DANE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - Sixteen school buses which had their tires flattened in rural Dane County this morning are expected to be ready to take students home this afternoon.

Fifty-four tires were slashed at a facility owned by the First Student Bus Service near Cambridge, southeast of Madison.

The buses were supposed to take kids to their first day of classes in the Cambridge and Deerfield school systems.

Superintendents of both districts said classes started on time anyway – and there were very few youngsters absent. Cambridge Superintendent Bernie Nikolay said parents were quote, “gracious and accommodating” in making sure the children got to school.

Dane County sheriff’s deputies are investigating, and they’re looking for the public’s help in solving the vandalism. The damage totaled almost $19,000.