MECHANIC FALLS, Maine — As Maine students, staff, and parents, prepare to return to the classroom, a lot of families will soon head out to buy new school supplies.
This week, RSU 16 is encouraging residents to donate supplies for students in need at various locations around the district, which covers Poland, Minot, and Mechanic Falls.
The district is taking a creative approach to the effort this year and is employing the help of "Gus the Bus." The training bus will be used to collect the donations this week and will be used as a tool for bus safety training during the school year.
Gus will be at Elm Street School in Mechanic Falls from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday. On Thursday, donations will be collected at the Poland Community School from 9 a.m. to noon. Then next week, Mainers can drop off donations at the RSU 16 Central Office for the district, which is located in Poland.
“It’s hard times for a lot of people. And, like I said, [in] RSU 16, we take care of our kids. And if there’s anything we can do to help [we're going to do it]," RSU 16 Transportation Director Stewart Mason said.
Mason had the idea to bring Gus to the district. Besides helping out in this effort, Mason is planning to use the bus for other donation drives like during the holidays.
Parents in the district will also have some other bus-related information at their fingertips this year. RSU 16 will use the app BusRight, which will allow parents to track their kids' bus routes and give students real-time updates on when their bus will pick them up.
It's a way for families to get up-to-date information, Mason added, and kids won't have to stand outside at their bus stop during the winter wondering when their ride will get there.