For a couple of months, the Greene County School Board has followed a new procedure for youngsters wanting to drive early.

At the March meeting, the School Board made some changes to how 14 and 15 year olds can obtain a school driving permit. One of the changes is that the school board president can sign off on the permit and that students must present their reasons for a permit to the board during a meeting. A total of 13 students have spoken to the board and each have been granted a permit. 

Superintendent Tim Christensen says the transition has gone well.

“I thought it was very nice (and) I’m very excited by it and glad that the board made that change. So it’s nice that: A, I like the fact that the students have to make, even though it was maybe a 10-15 second presentation, but the more a student can stand up and in front of the board or in front of public and talk, I think that’s a great aspect as well. But then it gave the opportunity, Bonnie Silbaugh, school board member, did a nice job of just communicating with the students and parents the seriousness of having a school permit, kind of the rules and regulations of what you need to follow and what some of the consequences are if you don’t follow those. So I thought it was a huge success.”     

Most of the reasons that students gave include early morning or after school practices for sports and not having to rely on parents to drive them, thus not interrupting their morning or afternoon schedules.