School choice is a wonderful freedom Americans experience. But sometimes that choice leaves parents wondering how they’ll manage the commute to schools that aren’t close to their homes. Several St. Mary’s High School families have been faced with just such a dilemma. But for families in Monument and now Pueblo St. Mary’s bus service is giving them options.

Sean Heery’s family lives in Monument. But all three of his children either have attended or are attending St. Mary’s High School in central Colorado Springs.

“The first question I get asked about St. Mary’s is ‘how do you get your kids there,’” Heery said. “When I tell them that there’s a morning bus from Monument to the school, it’s a big seller for families.”

Above, St. Mary's High School freshmen Peter Tran, front, of Pueblo and Junwon Choi arrive at school via the bus. Busing from Pueblo is new to St. Mary's High School this year.

St. Mary’s High School began a bus service from Monument five years ago, picking up students at a couple of different locations each morning and depositing them at school, said Tim Walker, director of transportation for St. Mary’s. So far afternoon service isn’t provided, so Monument parents organize carpools to get the students back north in the afternoon.

Heery spent two years organizing the afternoon carpools, working with the schedules of several other families to make sure 19 students got home each afternoon. The work he put into the afternoon carpool schedule made him more thankful for the morning bus.

“I think riding the bus builds camaraderie among the Monument students,” Heery said. “Getting students to the school is the biggest concern for parents. The bus works out great and is worth every nickel.”

Then last fall the school began a bus program allowing Pueblo students to be picked up in Pueblo and brought to school. Kathy Bell of Pueblo said what seemed like the biggest challenge to her son, Hugh, attending St. Mary’s this year—mainly the distance—has turned into turned into a positive.

“The students who are on the bus have become friends and sometimes study together,” Bell said. “Personally, I think it gives the kids some head time—either to gear up for their day or to decompress on the way home.”

Bell said without the bus it would be impossible for Hugh to attend SMHS. “I still have two younger children here in Pueblo in grades four and seven whom I have to drive to school and pick up so I am still quite tied down here,” Bell said.

The Pueblo bus started out being run like the Monument program—with St. Mary’s vehicles—but has since transitioned to a combined effort between St. Mary’s and the Colorado Springs School.

“Now it’s a ride share program,” Walker said. “The Colorado Springs School bus picks up the kids in Pueblo then our bus meets them in Fountain and brings them to the school. It’s worked out really well and allowed us to provide the service at a rate favorable for the parents.”

The bus from Monument to St. Mary’s costs families $65 per month per child. Pueblo families pay $50 per month per child for the bus service.

With the success of the bus programs from Monument and Pueblo, the school is now looking into the possibility of buses that service the Security/Widefield area and the Falcon area.

“As the only Catholic high school in southern Colorado, the bus program allows us to live out our vision extending it to our neighboring communities,” said Robyn Cross, SMHS director of admissions. “That vision is to be southern Colorado’s leader in educating a diverse student body to become moral leaders for tomorrow.”

By Amy G. Partain, Communications Assistant

St. Mary's High School