Wheelchair Lift Buses At Newark School Were ‘Long Time Coming’

NEWARK, NJ — Students at John F. Kennedy School in Newark recently gained some much-needed transportation access when the district put the school’s first wheelchair-accessible lift bus into service.

On Sept. 20, Newark Public School administrators unveiled their first wheelchair bus service for student transportation at the John F. Kennedy School, which is home to 167 students from 6th grade to 21 years of age who receive academics and life skills training.

According to school officials, the wheelchair lift bus will help students needing wheelchair access to use district sponsored transportation to and from school. Students using the wheelchair lift bus will now have greater access to school sponsored field trips, transportation to job training and learning life skills from community visits.

School administrators said that the purchase of the wheelchair lift bus was made possible through the dedication of multiple donors and the networking efforts of Principal Glenda Johnson-Green, a 44-year veteran of the Newark Public School system.

One of the donors - hip hop artist Dupré “Doitall” Kelly of the “Lords of the Underground” – said that he was surprised to learn that the school was without such an essential piece of equipment.

Kelly said that he then spearheaded an initiative through his nonprofit group, 211 Community Impact, and worked alongside Essex County Freeholder Rufus Johnson to raise $60,000 from several individuals and organizations.

Kelly, a longtime local community activist, announced plans to run for City Council in 2018 last month.

• See related article: Famous New Jersey Hip-Hop Artist Planning Run For City Council

According to JFK school administrators, they are currently reviewing student service needs to determine how many students will utilize the wheelchair bus lift for home to school transportation, which could result in the elimination of up to five bus routes that are currently provided by outside vendors.

“Working towards fundraising for the lift bus was an idea that I and community partners decided to do to impact the lives of this very specialized population,” Johnson-Green said. “We wanted each student in JFK, whether they are able bodied or in a wheelchair to be exposed to the same experiences in the community. This unveiling has been a long time coming.”

Send local news tips, photos and press releases to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Photos: Newark Public Schools

Don’t forget to visit the Patch Newark Facebook page here.