With the academic year well underway, Port parents by now have hopefully adjusted to the staggared school start times and fewer buses. These buses transport more than 2,400 passengers. Here's how to make the experience a smooth ride:
Eligibility: Under the Port Washington transportation eligibility requirement busing is provided if you live more than .5 miles for K-5, farther than three-quarters of a mile for middle school and more than 1.25 miles for high school.
Is it a Right?: Busing is revocable. Assistant Superintendent Mary Callahan noted that “once provided with transportation, it is a privilege which must be maintained by proper behavior or risk suspension."
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No Monitor: A monitor is not required for elementary ages or older, including, special needs children. As Callahan pointed out, “it has not reached a level of budgetary priority because with few exceptions, the behavior of the children has not warranted the additional expenditure.”
Timing: Bus drivers will not wait. Transportation Supervisor Wilma Stubbs advises that “parents are responsible for getting their children to the bus stop on time. Buses have a 10 minute window [five before and five after the appointed time] for weather and traffic impacts.”
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Late Comers: If you are running late in the morning, take the child directly to school. If you are running late in the afternoon, immediately contact the school, where the child will be held. Stubbs suggests arranging alternatatives with other parents from the same bus stop for emergencies.
Meeting The Bus: The public school bus companies do not track who is authorized to pick up your child, and New York State does not require a parent to be present. Children may be released on their own or to another person waiting for them, so ensure your children know with whom they can go. Your child will not be released at another bus stop.
Safety: Parents and children should review and reinforce the bus safety rules. Children should not change seats during the bus ride. "Safety is of primary importance," Stubbs said. "Safety procedures are practiced both on and off the buses and for an orderly exit in case of emergency via bus drills three times a year." She continued, “Once in our care, custody and control, it is our job to get the children safely to their designated school.”
Seating: Principal Barbara Giebel at enacted assigned seating on buses last year to help prevent behavioral issues and to more easily tally absentees.
Wrong Bus: If a child is on the wrong bus, the school will call the bus company and all the buses will pull over to locate the child. Depending upon the circumstances, the child may be brought back to school or to the administration annex.
Buddy System: The New York State Department of Education Handbook states, “Kindergarten students waiting in a K-6 mix will be safer due to the supervision provided by older students,” so encourage your children to keep an eye on each other.
Bus Stops: Bus stops are chosen based upon what is “reasonably safe.” Stubbs noted that in Port Washington, the stops are at intersections, though some exceptions apply. She urged parents "not to ask drivers to break the rules by requesting a location other than their designated bus stop."
Limits: Bus rides should not exceed one-and-a-half hours.
Attendance: Each school has independent procedures to track the students' presence on the bus. Stubbs noted that "there are lists of who is going on a different bus to after school programs."
Communicate: If you know your child is not going on the bus, send a note to the teacher and advise your bus driver.
Complaints: “The proper chain of command to address issues is your school principal for student behavior issues and herself for bus, driver or timing issues,” Stubbs noted.
Resources:
New York State transportation eligibility requirements
State Education Department Transportation Supervisor’s Handbook
