Denton Christian Preschool is in desperate need of two school buses after a car crashed into them in the parking lot. The school is funded by United Way of Denton County and educates low-income children. The buses are a vital part of transportation to and from school.
Dozens of children load the buses each day. For some, it is their only way to and from school. Last week, this mode of transportation was nearly wiped out.
"I just couldn't believe. I saw the blue and white flash and didn't know what was happening until I saw the bus moving and heard the crash," Denton Christian Preschool Board President Peggy Widmer said.
She said a driver lost control of his vehicle on University Drive and slammed into two buses that were parked in the school's parking lot.
"One was completely totaled. One was pretty bad," Denton Christian Preschool Director Alicia Blanca said. "And my first thought was, 'How am I going to get these kids home? This is the only way to get them home.'"
The school has a third bus that was not damaged, so three bus routes have been combined into one. School officials are concerned because insurance will only cover part of their loss, and the other buses are needed.
"It is not going to cover $53,000," Blanca said.
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She said the buses are just part of the problem. The school has lost a big portion of its funding.
"We've eliminated some positions here to keep the school open. The year before that, the staff took a pay cut to keep this place open," Blanca said.
The school is currently providing affordable preschool education to low-income families, so for them, the ride to school is much more than a bus.
