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Transportation Handbook

Transportation Handbook

The Board of Education provides transportation to and from school for all students in Kindergarten through Grade 12 who are deemed eligible for such service. 

 

Expect delays the first several weeks of school while the driver and students settle into the new schedule. Pick up times are only estimated times and may vary as students are added or deleted from bus routes during the course of the school year. 

 

Bus Stops

Specific bus stops are selected based on site safety conditions (sight line, ability to safely pull in and out of pick up points, available turn-around if necessary, etc.), neighborhood student population and distance between stops. 

  • Students will only be transported to assigned/designated drop-off points/bus stops. 
  • Students that are unable to be dropped-off at their designated bus stops will be returned to school (i.e. detours due to downed trees/wires, road closures, K-2, adults unavailable to receive students).
  • Cul de sacs that cannot be safely navigated in one complete turn, without the need to back up the bus will require students to be assigned bus stops at the nearest accessible street corner. 

 

Each August, students are assigned bus stops based on their home address regardless of arrangements made the previous year. 

 

Routes times are posted on-line and at each school prior to school opening. Times are estimates only based on the expected ridership at the time of posting. These times will change once actual ridership is established after the start of the school year. If you have questions regarding your assigned bus stop, please call M&J Transportation at 860 537 2622. A request for a change in a bus stop must be made and approved through the Transportation Department as well as the school office. Drivers are not authorized to make changes in bus stops. 

 

Walking Guidelines

  • Kindergarten to grade 5, driveway to driveway. 
  • Grades 6-8, three tenths of a mile. 
  • Grades 9-12, three tenths of a mile. 
  • The maximum walking distance from home or daycare to the nearest allowable school entrance is: Kindergarten to grade 5, one tenth of a mile. 
  • Grades 6-8, three tenths of a mile. 
  • Grades 9-12, three tenths of a mile. 
  • Roads that are deemed inaccessible to a school bus are excluded from these walking limitations. 

 

Day Care

A waiver is obtained from the District Transportation Coordinator. The waiver will allow two consistent bus stops solely for daycare due to parent/guardian's employment. Students will not be assigned to more than a total of two buses. Waivers will be valid for one school year. 

 

For example: A student may take the bus from home in the mornings on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and go to his/her daycare provider those afternoons. On Tuesday and Thursday mornings that same student may be picked up from the same daycare provider and take the bus home those afternoons.

 

Kindergarten-2 

Kindergarten-2 students are required to have a parent/guardian or other responsible adult present AT THE BUS STOP at both pick up and drop off times. When there is no adult present, the child will be returned to school. 

 

It is strongly suggested that an adult be present for all young children. 

All Students Grades 3-12

According to CPS transportation policy, students will be dropped-off unattended unless a security waiver/exemption has been granted by the Superintendent or his/her designee. Reasons for such waivers may be due to special needs, non verbal, IEPs, custody/protective orders. 

    • Items, which are not prohibited by school policy and can fit in a backpack or duffle bag, are allowed. Musical instruments, which can fit on a student's lap or under their seat are acceptable. 
    • Bulky or non permissible items are the responsibility of the parent/guardian to bring to and from school. 
    • Any items that roll are a potential hazard & MUST be secured in a students backpack throughout the entire bus ride. This includes bottles, small balls, toys, etc. 
    • No live animals, whether tame or wild are permitted. 

  • Articles left on the school bus will be kept for one week. Students may retrieve lost items from the bus driver. Items not claimed within the week will be placed with the school or local bus office. M&J will not be held responsible for the security of any items left on the buses. 

    • In the event of bad weather, which prohibits safe transportation, school sessions may be delayed or canceled. Announcements will be broadcast through Parent Square.
    • You must opt in to receive text message alerts through Parent Square. 
    • We request that you do not call the schools or M&J as it ties up telephone lines that may be needed for emergencies. 

  • Parent Square will be used to communicate with families for unanticipated early closings. 

  • As a driver I will not tolerate any behavior that distracts me or stops me from driving safely -As a driver I will not tolerate any behavior that prevents all passengers from receiving safe transportation. 

Conduct and Discipline Guidelines

    • Be at your stop approximately ten minutes before and ten minutes after the bus is due to arrive, 
    • Students must wait at the bus stop. Buses will not be responsible to pick up students who remain in their vehicles and/or homes. 
    • When waiting for the bus, stand 10' back from the road. Do not attempt to walk toward the bus until the bus has come to a complete stop, red lights have been activated and the door is open. 
    • Go directly to your seat when entering the bus and remain there. Students may not stand, change seats, distract the driver, or throw anything. 
    • When the bus arrives home, get off promptly. Wait to cross the road until the driver nods indicating it is safe to do so. 
    • Once a student has boarded the bus in the afternoon, they are not permitted to get off the bus for any reason until they have reached their intended destination, unless authorized by school personnel. -Bus drivers are forbidden to let a student off at any stop other than his/her scheduled stop without written permission from the school office and/or Transportation Department 

    • Student discipline is a challenging responsibility for drivers and administrators. 
    • Misbehavior creates a hazard for everyone jeopardizing the safety and wellbeing of all students. Behavior on the bus is expected to be the same as within the classroom. 

    • Follow the driver's instructions 
    • All students K-12 have assigned seats and are required to sit in their assigned seats 
    • Must place backpack on their laps 
    • Do not eat or drink on the bus 
    • Keep all harmful materials (drugs, tobacco, alcohol, weapons, E Cigarettes) off the bus 
    • Keep all parts of your body and all objects to yourself and inside the bus 
    • Keep the noise level down and remain seated, facing forward 
    • Speak quietly to neighbor 

    1. Verbal warning 
    2. Written Warning Level 1: White Card 
    3. Written Warning Level 2: Incident Report 
    4. Bus suspension 

     

    Steps may be skipped depending on the severity of rules violated. 

     

    Serious offenses may warrant immediate return to school. 

     

    Bus transportation may be denied to students who exhibit violent, destructive or repetitive distracting behavior. Disciplinary reports will be sent to administrators for investigation and appropriate action. We ask that you support their recommendation. 

  • Supervision at the bus stop is a parental responsibility. Students come under school jurisdiction when they board the bus. 

    • Keep at hand for ready reference the bus schedule showing when the bus is due at their pick up, drop off area. 
    • Make sure that children reach the bus pick up area promptly according to schedule. 
    • Should instruct children: 
      • To walk facing traffic 
      • To look both ways before crossing the street. All students K-12 must do a control crossing as mandated by the State of Connecticut 
      • To wait 10' back from the street, whenever possible 
      • Never walk along the side of the bus, run back to return to the bus, chase the bus 
    • It is required that when a student is dropped off at his/her home, parents/guardians/designees of students in grades K-2 be present and visible at the time of student drop off. If a student parent/guardian/designee is not visible, the driver will keep the student on the bus and return to the school. 
    • Once students are dropped off at a common drop-off location, it is the parent's responsibility to ensure the child's safety. 
    • If a student misses the bus, the parent/guardian/designee must provide transportation. 
    • If transportation is suspended due to behavior, parent/guardian/designee will be responsible for providing transportation during the period of suspension. 
    • Requests for a student to ride a different bus on any given day must be made in writing to the school office and Transportation Department before 12:00 PM. 
    • Parents/guardians/designees are not permitted to board the bus unless granted in writing for a specific purpose by the Superintendent of Schools. 

  • The school principal shall be responsible for establishing a positive disciplinary climate which educates students about acceptable behavior. School Administrators and the Transportation Department shall be responsible for enforcement of the Conduct and Discipline Guidelines and Bus Safety Rules. 

  • Possession and/or use of any type of weapon or dangerous instrument by a student will lead to disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion from the school system. 

  • Procedures for determination of removal, suspension and expulsion shall be fair and objective and shall meet legal requirements. 

  • Action is taken to correct a discipline problem which may include consequences ranging from loss of school bus privilege and/or suspension.