Greenwich Schools Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones and Chief Financial and Administrative Officer Ben Branyan emailed Western Middle School families on Thursday about the yellow school buses parked at on school property.
School buses parked on asphalt and grass at Western Middle School. Sept 13, 2025 Photo: Leslie Yager
School buses parked on asphalt and grass at Western Middle School. Sept 13, 2025 Photo: Leslie Yager
School buses parked on asphalt and grass at Western Middle School. Sept 13, 2025 Photo: Leslie Yager
“We have heard from many Western Middle Schools families regarding some of our school buses temporarily being parked on school property and want to address your questions,” they wrote. “Parking buses at Western MS is only a temporary measure while we work to secure a permanent, off campus location.”
The email said that to help balance the impact across the district, buses are parked in multiple locations including at Greenwich High School, Parkway School, and town property in Old Greenwich.
“We find ourselves in this position because our original plan of parking in an off-site location fell through at the last minute.”
Jones and Branyan said the district has a real estate professional working to help secure a new location.
“Together, we fought hard and long to give the WMS community the best turf fields Greenwich has to offer. Our students are enjoying those fields everyday. Buses are not permitted to park on the new beautiful field.”
The email said parking is limited to paved parking, and one designated grass surface, and as an added precaution, facilities have marked underground infrastructure to avoid damage.
“Admittedly, it is frustrating to have all of the temporary buses on site. However, there is still ample parking for staff and parents who need to park by the school,” Jones noted.
Jones and Branyan said the district will continue to monitor operations closely to minimize noise, traffic, and facility impact, and that all bus drivers and monitors on school premises are vetted and clear state and federal background checks before transporting students.
They thanked families for their understanding and patience about the district-wide challenge and promised to share updates as they become available.
Back at the start of the school year, Dr. Jones responded to neighbors on Hillside Road who had concerns about buses parked at Greenwich High School, including idling engines, and constant beeping when drivers back up.
At the time she said the district was working with a new bus company and that they were waiting on the contract clearance for the actual bus lot the district intended to utilize up I-95.
Sept 1, 2025
About 30 buses were backed in diagonally along the northern parking lot at GHS. Sept 1, 2025