Michael O’Keefe, Head of School at Rising Tide Charter Public School (Rising Tide), announced that the school will offer expanded bus transportation to multiple South Shore towns beginning in the fall of 2020. Students from 20 towns within the school’s designated region will benefit from this new transportation option. These towns include Barnstable, Bourne, Carver, Duxbury, Falmouth, Freetown, Halifax, Kingston, Lakeville, Marion, Marshfield, Mashpee, Mattapoisett, Middleborough, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rochester, Sandwich, and Wareham.

 “We are very excited about this initiative,” said Chris Schelleng, Chairperson of Rising Tide’s Board of Trustees. “The logistics of getting children to and from school can be challenging for families, and we are hoping that by reducing that burden we will make Rising Tide much more accessible to all who want to take advantage of the great educational program we provide.”

 Rising Tide students residing in Plymouth have benefited from Plymouth Public School bus service since the school opened in 1998 and will continue to do so. All students residing in one of the other designated region’s towns will be eligible for bus service at one of many community bus stops. The expansion of regional bus stops benefits a great number of families and makes Rising Tide more accessible.“Offering regional bus transportation provides greater access to our college-preparatory charter public school for all students in our designated region,” said Michael O’Keefe. “Rising Tide is the right fit for many students, and this initiative supports families who otherwise could not get their children to our school. We hope that the expanded bus service will make the lives of our current Rising Tide families more manageable, and make the school a more viable option for other families in our region.”

 Enrollment in Rising Tide is open to all students regardless of academic achievement, special education needs, or proficiency in the English language. Serving grades 5-12, the school accepts and serves all grade-eligible residents of Massachusetts. Preference in the enrollment process is given first to siblings of current students and then to residents of towns in the school’s designated region. To learn more about enrollment, visit www.risingtide.org or visit the school during an Open House on Thursday, January 23 at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, February 1 at 9:00 a.m.