Vassar Public Schools

Limitations- Each student may have on record; ONLY ONE morning bus stop and only one afternoon bus stop (may be different than the morning stop), Transportation request forms will remain in effect from one school year to the next.

Transportation Request Forms / Bus stop record changes;

Must be made in writing, phone request changes will not be permitted

Changes shall be for a minimum of three weeks

Request for changes may not exceed four per year.

Transportation will be denied to addresses not on file. Parents in split custody situations need to designate the one morning and one afternoon bus stop together; we will no longer be able to accommodate bus stops for each parent.

Students are not allowed to ride home with friends for birthday parties, sleepovers, study groups, scouting etc; as some examples.

Locations- Due to several factors, bus stops will be consolidated where We are NOT able to provide direct door to door service for many students, who must then meet at bus stops. It is the parent’s responsibility for their child going to and from and while waiting at the bus stops.

The Board of Education has indicated it is the parents/students responsibility to be ready for the bus. Bus times may vary 5-10 minutes either way, earlier or later than normal. The responsibility of the parent and the student is to ensure the student is at the bus stop and ready for pick-up in the mornings. This means the student is to be waiting/standing out, within 10 feet, of the bus stop. Bus stops are at the curb/roadway where the student boards the bus, and not at the doorway to the residences. If the student does not ride on a daily/regular basis, you will need to call the Transportation Department on the days the student needs a morning pick-up (989-823-2551). Please understand the best way for our buses to be on time, is for you to be on time. Dress your children appropriately for inclement weather.

• We are able to control the departure time of the bus from the school, the rest of the timing depends on parents and students. We ask that you keep in mind the following. Any additional time spent at bus stops will add time to stops further down the route.

• For example, even as little as an extra 30 seconds per stop adds six minutes to the route time, twelve stops down, many parents are not aware of how a few seconds can impact the rest of the route, I have had parents who have criticized the bus drivers because the bus was not on time; not realizing many times it is other students/parents that have caused a delay.

• Meeting the Bus: If possible an adult, or older sibling, needs to meet younger students at the school bus when we drop them off. It is your responsibility to ensure you are visible to the driver. Please meet the bus and wave to the driver to ensure you can be seen. If we cannot verify someone is home, your child will be brought back to (Latchkey) at the Townsend North school, it will be your responsibility to pick them up and pay any fees.

• Out of District Students: who ride our buses, must arrange a bus stop through the Transportation Department, and must be met by an adult at the bus stop or they will be brought back to our Latchkey at Townsend North School, it will be your responsibility to pick them up at Latchkey and pay any fees.

• Loading/Unloading- When waiting for the bus at the bus stop, choose a safe location approximately ten feet back from the bus stop/roadway. As your child enters or exits the bus, work with them to do this quickly, but not to run. We make an effort to pick-up and drop-off kindergarten students on the same side of the road; however, we can not always achieve this goal.

*In case your Child needs to cross the road, this is the procedure our drivers will use:

1. LOADING the bus - have your child stand ten feet back from the road, when the bus arrives, walk slowly to within two to three feet of the road and STOP. Wait for the driver to signal to cross the road. The driver will use a crossing paddle to signal it is time to cross the road. Your child should still look in both directions and if clear, walk across the road and board the bus. We encourage the parent/guardian to walk with their kindergarten student.

2. LEAVING the bus - your child should walk about ten giant steps out along the roadside in front of the bus and STOP. Look at the driver and wait. When the driver has checked for traffic, they will use the crossing paddle. At that time the child should walk to the center of the road and STOP, look for traffic, and then proceed across the road if clear. We encourage the parent/guardian to walk with their kindergarten student. AT NO TIME WILL WE ALLOW STUDENTS TO CROSS A STATE HIGHWAY, PLEASE DO NOT ASK FOR PERMISSION FOR THIS TO HAPPEN.

Please review some basic bus rules for your child to follow:

1. Use the same behavior as in the classroom.

2. Stay in your seat, facing forward, until it is your turn to exit the bus.

3. Do not move on the bus while the bus is moving.

4. Leave others alone- Physically (keep your hands & feet to yourself) & Verbally (No Name Calling/Teasing/Saying anything mean or hurtful).

5. Do not throw items on the bus and nothing goes out the bus windows (including their body).

6. Always follow your driver’s instructions, who may assign specific bus seats, at any time.

7. Anything sent from home to school, or school to home, should remain in their backpacks until they reach their destination. All items must remain under the student’s control at all times (on their laps).

8. When boarding the bus, student must move over to make room for three pupils in a seat.

9. Students must keep feet and other objects out of the aisles of the bus.

10. Pupils MUST NOT throw paper or any other items on the floor of the bus. Help keep your bus clean and sanitary.

11. Any damage to the bus is to be reported at once to the driver. Students damaging the bus will be suspended for a period of not less than five (5) days and restitution will have to be made by the parents.

12. Parents are expected to accepts joint responsibility with the school authorities for proper conduct of their children. Please remember that riding the school bus is a privilege that can be revoked if the student does not follow the rules.

13. Students departing from a school bus must go directly to their school. Failure to do so will result in a three day suspension that requires parents to come in before the student can be readmitted to school.

14. Lewd, vulgar or offensive language will not be tolerated on the school bus. It is the right of every child to ride in an environment free of this type of language.

Students riding a bus during a storm are advised to listen to their home radio and TV for Storm Warnings and NOT to attempt to reach the school when so forewarned. As to unsafe conditions such as heavy snow or flood, refer to listings below.

• WNEM TV-5

• WJRT TV-12

• WEYI TV-25

• WSMH TV-66

• WKCQ 98.1 FM

Automated phone messages will also be sento to the students home regarding closings and special events.

Any student who is verbally reprimanded on a school bus for his/her actions, will be written up on a Bus Conduct report with no action taken by the building principal. A report will be sent home.

1. Any student who is written up a second time will be called to the building principal's office for a meeting with the building principal. A report will be sent home.

2. Any student who is written up for a third time will be removed from the bus for a period of not less than three days.

3. Any student who is written up for a fourth time shall be removed from the bus for a period of not less than five days.

4. Any student who is written up for a fifth time will be removed from the bus for a period of not less than ten days. A meeting must also be arranged with a parent, student, and building principal to address the situation. The student will be admitted to the bus on a probationary basis upon return.

5. Any student who is written up after a fifth time, that conduct slip will be referred back to the fifth write-up paragraph and possible suspension of bus privileges.

6. There are some violations that will result in immediate removal of riding for not less than five days such as: fighting (both students involved will be suspended NO MATTER who started the fight), smoking, bodily harm threats to the driver, throwing debris out of the bus window, etc.

7. Video cameras and audio recording devices may be used in our buses. The Director of Transportation can review the films and reprimands can be issued when necessary as observed on the video.

PLEASE NOTE: VIDEO & AUDIO RECORDING DEVICES MAY BE IN USE ON OUR BUSSES.