can," he noted in a recent post, adding that staffers would call "affected students to let them know of the alternate pick-up and drop off times and locations.
"We apologize for the inconvenience this causes many families and we are actively recruiting substitute bus drivers both locally and statewide to fill in when needed.
"If you know of anyone that would like to drive bus for the school system, please encourage them to apply for our training program," the post reads.
Woofter also stressed that the school system is doing its best to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
In another recent post, he stated, "I want to remind parents, students and staff that masks will need to be worn on the buses, in the classrooms, and in congregant settings. We also need to focus on regularly washing our hands."