Preschool student found on school bus after not arriving home as expected

A preschool student at Gatewood Elementary in Minnetonka is safe at home after they were found on a school bus Wednesday.

When the child didn’t make it home from school as normal, police, school staff, and district personnel helped to look for the child who was found safe on a school bus.

The incident is under investigation to determine the timeline of what happened and how long the child was on the bus. It is unclear right now where the bus with the child was located.

The Hopkins School District sent this message to families of Gatewood Elementary:

“Dear Gatewood Families,

We want to inform you about a situation that occurred today, Nov. 20, as you may have noticed a police presence at the end of the school day. 

Earlier today, a preschool student did not arrive home from school as expected. Once this was realized, police, school staff, and district personnel worked quickly to locate the child. We are relieved to share that the student was found safe on a school bus, and paramedics were dispatched as a precaution. 

The district, along with our bus company, is conducting a thorough investigation to understand how a child was left on the bus, and to ensure measures are in place to prevent this from happening again. Bus drivers are trained in a specific protocol to thoroughly search a bus once students have disembarked, therefore the driver is being interviewed to understand what happened on this particular morning. Additionally, we are working closely with the family to provide them with the resources and support they need to overcome the emotions they experienced today and to set clear expectations about how we will work to keep their child and all children safe.

The safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority, and we deeply appreciate the quick actions of everyone involved. We are especially grateful to our Gatewood staff who worked swiftly to partner with law enforcement and the district in order to find the child. Thank you for your continued trust as we work together to maintain a safe and supportive environment for all children.”