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Parent Concerns
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What can I do to ensure that my child has a smooth start in riding the school bus each year?
There are several things that you can do:
a. Be sure that your child wears a nametag the first ten days of school with his/her name, address, bus number, bus stop location, telephone number and an emergency number. In addition, high school and middle school students are required to wear an ID everyday.
b. Put a tag on your child's backpack with the same information as in "a" above.
c. Before the first day of school, walk with your child to the bus stop and go over safe walking to and from the bus stop and safe waiting at the bus stop.
d. Contact your child's school and ask what the procedures are for making sure that your child gets on the correct bus at the end of the day.
e. Send a note to your child's teacher the first day of school and the first Monday of the second week of school letting the teacher know the bus number your child is to ride and the stop he/she is to exit the bus.
Who should I call if the bus does not arrive on time?
After twenty minutes you should call your child's school and/or the Transportation Customer Service Center at 236-6914.
What information should I have ready when I call?
You should provide your child's name, bus number, school, and the bus stop location.
Will my child have the same bus driver everyday?
Every effort is made to have the same driver for your child everyday. However, there are several circumstances that can affect this situation:
a. When the driver is absent, other drivers must cover the absent driver's runs.
b. Drivers with the shortest routes and drivers who can provide the most efficient backup service to all students are used to cover runs.
c. Sometimes, due to driver shortages, a route will be assigned to one driver in the AM and another driver in the PM. This action allows us to provide the best possible service within our budget resources.
***Please be assured that every effort is made to keep driver changes to a minimum.
The bus did not show up on time for my child. How long should he/she wait at the bus stop?
Sometimes school buses are late due to traffic, accidents, road closures, etc. The students should wait at the bus stop for ten minutes. After 10 minutes it is up to the parent to decide how long he/she wants the child to continue waiting at the stop. It is also up to the parent to determine what the family procedure will be if the child leaves the bus stop. Will the child go home or to a neighbor's house? Will the child phone the parent? Are all the phone numbers posted in the home or at the neighbor's house?
Can I require that my child only be released to me at the bus stop?
Only certain designated students, whose needs are addressed through an IEP or 504 plan, are eligible for "must be met" service. For all other students the parent/guardian is responsible for meeting the bus if they deem appropriate.
I would like my child to be taken to after-school care in an area other than the area in which my child is zoned to attend school. Can this be done?
Transportation is offered to locations within the attendance zone where the child lives. If the bus has space, students with proper authorization will be allowed to ride the bus until that space is needed for in-zone students.
My child left belongings on the bus; how do we get them back?
School bus drivers check their buses after every run. Items left on the bus by students are held by the driver for several days and may be claimed from the driver. You can help by labeling all of your child's belongings with the child's name and school. Unclaimed items are turned in at the school.
How can I schedule a conference with my child's school bus driver?
School bus drivers are not permitted to stop at school bus stops and speak with parents. This ties up traffic and also makes all the students on the bus late for school. To schedule a conference with your child's school bus driver, contact the school and/or the Transportation Customer Service Center at 236-6914.
I tried to get on the school bus to speak with the driver and was told I could not board the bus. Is this correct?
Yes, this is correct. No one except authorized passengers and the driver and attendant (for Special Needs buses) is permitted on a school bus. A school bus is considered the private property of the School Board and trespassing on a school bus is subject to prosecution.
I understand that all kindergarten students must be met by an adult in the afternoon. Is this correct?
Yes, to ensure the safety of kindergarten children, an adult must meet the child each day at the bus stop or the child will be returned to the school. The school will then contact the parent to pick the child up at the school.
When the weather is bad will the bus driver bring my child home?
It is the parent's repsonsibility to provide their children with rain gear (coat/pancho) and to meet the student at the bus stop. Umbrellas that cannot be placed safely in the student's backpack are not allowed on the bus due to the risk they present.
My child missed the bus, what should I do?
The parent's are responsible for getting their child to the bus stop early enough (10 minutes prior to arrival) to catch the bus. Parents need to have a backup plan in case your child misses the bus. An example of a backup plan is having your child call you, a neighbor, or relative to transport him/her to school.
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