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91-629: Newport Mill Middle School is a public school for students in grades 6, 7, and 8, located in Kensington, Maryland . Newport Mill Middle School's students generally live in Kensington, Wheaton , and Silver Spring Students who graduate from Rock View, Oakland Terrace, or Highland elementary schools may attend Newport Mill Middle School. Graduates of Newport Mill Middle School may attend Blair , Einstein , Kennedy , Northwood , or Wheaton high schools. In 2013, 91 percent of eighth graders were reading at

182-451: A junior high school and a recreation center. Construction of the school began in June 1957. The architecture firm of Justement, Elam and Darby designed the building. The architects wanted to design a large school with an efficient layout and many large windows. The architects said that 90 percent of the school's exterior was covered by glass windows. The cafeteria and gymnasium were built near

273-554: A Distinguished Educational Leadership Award from The Washington Post . During that school year, 67 percent of black students were proficient in math, which was almost double the percentage three years before. Of eighth graders who were black, 68 percent were enrolled in high school-level math, compared with 44 percent in Montgomery County Public Schools overall. Of the student body overall, 71 percent were proficient in math, up from 50 percent two years prior. The award

364-459: A bus to a rollover test in 1964, in 1969, Ward Body Works pointing that fasteners had a direct effect on joint quality (and that body manufacturers were using relatively few rivets and fasteners). In its own research, Wayne Corporation discovered that the body joints were the weak points themselves. In 1973, to reduce the risk of body panel separation, Wayne introduced the Wayne Lifeguard ,

455-501: A campus of 8.4 acres (3 ha). The school building is 108,240 square feet (10,056 m). The building has a capacity of 825. Five school bus routes serve the students. Some of the surrounding neighborhood was built in 1950; other parts were built in 1956. Montgomery County Public Schools and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission bought 20 acres (8 ha) of land in 1955 in order to build

546-421: A century later, the design remains in use (as an emergency exit). In 1869, Massachusetts became the first state to add transportation to public education; by 1900, 16 other states would transport students to school. Following the first decade of the 20th century, several developments would affect the design of the school bus and student transport. As vehicles evolved from horse-drawn to "horseless" propulsion on

637-430: A certain distance from home (particularly as students progressed into high school). In all but the most isolated areas, one-room schools from the turn of the century had become phased out in favor of multi-grade schools introduced in urban areas. In another change, school districts shifted bus operation from buses operated by single individuals to district-owned fleets (operated by district employees). From 1950 to 1982,

728-444: A chassis supplied by Spartan Motors , Lion produces conventional-style school buses, its design features several firsts for school bus production. Along with a 102-inch body width, to resist corrosion, Lion uses composite body panels in place of steel. In 2015, Lion introduced the eLion, the first mass-produced school bus with a fully electric powertrain. Small school buses have undergone few fundamental changes to their designs during

819-571: A consistent training level. In contrast to the 1970s focus on structural integrity, design advances during the 1980s and 1990s focused around the driver. In 1979 and 1980, International Harvester and Ford each introduced a new-generation bus chassis, with General Motors following suit in 1984. To increase driver visibility, updates in line with chassis redesigns shifted the bus driver upward, outward, and forward. To decrease driver distraction, interior controls were redesigned with improved ergonomics ; automatic transmissions came into wider use, preventing

910-423: A contract facilitated by Advanced Energy to IC Bus to produce the buses. Although the buses produced significant benefits, the buses were slowly discontinued when the hybrid system manufacture Enova faded into financial challenges. In 2011, Lion Bus (renamed Lion Electric Company) of Saint-Jérôme, Quebec was founded, marking the first entry into the segment in over 20 years by a full-size bus manufacturer. Using

1001-594: A full-size bus. For this role, manufacturers initially began the use of yellow-painted utility vehicles such as the International Travelall and Chevrolet Suburban . As another alternative, manufacturers began use of passenger vans, such as the Chevrolet Van/GMC Handi-Van , Dodge A100 , and Ford Econoline ; along with yellow paint, these vehicles were fitted with red warning lights. While more maneuverable, automotive-based school buses did not offer

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1092-537: A large scale. Although school bus design had moved away from the wagon-style kid hacks of the generation before, there was not yet a recognized set of industry-wide standards for school buses. In 1939, rural education expert Dr. Frank W. Cyr organized a week-long conference at Teachers College, Columbia University that introduced new standards for the design of school buses. Funded by a $ 5,000 grant, Dr. Cyr invited transportation officials, representatives from body and chassis manufacturers, and paint companies. To reduce

1183-503: A median income of $ 65,804 versus $ 41,364 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 35,919. About 0.9% of families and 2.1% of the population were below the poverty line , including none of those under age 18 and 1.3% of those age 65 or over. Kensington is primarily a bedroom community for workers who commute to jobs in the Washington, D.C., area, but it has some commercial enterprises, including "Antique Row" on Howard Avenue,

1274-554: A middle school honors math and science society. Residents of the surrounding neighborhood asked the Montgomery County Board of Education to keep Newport Mill in the school's name, because the school had been known by that name for many years. The school was reopened with the name Newport Mill Middle School in 2002. Kensington, Maryland Kensington is a U.S. town in Montgomery County , Maryland . The population

1365-604: A period of transition, with several ownership changes leading to joint ventures and alignments between body manufacturers and chassis suppliers. In 1986, with the signing of the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act, school bus drivers across the United States became required to acquire a commercial driver's license (CDL) . While CDLs were issued by individual states, the federal CDL requirement ensured that drivers of all large vehicles (such as school buses) had

1456-560: A proficient level. In mathematics, 76 percent of students are proficient at math. 39 percent of eighth graders earned a grade of C or better in Algebra 1 . Of Newport Mill Middle School's students, 18 percent are enrolled in special education . Athletic teams at Newport Mill Middle School include: Clubs at Newport Mill Middle School include: During the 2015–2016 school year, Newport Mill Middle School had 186 sixth graders, 196 seventh graders, and 205 eighth graders. The school's capacity

1547-479: A public school for the 2002–2003 school year. The Montgomery County Board of Education considered changing the school's name to either A. Mario Loiederman Middle School, for a community activist originally from South America which was later named for the then-closed Col. Joseph A. Belt Junior High School when it reopened in the 2005–2006 school year, or J.D. Speller Middle School, for the African American founder of

1638-526: A public school until 1982 when it was closed due to declining enrollment. The building was leased to a private school that had formerly been operating under the name Town and Country Day School in Kensington. The private school changed its name to the Newport School when it moved to Newport Mill Junior High School's building. When Sligo Middle School's enrollment exceeded its capacity, the Montgomery County Board of Education decided to renovate and reopen it as

1729-471: A school bus body with single-piece body side and roof stampings. While single-piece stampings seen in the Lifeguard had their own manufacturing challenges, school buses of today use relatively few side panels to minimize body joints. During the 1970s, school buses would undergo a number of design upgrades related to safety. While many changes were related to protecting passengers, others were intended to minimize

1820-410: A school bus is about to stop and unload/load students. Adopted by a number of states during the mid-1970s, amber warning lights became nearly universal equipment on new school buses by the end of the 1980s. To supplement the additional warning lights and to help prevent drivers from passing a stopped school bus, a stop arm was added to nearly all school buses; connected to the wiring of the warning lights,

1911-505: A smaller degree of transition. As International Harvester became Navistar International in 1986, the company released updated bus chassis for 1989; in 1996, it produced its first rear-engine bus chassis since 1973. In late 1996, Freightliner produced its first bus chassis, expanding to four manufacturers for the first time since the exit of Dodge in 1977. Ford and General Motors gradually exited out of cowled-chassis production with Ford producing its last chassis after 1998; General Motors exited

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2002-515: A streetcar line founded as Chevy Chase Lake & Kensington Railway and later called the Kensington Railway Company. The large southernmost section originally mapped out by Warner remains largely unchanged since inception, and is a historically preserved zone. Indeed, the only major changes in the town's basic layout have been the bridging of the original railroad crossing in 1937, and the extension and widening of Connecticut Avenue ,

2093-467: A substantial improvement in safety performance. While many changes related to the 1977 safety standards were made under the body structure (to improve crashworthiness ), the most visible change was to passenger seating. In place of the metal-back passenger seats seen since the 1930s, the regulations introduced taller seats with thick padding on both the front and back, acting as a protective barrier. Further improvement has resulted from continuing efforts by

2184-430: A supplemental exit. Alongside safety, body and chassis manufacturers sought to advance fuel economy of school buses. During the 1980s, diesel engines came into wide use in conventional and small school buses, gradually replacing gasoline-fueled engines. In 1987, International became the first chassis manufacturer to offer diesel engines exclusively, with Ford following suit in 1990. While conventional-style buses remained

2275-474: A van cab with a purpose-built bus body, using the same construction as a full-size school bus. Within the same length as a passenger van, buses such as the Wayne Busette and Blue Bird Micro Bird offered additional seating capacity, wheelchair lifts, and the same body construction as larger school buses. For school bus manufacturers, the 1980s marked a period of struggle, following a combination of factors. As

2366-635: A variety of destinations including Silver Spring , Glenmont station , Medical Center station , and Wheaton . 39°01′34″N 77°04′22″W  /  39.026009°N 77.072891°W  / 39.026009; -77.072891 School bus In North America, school buses are purpose-built vehicles distinguished from other types of buses by design characteristics mandated by federal and state/provincial regulations. In addition to their distinct paint color ( National School Bus Glossy Yellow ), school buses are fitted with exterior warning lights (to give them traffic priority) and multiple safety devices. In

2457-537: A wider basis, the wagon bodies of kid hacks and school cars were adapted to truck frames. While transitioning into purpose-built designs, a number of features from wagons were retained, including wood construction, perimeter bench seating, and rear entry doors. Weather protection remained minimal; some designs adopted a tarpaulin stretched above the passenger seating. In 1915, International Harvester constructed its first school bus; today, its successor company Navistar still produces school bus cowled chassis. In 1919,

2548-623: Is 825, while its total enrollment is 587. Of Newport Mill Middle School's students, 48 percent are Hispanic / Latino , 17 percent are Black / African American , 20 percent are White , 11 percent are Asian American , and 4 percent are multiracial . Kiera Butler serves as principal , while Jaime Lee-Oyedle and Kaleisha Wright are the assistant principals . Newport Mill Middle School has 62 teachers and 29 support staff. Of its teachers, 79 percent have at least five years of teaching experience, and 39 percent have at least fifteen years of teaching experience. In 2006, Principal Nelson McLeod received

2639-475: Is also home to: Four state highways serve Kensington. The most prominent of these is Maryland Route 185 ( Connecticut Avenue ), which provides the most direct link between Kensington and both Interstate 495 (the Capital Beltway) and Washington, D.C. The other major state highway serving the town is Maryland Route 193 , which follows University Boulevard and Greenbelt Road east from Kensington across

2730-420: Is held in even-numbered years for a two-year term. Kensington has a four-member council, elected for two-year terms. Terms are staggered. Every year there are two council seats up for election. For contested elections, election winners are noted in bold. The 2021 Kensington Town Election was held on June 7, 2021 The 2020 Kensington Town Election was held on June 1, 2020 The 2019 Kensington Town Election

2821-454: Is over 70 times safer than riding to school by car. Many fatalities related to school buses are passengers of other vehicles and pedestrians (only 5% are bus occupants). Since the initial development of consistent school bus standards in 1939, many of the ensuing changes to school buses over the past eight decades have been safety related, particularly in response to more stringent regulations adopted by state and federal governments. Ever since

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2912-560: The National Foundation for Governor’s Fitness Councils DON’T QUIT Award for demonstrating new and innovative ways of promoting student physical activity and wellness. As a recipient of the award, Newport Mill was gifted a $ 100,000 state-of-the-art fitness center. Jake Steinfeld, Chairman of the National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils, Governor Larry Hogan , and other state and county officials visited Newport Mill for

3003-572: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) , school buses are the safest type of road vehicle. Between 2013 and 2022, there were 976 fatal school bus accidents, resulting in 1,082 deaths and approximately 132,000 injuries. On average, five fatalities involve school-age children on a school bus each year; statistically, a school bus

3094-548: The U.S. Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 0.50 square miles (1.29 km ), all land. While the town proper is but one-half square mile in size, the Kensington post office ( ZIP Code 20895) serves a larger area, including all of the neighboring town of Chevy Chase View as well as most of the unincorporated neighborhoods known by the Census Bureau as North Kensington and South Kensington . The 20895 ZIP Code also extends into smaller portions of North Bethesda and

3185-530: The baby boomer generation was either in elementary or high school, leading to a significant increase in student populations across North America; this would be a factor that would directly influence school bus production for over three decades. During the 1950s, as student populations began to grow, larger school buses began to enter production. To increase seating capacity (extra rows of seats), manufacturers began to produce bodies on heavier-duty truck chassis; transit-style school buses also grew in size. In 1954,

3276-403: The 1930s, school buses saw advances in their design and production that remain in use to this day. To better adapt automotive chassis design, school bus entry doors were moved from the rear to the front curbside, becoming a door operated by the driver (to ease loading passengers and improve forward visibility). The rear entry door of the kid hacks were re-purposed (as an emergency exit). Following

3367-515: The 1939 conference have been modified or updated, one part of its legacy remains a key part of every school bus in North America today: the adoption of a standard paint color for all school buses. While technically named "National School Bus Glossy Yellow", school bus yellow was adopted for use since it was considered easiest to see in dawn and dusk, and it contrasted well with black lettering. While not universally used worldwide, yellow has become

3458-582: The 1990s, small school buses shifted further away from their van-conversion roots. In 1991, Girardin launched the MB-II, combining a single rear-wheel van chassis with a full cutaway bus body. Following the 1992 redesign of the Ford E-Series and the 1997 launch of Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana cutaway chassis, manufacturers followed suit, developing bodies to optimize loading-zone visibility. As manufacturers universally adopted cutaway bodies for single rear-wheel buses,

3549-645: The 2000s, though the Type B configuration has largely been retired from production. Following the 1998 sale of the General Motors P-chassis to Navistar subsidiary Workhorse , the design began to be phased out in favor of higher-capacity Type A buses. In 2006, IC introduced the BE200 as its first small school bus; a fully cowled Type B, the BE200 shared much of its body with the CE (on a lower-profile chassis). In 2010, IC introduced

3640-752: The AE-series, a cutaway-cab school bus (derived from the International TerraStar ). In 2015, the Ford Transit cutaway chassis was introduced (alongside the long-running E350/450); initially sold with a Micro Bird body, the Transit has been offered through several manufacturers. In 2018, the first bus derived from the Ram ProMaster cutaway chassis was introduced; Collins Bus introduced the Collins Low Floor,

3731-427: The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Transport Canada , as well as by the bus industry and various safety advocates. As of 2020 production, all of these standards remain in effect. As manufacturers sought to develop safer school buses, small school buses underwent a transition away from automotive-based vehicles. The introduction of cutaway van chassis allowed bus manufacturers to mate

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3822-606: The Vision utilized a proprietary chassis (rather than a design from a medium-duty truck). In 2004, Thomas introduced the Saf-T-Liner C2 (derived from the Freightliner M2 ), with the body designed alongside its chassis (allowing the use of the production Freightliner dashboard). A trait of both the Vision and C2 (over their predecessors) is improved loading-zone visibility; both vehicles adopted highly sloped hoods and extra glass around

3913-508: The Ward brand name in 1993. In 1992, Blue Bird would change hands for the first of several times. In 1998, Carpenter was acquired by Spartan Motors and Thomas Built Buses was sold to Freightliner; the latter was the final major school bus manufacturer operating under family control. Alongside the 1981 introduction of Mid Bus, Corbeil commenced production in Canada and the United States in 1985. Following

4004-520: The West Coast). From 1980 to 2001, all eight bus manufacturers would undergo periods of struggle and ownership changes. In 1980, Ward filed for bankruptcy, reorganizing as AmTran in 1981. The same year, Superior was liquidated by its parent company, closing its doors. Under its company management, Superior was split into two manufacturers, with Mid Bus introducing small buses in 1981 and a reorganized Superior producing full-size buses from 1982 to 1985. At

4095-614: The West Howard Antique District, and Kaiser-Permanente's Kensington facility, plus art shops, restaurants, supermarkets, auto repair shops, hardware stores, and others. The town hosts a website, Explore Kensington, listing businesses, services, news and events. The town hosts a farmers' market on Saturdays between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the train station . The town is home to the Noyes Library for Young Children, Montgomery County's oldest public library. A mayoral election

4186-651: The Wheaton Planning District. The look and white color of the Washington D.C. Temple located in South Kensington, coupled with its location near the Capital Beltway , have made it a local landmark. D.C.-area traffic reports often refer to the "Mormon temple" or "temple". As of the census of 2010, there were 2,213 people, 870 households, and 563 families residing in the town. The population density

4277-402: The adoption of yellow as a standard color in 1939, school buses deliberately integrate the concept of conspicuity into their design. When making student dropoffs or pickups, traffic law gives school buses priority over other vehicles; in order to stop traffic, they are equipped with flashing lights and a stop sign. As a consequence of their size, school buses have a number of blind spots around

4368-428: The age of 18 living with them, 51.8% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.3% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.17. The median age in

4459-418: The aspect of customer choice was largely ended (as a result of corporate ownership and supply agreements), decreased complexity paved the way for new product innovations previously thought impossible. During the 2010s, while diesel engines have remained the primary source of power, manufacturers expanded the availability of alternative-fuel vehicles, including CNG, propane, gasoline, and electric-power buses. At

4550-477: The beginning of the 2000s, manufacturers introduced a new generation of conventional-style school buses, coinciding with the redesign of several medium-duty truck lines. While Ford and General Motors shifted bus production to cutaway chassis, Freightliner and International released new cowled chassis in 2004 and 2005, respectively. In 2003, Blue Bird introduced the Vision conventional; in line with its transit-style buses,

4641-422: The chances of traffic collisions . To decrease confusion over traffic priority (increasing safety around school bus stops), federal and state regulations were amended, requiring for many states/provinces to add amber warning lamps inboard of the red warning lamps. Similar to a yellow traffic light, the amber lights are activated before stopping (at 100–300 feet (30.5–91.4 m) distance), indicating to drivers that

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4732-414: The complexity of school bus production and increase safety, a set of 44 standards were agreed upon and adopted by the attendees (such as interior and exterior dimensions and the forward-facing seating configuration). To allow for large-scale production of school buses among body manufacturers, adoption of these standards allowed for greater consistency among body manufacturers. While many of the standards of

4823-423: The decade began, the end of the baby-boom generation had finished high school; with a decrease in student population growth, school bus manufacturing was left with a degree of overcapacity. Coupled with the recession economy of the early 1980s, the decline in demand for school bus production left several manufacturers in financial ruin. To better secure their future, during the 1990s, school bus manufacturers underwent

4914-424: The deployable stop arm extended during a bus stop with its own set of red flashing lights. In the 1970s, school busing expanded further, under controversial reasons; a number of larger cities began to bus students in an effort to racially integrate schools . Out of necessity, the additional usage created further demand for bus production. From 1939 to 1973, school bus production was largely self-regulated. In 1973,

5005-404: The deployment of the exterior stop arms. Onboard GPS tracking devices have taken on a dual role of fleet management and location tracking, allowing for internal management of costs and also to alert waiting parents and students of the real-time location of their bus. Seatbelts in school buses underwent a redesign, with lap-type seatbelts phased out in favor of 3-point seatbelts . According to

5096-447: The elements, with little to no weather protection. In 1892, Indiana-based Wayne Works (later Wayne Corporation ) produced its first "school car" A purpose-built design, the school car was constructed with perimeter-mounted wooden bench seats and a roof (the sides remained open). As a horse-drawn wagon, the school car was fitted with a rear entrance door (intended to avoid startling the horses while loading or unloading passengers); over

5187-657: The end of 1989, Carpenter would file for bankruptcy, emerging from it in 1990. In 1991, Crown Coach would close its doors forever; Gillig produced its last school bus in 1993. Following several ownership changes, Wayne Corporation was liquidated in 1992; successor Wayne Wheeled Vehicles was closed in 1995. In 2001, Carpenter closed its doors. During the 1990s, as body manufacturers secured their future, family-owned businesses were replaced by subsidiaries as manufacturers underwent mergers, joint ventures, and acquisitions with major chassis suppliers. In 1991, Navistar began its acquisition of AmTran (fully acquiring it in 1995), phasing out

5278-564: The entry door. In 2005, IC introduced a redesigned CE-series to fit the International 3300 chassis; to improve visibility, the windshield was redesigned (eliminating the center post). Between 2004 and 2008, Advanced Energy, an NC based non-profit created by the NC Utilities Commission begun an effort to move to plug-in hybrid school buses . A business and technical feasibility proved the benefits, and in 2006, 20 districts awarded

5369-581: The first Canadian-brand full-size buses sold in the United States). During the 2010s, Collins retired the Mid Bus and Corbeil brands (in 2013 and 2016, respectively). During the 2000s, school bus safety adopted a number of evolutionary advances. To further improve visibility for other drivers, manufacturers began to replace incandescent lights with LEDs for running lights, turn signals, brake lights, and warning lamps. School bus crossing arms , first introduced in

5460-558: The first diesel-engined school bus was introduced, with the first tandem-axle school bus in 1955 (a Crown Supercoach, expanding seating to 91 passengers). To improve accessibility , at the end of the 1950s, manufacturers developed a curbside wheelchair lift option to transport wheelchair-using passengers. In modified form, the design remains in use today. During the 1950s and 1960s, manufacturers also began to develop designs for small school buses, optimized for urban routes with crowded, narrow streets along with rural routes too isolated for

5551-453: The first federal regulations governing school buses went into effect, as FMVSS 217 was required for school buses; the regulation governed specifications of rear emergency exit doors/windows. Following the focus on school bus structural integrity, NHTSA introduced the four Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for School Buses, applied on April 1, 1977, bringing significant change to the design, engineering, and construction of school buses and

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5642-466: The first low-floor school bus (of any configuration). Following the 2001 closure of Carpenter, the manufacturing segment has seen a much lower degree of contraction (with the exception of the 2005 failure of startup manufacturer Liberty Bus ). Following the bankruptcy of Corbeil, the company was acquired at the end of 2007 by Collins, reorganizing it as a subsidiary (alongside Mid Bus) and shifting production to its Kansas facilities. The same year, U.S. Bus

5733-632: The ground up. Introduced in 1932, the Crown Supercoach seated up to 76 passengers, the highest-capacity school bus of the time. As the 1930s progressed, flat-front school buses began to follow motorcoach design in styling as well as engineering, gradually adopting the term "transit-style" for their appearance. In 1940, the first mid-engined transit school bus was produced by Gillig in California. The custom-built nature of school buses created an inherent obstacle to their profitable mass production on

5824-572: The introduction of the steel-paneled 1927 Luce bus, school bus manufacturing began to transition towards all-steel construction. In 1930, both Superior and Wayne introduced all-steel school buses; the latter introduced safety glass windows for its bus body. As school bus design paralleled the design of light to medium-duty commercial trucks of the time, the advent of forward-control trucks would have their own influence on school bus design. In an effort to gain extra seating capacity and visibility, Crown Coach built its own cabover school bus design from

5915-403: The late 1990s, came into wider use. Electronics took on a new role in school bus operation. To increase child safety and security, alarm systems have been developed to prevent children from being left on unattended school buses overnight. To track drivers who illegally pass school buses loading and unloading students, in the 2010s, some school buses began to adopt exterior cameras synchronized with

6006-430: The mayor and council to name the town "Kensington". Originally a farming community at Knowles Station, Kensington developed into a summer refuge for Washington residents wishing to escape the capital's humid summers. As years passed and its residents increasingly remained year-round, Kensington evolved into a commuter suburb . Commuters reached downtown Washington, D.C., on B&O passenger trains and, beginning in 1895,

6097-553: The most widely produced full-size school bus, interest in forward visibility, higher seating capacity, and shorter turning radius led to a major expansion of market share of the transit-style configuration, coinciding with several design introductions in the late 1980s. Following the 1986 introduction of the Wayne Lifestar , the AmTran Genesis, Blue Bird TC/2000 , and Thomas Saf-T-Liner MVP would prove far more successful. During

6188-572: The northern and northeastern suburbs of Washington. The other two state highways, Maryland Route 192 and Maryland Route 547 , are short connectors linking Kensington to nearby communities. The MARC Brunswick Line stops at Kensington station . It connects downtown Kensington with Washington, D.C. via Union Station , as well as with points west including Point of Rocks, Maryland , and Harpers Ferry, West Virginia . Multiple Ride On buses serve Kensington, including lines 4, 5, 33, 34, and 37. These buses take passengers from downtown Kensington to

6279-432: The outside of the vehicle which can endanger passengers disembarking a bus or pedestrians standing or walking nearby. To address this safety challenge, a key point of school bus design is focused on exterior visibility, improving the design of bus windows, mirrors, and the windshield to optimize visibility for the driver. In the case of a collision, the body structure of a school bus is designed with an integral roll cage ; as

6370-432: The reinforced passenger compartment of a full-size school bus. During the 1960s, as with standard passenger cars, concerns began to arise for passenger protection in catastrophic traffic collisions. At the time, the weak point of the body structure was the body joints; where panels and pieces were riveted together, joints could break apart in major accidents, with the bus body causing harm to passengers. After subjecting

6461-405: The ribbon-cutting ceremony. In 2018, Newport Mill Middle School was recognized as one of 46 schools in the nation to receive the U.S. Department of Education's Green Ribbon Schools designation. The award recognizes schools for trying to save energy, fostering health and wellness, teaching students about the environment, and creating sustainable learning spaces. Newport Mill Middle School sits on

6552-590: The risk of stalling (in hazardous places such as intersections or railroad crossings). Initially introduced during the late 1960s, crossview mirrors came into universal use, improving the view of the blind spots in front of the bus while loading or unloading. To supplement the rear emergency door in an evacuation, manufacturers introduced additional emergency exits during the 1980s, including roof-mounted escape hatches and outward-opening exit windows. Side-mounted exit doors (originally introduced on rear-engine buses), became offered on front-engine and conventional-body buses as

6643-557: The second (and final) closure of Superior in 1986, New Bus Company acquired the rights to its body design, producing buses from 1988 to 1989. In 1991, TAM-USA was a joint venture to produce the TAM 252 A 121. Assembled in Slovenia with final assembly in California, the TAM vehicle was to be the first American-market school bus imported from Europe. In comparison to body manufacturers, chassis suppliers saw

6734-405: The second half of the 19th century, many rural areas of the United States and Canada were served by one-room schools . For those students who lived beyond practical walking distance from school, transportation was facilitated in the form of the kid hack ; at the time, " hack " was a term referring to certain types of horse-drawn carriages. Essentially re-purposed farm wagons, kid hacks were open to

6825-416: The segment after 2003. Both Ford and GM continue production today, concentrating on cutaway-van chassis. The beginning of the 21st century would introduce extensive changes to the production of school buses. Though vehicle assembly saw few direct changes, manufacturer consolidation and industry contraction effectively ended the practice of customers selecting body and chassis manufacturers independently. While

6916-576: The shade most commonly associated with school buses both in North America and abroad. During WWII school bus manufacturers converted to military production, manufacturing buses and license-built trucks for the military. Following the war, school bus operation would see a number of changes, following developments within education systems. Following WWII and the rise of suburban growth in North America , demand for school busing increased outside of rural areas; in suburbs and larger urban areas, community design often made walking to school impractical beyond

7007-557: The street in order reduce the amount of street noise that would enter its classrooms. The construction budget was $ 1.7 million. The school opened in September 1958 with the name Newport Mill Junior High School. The school was named after a gristmill named Newport Mill that had been built nearby in 1756. The gristmill had been used to grind flour for American soldiers during the American Revolutionary War . Romaine Robinson

7098-502: The town center when the tracks separated at an overheated joint , injuring 95. And on October 2, 2002, Lori Ann Lewis-Rivera became the fifth victim of the " Beltway snipers " while cleaning her car at a Kensington gas station. Kensington is located in Montgomery County, northwest of Silver Spring , northeast of Bethesda , west of Wheaton and southeast of Rockville . Its latitude is 39°1′48″N, longitude 77°4′30″W. According to

7189-408: The town was 42.1 years. 26.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24% were from 25 to 44; 30% were from 45 to 64; and 14.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 47.6% male and 52.4% female. As of the census of 2000, the median income for a household in the town was $ 76,716, and the median income for a family was $ 96,394. Males had

7280-423: The town's main thoroughfare, in 1957. As well, the right-of-way of the streetcar line, which was replaced with bus service in 1935, was paved to become Kensington Parkway. In March 1975, Kensington gained attention regionally when Sheila and Katherine Lyon walked to Wheaton Plaza , a local shopping mall, and never returned home. Their abduction and murder was solved only in 2017. The historic core of Kensington

7371-478: The usage of school buses became funded in all 48 U.S. states. In 1927, Ford dealership owner A.L. Luce produced a bus body for a 1927 Ford Model T . The forerunner of the first Blue Bird school buses, steel was used to panel and frame the bus body; wood was relegated to a secondary material. While fitted with a roof, the primary weather protection of the Luce bus design included roll-up canvas side curtains. During

7462-916: The use of the Dodge Ram Van chassis was phased out. By 2005 the United States government banned the use of 15-passenger vans for student transport, leading to the introduction of Multi-Function School Activity Buses (MFSAB). To better protect passengers, MFSABs share the body structure and compartmentalized seating layout of school buses. Not intended (nor allowed) for uses requiring traffic priority, they are not fitted with school bus warning lights or stop arms (nor are they painted school bus yellow). In 1980, school buses were manufactured by six body manufacturers (Blue Bird, Carpenter, Superior, Thomas, Ward, Wayne) and three chassis manufacturers (Ford, General Motors, and International Harvester); in California, two manufacturers (Crown and Gillig) manufactured transit-style school buses using proprietary chassis (sold primarily across

7553-547: Was 2,122 at the 2020 census . Greater Kensington encompasses the entire 20895 ZIP code, with a population of 19,753 in 2020. The area around Rock Creek where Kensington is located was primarily agricultural until 1873, when the B&;O Railroad completed the Metropolitan Branch across Montgomery County. A community arose where the new railroad line intersected the old Rockville -to- Bladensburg road. This early settlement

7644-467: Was 4,610.4 inhabitants per square mile (1,780.1/km ). There were 902 housing units at an average density of 1,879.2 per square mile (725.6/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 82.0% White , 6.1% African American , 0.1% Native American , 5.7% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 2.8% from other races , and 3.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.4% of the population. There were 870 households, of which 33.7% had children under

7735-520: Was also commended for its Parent Place program, which provided workshops for parents in English and Spanish. Principal McLeod had made sure to ask for suggestions from students, parents, and teachers on how to increase respect, responsibility, caring, sportsmanship and effort. The award included a $ 20,000 grant for the school. In 2017, Newport Mill Middle School was one of three schools in Maryland selected for

7826-403: Was first known as "Knowles Station". In the early 1890s, Washington developer Brainard Warner began purchasing land parcels to build a planned Victorian community, complete with church, library, and local newspaper. Fascinated by a recent trip to London , Warner named his development "Kensington Park", the tenth and largest subdivision in the area. Upon incorporation in 1894, Warner convinced

7917-522: Was held on June 3, 2019 The 2018 Kensington Town Election was held on June 4, 2018 The 2017 Kensington Town Election was held on June 5, 2017 The 2016 Kensington Town Election was held on June 6, 2016 The 2015 Kensington Town Election was held on June 1, 2015 The town of Kensington is served by the Montgomery County Public Schools system: Montgomery County Public Schools serving Greater Kensington include: Kensington

8008-607: Was in recognition of Principal McLeod's hands-on efforts and leadership that spurred the students' achievements. In 2007, Newport Mill Middle School was one of ten schools nationwide that was recognized as a National School of Character by the Character Education Partnership . Newport Mill Middle School received the award because of its success and diversity. They had started an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program, which focused on international understanding and critical thinking . Newport Mill Middle School

8099-670: Was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Kensington Historic District in 1980. In the early 21st century, the town gained national attention three times in 10 months for events within a quarter-mile radius. In December 2001, the town responded to complaints from anonymous citizens by banning Santa Claus from the annual holiday parade. Protesters arrived at the parade en masse, including dozens of Santas riding everything from motorcycles to fire trucks. Eight months later, an Amtrak train derailed near

8190-473: Was reorganized as Trans Tech . In 2008, Starcraft Bus entered the segment, producing school buses on cutaway chassis (a 2011 prototype using a Hino chassis was never produced). In 2009, Blue Bird and Girardin entered into a joint venture, named Micro Bird; Girardin develops and produces the Blue Bird small-bus product line in Canada. The 2011 founding of Lion Bus marked the return of bus production to Canada (with

8281-569: Was the school's first vice principal. Robinson had been the vice principal of Lincoln Junior High School in Rockville until it closed. Robinson was black, and the school's student body was predominantly white. At the time, she was one of two individuals in the county school who were black in a leadership position at a school with predominantly white students. The Montgomery County Board of Education appointed Robinson vice principal as part of its efforts toward racial integration . The building operated as

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