BENTON, WI — A school bus carrying Benton-Scales Mound-Shullsburg middle school football players and coaches to a game in Stockton, Illinois, was involved in a crash Tuesday afternoon.
Officials from the three districts said everyone on board was able to walk away from the wreck and was later released to parents. No injuries were reported in the statement shared by the districts.
School leaders said they were grateful the athletes, coaches and bus driver were safe after the accident.
Districts say everyone on board was safe and released to parents
The three school districts said the bus carried middle school football players and coaches who were traveling for a game. After the crash, all of them were able to get out of the vehicle and leave the scene without apparent serious harm.
According to the districts, the students and coaches were released to their parents after the incident. The statement also indicated the bus driver was part of the group whose well-being was being checked at the scene.
That update was the central reassurance from school officials, who said their main concern was that everyone had come through the accident safely.
First responders and Stockton schools helped after the wreck
School officials thanked first responders for assisting at the crash scene and for helping protect the well-being of the students, coaches and bus driver. The districts did not give additional details about the nature of the collision.
They also thanked the Stockton School District for supporting students and staff after the accident. Stockton was the destination area for the football trip, and the assistance there became part of the response to the crash.
The districts said the help from emergency crews and local schools played an important role in getting everyone accounted for and calm after the disruption.
Counselors will be available Wednesday at all three schools
In the aftermath of the crash, counselors are scheduled to be available Wednesday at all three schools. District leaders said the support is meant to help the students and coaches who were involved in the accident.
They also said other students who may have been affected by the event will be able to check in with counselors. That step reflects the districts’ effort to respond not only to the people directly on the bus, but also to classmates who may be worried.
School officials did not announce any changes to the football season in their statement.
Personal belongings will be moved to Scales Mound School
The districts said the players’ and coaches’ personal belongings will be transported to Scales Mound School. Families will be notified when the items are ready for pickup.
That arrangement gives parents and students a way to recover gear and other items after the wreck. Officials did not say when the belongings would arrive, only that they would be sent on to the school.
It was one of several practical steps outlined by the districts as they handled the immediate aftermath of the accident.
School officials thank families and community members for support
School officials said they appreciate the messages of concern and support that have come from the community. Their statement ended by saying they continue to keep everyone involved in their thoughts.
The districts’ response focused on gratitude, safety and next steps for students and families. At the center of it all was the fact that everyone on the bus made it out safely after the crash.
For parents, coaches and classmates, the most important update was that the trip ended in injury-free evacuation rather than a more serious outcome.
