A Verbena third grader was injured when a school bus struck a van as school was being dismissed around 3 p.m. yesterday.

According to school officials, a school bus, which was parked and not cranked, rolled forward and struck the driver’s side of a van that was waiting in front of the school in the pickup line. The van then spun around and hit the student, who was apparently trying to get into the van at the time of the crash.

Verbena Fire and Rescue responded to the scene, and the student was transported to Children’s Hospital with a leg injury.

The student’s identity is being withheld at the request of School Superintendent Keith Moore until the investigation is complete, but Moore said the injuries weren’t reported to be life threatening.

The school bus driver was not in the bus at the time of the crash. Moore doesn’t know what caused the bus to roll forward.

“I don’t know what would have caused the bus to move. We’re still trying to investigate that,” Moore said.

Moore, Transportation Supervisor Joe Dennis and law enforcement are investigating the crash at this time.

However, students and parents can expect some changes to the afternoon dismissal plan at Verbena today.

“There’s going to be some changes with the bus and car traffic at the school,” Moore said. “We’re going to find a way to improve safety for traffic before and after school.”