Massena and Gouverneur school districts are each getting $3,000 from the state to buy equipment to “improve school bus safety, identify reckless drivers and improve safety for students who walk to and from school,” according to Sen. Patty Ritchie, R-Heuvelton.

The funding comes on the heels of an incident last week where a Jefferson County student was nearly struck by a reckless driver as the student was getting off the school bus to go home. This incident joins the “hundreds of others” reported by local districts and their bus drivers as part of a survey Ritchie conducted earlier this year on the number of buses illegally passed over a five-day period, the senator’s office said. Results of that survey are available on Senator Ritchie’s website, www.ritchie.nysenate.gov.

“The Massena Central School District is grateful for the support of Senator Patty Ritchie to enhance student safety. The passing of school buses by motorists is a continual threat to the health and welfare of our students and unfortunately, it happens on an all too frequent basis,” Massena Central School District Superintendent Patrick Brady said in a prepared statement from Ritchie’s office. “It will take a community approach to deal with this problem including stronger detection and stricter law enforcement. We are appreciative of the spotlight that Senator Ritchie has placed on this issue and will be using the resources provided to support her in these efforts.”

"The health and safety of our students is of the utmost importance here in Gouverneur,” Gouverneur Central School District Superintendent Lauren French said in a prepared statement from Ritchie’s office. “The funding provided by Senator Ritchie to help us improve the safety of our students coming to or heading back home from school is greatly appreciated."

Ritchie represents the 48th Senate District. It covers most of northern and western St. Lawrence County, including Ogdensburg, Canton and Gouverneur. The districts extends southwest into Jefferson and Oswego counties.