SUFFOLK, Va. (WVEC) -- Due to an extreme number of drivers calling out sick, more than 100 school bus routes were canceled Friday.
Parents were notified of the cancelations Thursday evening. Only families who received the message through School Messenger are affected by the cancelations.
By mid-morning, Suffolk schools reported 67 of 135 bus drivers had called out, which led to 122 of 349 bus route being canceled.
Approximately 4,468 Suffolk students were absent Friday. School officials tell us that on a normal Friday, absences range from 800 to 900 students.
In order to accommodate parents, Suffolk schools offered an early drop off at all elementary schools at 7:45 a.m.
All student absences that occur on Friday due to canceled bus routes will be excused. Student absentee numbers are still being calculated.
Absences will be excused for students unable to make it to school. Teacher says some kids who came to school walked out & left @13NewsNow
— Jemie Lee (@13JemieLee) March 31, 2017
Below is a full list of affected bus routes:
An emergency meeting was called by Superintendent Deran Whitney Thursday in an effort to stop the planned "sick-out"... a meeting Whitney did not attend.
"You call for a meeting that you can't show up for and you take a super big raise the way that you did... all his respect is out the window, as far as I'm concerned," driver Robin Patterson said.
Bradshaw told 13News Now the Superintendent wasn't at the meeting because he was in another meeting to try and bump up the pay raise from 2.4 percent to 2.5 percent for all bus drivers, including the ones at the top of the pay scale.
But drivers like Vera Blackwell say that's still not enough.
"2.5 percent is not enough, especially with the cost of our health care going up," she said.
Drivers were provided with comment cards to write down their concerns. School officials say administrators also recorded drivers' concerns -- notes with responses will be provided to the drivers by email before Spring Break.
Bradshaw says the Superintendent will create a bus driver advisory committee to better handle concerns. Principals will also continue to meet with bus drivers in small groups to talk about discipline and safety issues on the buses.
Tomorrow's sick-out may not be limited to bus drivers. Teachers may join them. Teacher told me 23 already called out at KFHS. @13NewsNow
— Jemie Lee (@13JemieLee) March 30, 2017
Parents are asked to consider taking their child to school, or at least wait with them at the bus stop until a bus arrives.
At least one Suffolk school is showing light attendance because of the lack of buses. A teacher sent 13News Now photos showing near-empty hallways before class at King's Fork High School.
PHOTOS: 122 school bus routes canceled in Suffolk
KFHS Hallway & cafeteria nearly empty. Normally packed in morning. Looks like bus driver sick-out having big impact on attendance #13NewsNow pic.twitter.com/NizzjiDGF7
— Jemie Lee (@13JemieLee) March 31, 2017