Watertown School Bus Stop Dispute Escalates as Waverly-South Shore Rejects Boys & Girls Club Drop-Off Change; Other Districts Forced to Adjust
- Steve Jurrens
- 6 hours ago
- 4 min read
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - Following the Watertown School Board’s unanimous vote on August 10 to eliminate the Boys & Girls Club as an approved pick-up and drop-off site for surrounding school districts, area school leaders have issued public updates—leading to an impasse over state law, safety standards, and student transportation.
While some neighboring districts are adjusting schedules and routes to accommodate the changes, the Waverly-South Shore School District has formally rejected Watertown’s alternative location, declaring it will continue operating its bus stop at the Boys & Girls Club under its existing agreement.
Waverly-South Shore Cites State Law, Refuses Location Change
In a statement on social media to district families, Waverly-South Shore school officials addressed Watertown’s decision to reassign their drop-off point to Gracepoint Church. District leaders stated that the proposed church site lacks sidewalks and safe walkways, failing to meet the student safety requirements established in South Dakota state law.
Citing SDCL 13-28-45, Waverly-South Shore pointed out that state law mandates that both the receiving and resident school districts must annually approve pick-up locations, with decisions based foremost on student safety. Under the statute, if the two school boards cannot reach a mutual agreement, the pick-up locations must be determined by the Secretary of the South Dakota Department of Education.
Waverly-South Shore Statement:
“Our district does not agree to this alternative location. Waverly-South Shore School will continue operating under our existing transportation agreement, and will continue to use the Boys and Girls Club as our pick up/drop off location until/unless both districts can agree to an alternative location that meets the student safety requirements in state law.”
This stance sets up a potential state-level resolution through the Department of Education if Watertown and Waverly-South Shore cannot agree on a site before classes begin.
Florence School District Adds Afternoon Drop-Off Options
The Florence School District confirmed that its official bus stop will move to the Watertown Armory (South Dakota Army National Guard Readiness Center). District officials acknowledged that losing the Boys & Girls Club location creates significant inconvenience for families relying on after-school care, noting that Watertown was only willing to approve a single pick-up/drop-off point.
To lessen the burden on working parents, Florence announced it will offer two afternoon drop-off times at the Armory:
· First Drop-Off: Approximately 3:50 p.m.
· Second Drop-Off: Approximately 4:15 p.m.
Florence officials noted that children remaining on the bus for the later drop-off will ride for approximately 25 additional minutes, but hoped the option provides needed flexibility for working families. Florence also reminded parents that bus driver contact information will be included on monthly calendars, with after-hours inquiries directed to florencefalconbus@gmail.com between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
Henry School District Expands Morning Window at Maas Ice Arena
The Henry School District notified families that its request to utilize the Boys & Girls Club was denied and that all district pick-ups and drop-offs will take place strictly at the Maas Ice Arena on the west side of Watertown.
To assist parents needing to commute to work on time, Henry administration is expanding its morning window at the arena:
· Bus Arrival: 7:05 a.m.
· Bus Departure for Henry: 7:30 a.m.
School officials expressed hope that keeping the bus stationary at Maas Ice Arena for 25 minutes in the morning will give parents sufficient time to drop off their students before work.
Background: Safety Concerns vs. Regional Impact
The responses follow Monday’s Watertown School Board meeting, where Superintendent Dr. Jeff Danielsen outlined safety and traffic concerns at the shared parking lot between Watertown High School and the Boys & Girls Club. Danielsen noted that increased traffic following the opening of the Allen Mitchell Athletic Complex in fall 2025, combined with unapproved district bus stops and unsupervised student movement, necessitated strict enforcement of designated stops under SDCL 13-28-45.
While Watertown board members emphasized their responsibility to prioritize Watertown campus safety, the resulting changes have left surrounding districts working quickly to adapt—or push back—before the school year begins.
For families in the Hamlin School District, the board’s approval of Prairie Stop—a commercial truck stop and convenience store located at the busy junction of U.S. Highway 212 and Highway 20—has raised growing concerns regarding pedestrian safety. Located miles away from central after-school facilities like the Boys & Girls Club, the site leaves no safe walking alternative for students whose parents might be delayed.
Should a student not have a ride and attempt to walk from the highway intersection, they would face heavy commercial truck traffic, high-speed arterial roads, and stretches lacking continuous sidewalks or protected crosswalks.
While Watertown Superintendent Dr. Jeff Danielsen emphasized that the board’s legal mandate under state law focuses strictly on safety at the bus stop itself rather than a student’s destination afterward, parents note that dropping children off along major highway corridors creates severe real-world hazards if transportation plans fall through.
Drop-Off Sites Ranked by Distance to the Boys & Girls Club
Here is how all five approved sites compare in relation to the Boys & Girls Club:
District | Approved Drop-Off Location | Approximate Distance to Boys & Girls Club | Pedestrian Feasibility |
Waverly-South Shore | Gracepoint Church | ~0.4 miles | Walkable distance, but district rejected site citing sidewalk/safety gaps. |
Henry | Maas Ice Arena | ~2.0 – 2.2 miles | Multiple miles walking distance across west-side roadways? |
Castlewood | Odyssey 8 Movie Theater | ~2.2 miles | Multiple miles walking distance; commercial corridor. |
Florence | Watertown Armory | ~2.3 miles | Unrealistic walking distance; industrial/guard facility area? |
Hamlin | Prairie Stop (Hwy 212 & Hwy 20) | ~3.2 – 3.5 miles | Farthest location. Completely non-walkable highway truck stop? |
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