**IMPORTANT. PLEASE READ. **
**SCHOOL BUS TRANSPORTATION, SAFETY, AND CONDUCT**
Summary

August 2010

Dear Parents,

Please review the following information as it is important to our children’s safety.

1) Children are the responsibility of their parents/guardians until such time as they board the bus and after the student leaves the bus at the end of the day.
What this means is that it is up to the parent/guardian as to whether they need to be at a bus stop when their child boards or departs in the afternoon. It is not up to the bus driver or the school district to decide if you need to be there.
That being said - please review the A & B scenarios below.

A) Student that disembarks at a stop by themselves at a single “house” or person stop:
Kindergarten through Grade 5
We will not drop the student off at a SINGLE DROP OFF STOP without seeing a parent or guardian. Exception - Parent notifies the school or terminal manager of a requested change to this protocol.
This also includes an adult that the driver may have never seen before at this single “house”/stop even if the child knows the person.
The driver will continue on route. You will be contacted before last drop off as to whether we will return the child to the stop; or, for you to pick your child up at one of the elementary schools.

B) Student disembarks at a “plat” or neighborhood stop with many other children
Kindergarten student
1. It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to be at a stop if they so choose when their child disembarks the bus with other students. This includes parents waiting in cars.
2. In this situation, it cannot be the driver’s responsibility to know or be responsible to “dismiss” a kindergarten student to a particular “approved” adult whether present or in a waiting vehicle in a group stop situation.
3. That being said, our drivers tend to “notice” what are typical conditions for a kindergarten drop off and use good judgment and common sense. They may contact the terminal and inform them of the circumstances. If no parent or guardian is at the bus stop when an adult is typically there, they may keep the child and continue on route and communicate with the terminal manager on the situation.

2) What to do when your child does not arrive at the stop.
First, stay calm. Occasionally, for various reasons, children may still be at school, on a different bus or remained on the bus {see above.} Contact your child’s school to inform them. If you cannot get through, contact First Student at 766-9208. If either line is busy, keep trying until you get through.

3) Bus Stops:
a) The use of “depot” stops, a gathering point, will be utilized in Plats that are deemed safe walking areas. Distance for walking to depot stops will use the same criteria as the eligibility for ridership.
This was a concerted effort to curb “door to door” and/or “every other house” transportation as it is not possible or appropriate to provide and helped to solve the length of time children were on buses {our routes were too long, our children were on the bus too long, and were getting home too late}. Thanks to so many parents last year who worked with us to balance safety as well as time on buses.
 

b) A student’s bus stop will be based on their legal address. Any variation to that will have to be approved by the North Smithfield School Department or its agent. The North Smithfield School Department will not approve day-to-day changes in bus stops. The North Smithfield School Department may allow a different morning or afternoon stop five (5) days a week on a permanent basis based upon the address and bus capacity.
Basically, no student can ride a different bus, except for as an example, day care reasons with the provision that; the stop is on the route; there is room on the bus; and it must be 5 days a week. If not, the parent/guardian must pick up the student the other days when the student is not on the bus to that residence.

**This includes emergency/early dismissal. In other words, if your child attends Kids Klub or private day care using school bus transportation - that is where they will go on emergency release days unless you choose to call and pick them up.**

Please understand that if you have not already requested a change, we will not be able to approve changes in any of the school bus routes / stops for the first two weeks of school. This will allow us to prioritize adjustments that may be needed to correct overcrowding or route directions.

4) Eligibility for Ridership:
• All children will be eligible for ridership when there is no safe walking area to a school or the distance to a school is greater than ¾ of a mile for students in Grades 1 thru 5; 1&1/2 miles for students in Grades 6 thru 12.
• Only students, school personnel, and emergency personnel are allowed on school buses.

5) Student Bus Behavior:
• School buses are an extension of the classroom and the same behavior expected in a classroom is expected on the school bus and at the bus stop.
• Students who misbehave will be reported to the appropriate School Principal for disciplinary action.
Riding the bus is a “privilege” not a right. Children who misbehave jeopardize the safety of others. This is why we have little tolerance for misbehavior on the bus. Unlike the classroom, it is not a place where we can “work through” certain behaviors. The administrators have a responsibility to maintain safety. Suspensions from the bus do happen. It is not something we like to see occur but safety is of the utmost importance. With the concerted effort of the bus drivers, monitors, principals, and you, we intend to “raise the expectations” for better behavior on the bus.
• Please encourage your child(ren) to communicate with their bus driver when they have a concern.

Possible use of visual surveillance may be used on school buses.

6) Problem Resolution and Communication:
A) Concerns regarding bus routes and/or location of bus stops should be directed to Barbara McGovern, First Student Terminal Manager, at 766-9208 or Mr. Robert Meo, NSSD Transportation Director, at 769-9617.
B) Concerns regarding student conduct or driver issues should be reported to the School Principal for investigation and resolution.

7) STUDENT DISMISSAL FORM
Attached you will find a “Student Dismissal Form.” Please complete only if you are requesting your child be a Kids Klub participant or you are requesting school bus transportation to a residence other than home {please be reminded - the request must be for five (5) days a week or you will need to pick up your child on the “off” days}. Return this to your child’s school as soon as possible.

Please understand that if you had not already requested a change, we will not be able to approve changes in any of the school bus routes / stops for the first two weeks of school. This will allow us to prioritize for adjustments that may be needed to correct overcrowding or route directions.

The related policies can be found in the parent/student handbook and on line at www.northsmithfieldschools.com under Quick Links – Transportation – School Bus Policy, or in the Student Handbooks which are also online.

NSES and Halliwell school times remain the same.
Student school day: 8:30 am to 3:00 pm.
Parents will need to consider this when trying to pick up children at two different elementary schools.

Middle School and High School times remain the same.
Student school day: 7:22 am to 2:05 pm

We all need to work together to make bus transportation safe and a better experience for all. On behalf of Mrs. Frayne, Mrs. Jolin, Mr. Lahar, Mr. Mezzanotte, Mr. Meo, Ms. McGovern, thanks, in advance, for your patience and help.

Sincerely,

Stephen F. Lindberg

Superintendent of Schools

P.S.
Please continue to visit our website, www.northsmithfieldschools.com, periodically. Although it is going through a redesign, it is very functional and includes such things as Administrator’s Monthly Reports, new Attendance regulations, etc. Thank you.

**For PDF printable version of this letter, please click below.
 

The related policies can be found in the parent/student handbook:
School Bus Transportation, Safety, and Conduct