TCAPS student mourned during meeting; bus stop change requested

Kathryn DePauw, The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
·3 min read

Sep. 10—TRAVERSE CITY — Thoughts of the 8-year-old student who died so tragically on the first day of school were mentioned by members of the Traverse City Area Public Schools board as they started their meeting Monday.

Board Treasurer Andrew Raymond asked for a moment of silence and remembrance for Jayson "JJ" Hoogeveen.

JJ's death was "gut-wrenching," Raymond said, adding that he wished they could "lift up the family and wrap our arms around them."

JJ, a Traverse Heights Elementary student, was struck and killed by a vehicle in King's Court Mobile Home Park on Sept. 3, the first day of school for TCAPS.

Neighbors and witnesses say he was at a bus stop when the tragedy occurred, but police have not yet confirmed any details.

"We just wanted to take a moment to reflect on the tragic events from last Tuesday morning," Raymond said. "Just a gut-wrenching event to, unfortunately, start this school year so I just wanted to take a moment to reflect and lift up the family and wrap our arms around them."

Jenny Walter, a first-grade teacher at Traverse Heights spoke at the board meeting and thanked district officials for their support during the past week as the school community grieved the loss of JJ and sought to help his family.

Walter mentioned the extra social workers made available to the school and letters they have received expressing condolences.

"It has been a tough start, but we just felt so wrapped around and so supported," she said. "We really felt appreciated and we just felt like everyone's in this together."

"Thanks for being human and caring so much about us because we're so lucky," Walter told school board members. "We have such a great staff — but we really felt like the whole community stepped up. So thank you."

The police report said JJ was struck at 7:24 a.m. on Charles Place near the intersection of Ray Boulevard in the Garfield Township park. There are two bus stops in the park, one near the management office and one by the south entrance on Lloyd Lane.

After the tragedy, one of the King's Court parents, Tiffani Osborne, organized daily parent-volunteer crossing guards during pick-up and drop-off.

Parents in the park have had concerns about both of the bus stops for years, Osborne said.

The bus stop where JJ was hit was reviewed earlier this year by TCAPS after the district received a parent complaint, the superintendent said.

Because of regulations and restrictions in Michigan's law, the bus stop had been moved slightly, but remained in the same area, according to Dr. John VanWagoner, TCAPS superintendent.

Walter indicated that the school board is considering possible changes to the bus stop.

"I know the family is looking at talking about bus stops and I know that they are trying to work with us," she said to the board, "... and I just really appreciate your openness to that, to adjusting the bus stop up at King's Court."

Kathryn DePauw reports in partnership with Report for America.