By Leann Schenke

MIDDLETOWN — Following a strike Thursday, the union that represents bus drivers of First Student Bus Co. have reached a tentative contract agreement with the company.

“The union (Teamsters Local 326) has instructed drivers to report to work (today),” Jen Biddinger, a spokeswoman for First Student, wrote in an email Thursday evening.

This followed an email to Appoquinimink School District parents sent out Wednesday night by Tom Poehlmann, director of safety, security and operations for the district, who wrote that the company’s contract offer was voted down, 27-23.

First Student, an Ohio-based company, covers 26 routes — with two runs per bus — for Appoquinimink.

Along with Appoquinimink, First Student also is a contracted company with the Christina and New Castle County Vocational Technical school districts.

Mr. Poehlmann wrote Wednesday that First Student indicated that the company would try to invoke a 21-day cooling-off period, per language in its national contract — an action designed to provide time to secure a mediator who will attempt to resolve the contract dispute.

In response to “rumblings” the district heard about the potential of a strike a month ago, Appoquinimink Superintendent Matt Burrows said Thursday that the district had previously considered having its high school students return to virtual learning if a strike were to occur.

However, after looking at several different options and after receiving feedback from parents, Mr. Burrows said the district opted against that route.

“Our initial communication had our high schools going virtual in our plan,” Mr. Burrows said. “We took feedback from that, got a lot of feedback on it, and most parents want their kids in school for in-person learning. We were able to make plans to have kids not miss instructional time and have in-person learning (during the strike Thursday).”

Instead, Mr. Poehlmann said the district’s remaining bus drivers took on additional routes Thursday, performing three runs each (the typical number is two for each bus) to pick up those pupils served by First Student buses.

He noted taking on a third run did mean early arrivals and late departures in the afternoon for some students.

“It was everyone’s goal that kids would not miss instruction,” Mr. Poehlmann said.

Mr. Burrows thanked the district staff and drivers for ensuring students were able to get to school on time Thursday.

“There were a lot of heroes today,” he said. “To be able to turn this around in less than 12 hours and make that happen, just a thank you to our parents, thank you to our community, thank you to the drivers, staff, administrators and onsite people at every school because it was a total team effort to pull this off and make it happen today.”

State Senate leaders released a statement on the bus strike Thursday morning before it was settled. Signed by President Pro Tempore Dave Sokola, D-Newark; Majority Leader Bryan Townsend, D-Newark; and Majority Whip Elizabeth “Tizzy” Lockman, D-Wilmington, it said the hope was to gain better pensions and health care led to the strike.

“Please know, the bus drivers have been negotiating for months to avoid this exact situation,” the statement read. “In many cases, these drivers are parents and grandparents themselves, and are doing what they believe is necessary to adequately provide for their families.”

The statement continued, saying the people who transport students “deserve fair working conditions, affordable health care and the knowledge they will be able to pay their bills after retirement.”