Parent Responsibilities:
What are my responsibilities as a parent or guardian?
- Parents or guardians are responsible and accountable for the conduct and safety of their children at all times before the arrival and after the departure of the school bus at their assigned school bus stop.
- Have your child at the bus stop 5-10 minutes before the scheduled pickup time.
- If possible, teach your child his or her full name, home address and phone number where an adult family member may be contacted in an emergency.
- Remind students to watch for siblings when buses are loading or unloading. Encourage them to notify the bus driver if they think a sibling hasn’t gotten on or off the bus at the appropriate stop.
- Review the school bus safety rules with your child.
What is a parent or guardian’s responsibility when students are dropped off?
- If you are unable to be home when your child arrives, arrange an alternate plan with your child (where they should go, a hidden house key, whether they should talk to a neighbor, etc.). Careful planning for the unexpected can greatly reduce your child’s anxieties!
- If possible, be at the bus stop five minutes before the bus is scheduled to drop off elementary aged children.
- A caregiver designated by the parent or guardian is required to be at the bus stop to receive their pre-kindergarten or kindergarten student. This may be an older sibling. To avoid missing your student, please be at the bus stop 5-10 minutes before the bus is scheduled to drop off your child. The caregiver should have identification when approaching the front steps of the bus to receive their students.
What if my child needs to get off at a stop other than their assigned stop?
- To minimize the potential of a hazardous situation, students are only allowed to ride their assigned bus to and from their assigned bus stop.
- Any temporary change in bus assignments can only be made on an emergency basis if a request is submitted by the parent in writing (by note or fax) and approved by school personnel or designee. Requests to drop off students at locations related to student after-school activities cannot be approved. Requests should be submitted at least 30 minutes before the end of the school day to ensure that there is sufficient time for appropriate parties to communicate the change.
Student Responsibilities:
What are the expectations for students while riding the school bus?
For their own safety and the safety of others, all students are expected to follow the bus safety rules when entering or exiting the bus.
How do drivers handle safety infractions?
- The bus driver will discuss any safety infractions with the student.
- The driver may elect to report the safety infraction to the school.
- The school will make a decision about what disciplinary action will be taken, in accordance with the school division’s Student Code of Conduct.
