Student left on school bus in North Kingstown

NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WLNE) — North Kingstown School officials are reviewing their procedures after a young child was unintentionally left on the bus.

In a letter to parents Tuesday, Superintendent Kenneth Duva said the child was found unattended, but safe, on a minibus on Fairway Drive after a morning run to our district extended school year program.

Immediately the North Kingstown Police, EMT’s, and parent were notified, said Duva.

According to Duva, North Kingstown School Department employees who were responsible for the child at the time have been placed on administrative leave during the investigation.

“We are thankful that the child is safe, however we are also extremely concerned that this situation occurred. We are reviewing current procedures, safety protocols, and accountability for the monitoring of students transported on North Kingstown School Department buses,” he said.

“We will be implementing additional measures to prevent such incidents from happening in the future. This includes enhancing communication protocols between drivers, monitors, and school personnel to ensure that every student is safely accounted for during and after transportation,” he continued.

Duva said the school remains dedicated to providing a safe and nurturing environment for every student in the community.