No injuries in Hillside Road school bus incident

There were no injuries as the result of an incident involving a school bus in Rhinelander the morning of Nov. 20.

Rhinelander school district superintendent Eric Burke said in an email to district parents the driver of a Bowen’s Bus Service bus was backing up on Hillside Road when the bus slid into a ditch due to icy road conditions.

“We want to reassure everyone that no students or the driver were injured,” he wrote, adding deputies with the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office responded immediately and were “on the scene to assist.”

Burke said parents and guardians of the students on the bus were contacted by the sheriff’s office. 

“Several families chose to pick up their children directly from the location,” he wrote and stated Bowens Bus Service sent another bus “to safely transport the remaining students to school.”

Burke said the bus company would also be reaching out to each family “to share information about the incident and answer any questions you may have.”

He said the district  was “grateful” for the quick response from the sheriff’s office and Bowen’s Bus Service. 

“We appreciate the patience and understanding of our families and staff this morning,” Burke wrote. “Student safety remains our highest priority, and we will continue to work closely with Bowen’s to ensure safe transportation in winter weather conditions.”