Statement
Parents/Guardians are responsible for student safety and conduct prior to pick up and after departure from the school bus. Parents/Guardians are responsible for supporting the policy and procedures related to student transportation.
Procedure
Parent’s/Guardians must:
1. Recognize that riding the school bus is a privilege, not a right, which can be suspended or revoked if expectations are not met.
2. Understand that a school bus will be treated as an extension of the classroom. Improper conduct may result in withdrawal of riding privileges by the school principal or designate after consultation with the student and parent or guardian
3. Understand that student/parent will be held financially responsible for damage to the school bus resulting from improper behaviour or carelessness.
4. Impress upon children the need to observe the safety precautions and behaviour code outlined in Responsibility of Students. Respect your neighbour’s property. We need to ensure student’s behave at the bus stop.
5. Write down the bus company and route number for their child and keep it in a safe location in case of lost items or an emergency.
6. Respect that service is scheduled and therefore buses will not wait for latecomers.
7. Have alternate arrangements for their children should unplanned circumstances, such as a traffic delay/running late, occur as these are not emergencies but are items arising in daily life for which parents/guardians are accountable and responsible.
8. Not pursue the bus if the student misses it as it creates unsafe driving conditions. Transportation is provided at the STSWR approved bus stop location. If the student is not at the bus stop at the designated pick-up time, it will be the responsibility of the parent/guardian to arrange transportation for the student to school.
9. Have familiarity with the Inclement Weather Procedures. Be responsible to monitor radio stations, the STSWR website (www.stswr.ca), Twitter (@STSWR), or have a subscription to delays and cancellations (https://bpweb.stswr.ca/Subscriptions/Login.aspx) for cancellation announcements.
10. Understand they have the responsibility to make the final decision in sending children to school in the event of inclement weather.
11.Parent/guardian is not permitted to board the school bus. The only exception is a student with special needs that requires;
a) A Rupert’s harness hooked in.
b) A seat belt buckled (excluding Wheelchairs).
12. Insert booster seat and/or fasten the seatbelt of their child should they be transported in a van or cab.
13. Have appropriate supervision arranged at time of pick-up and drop-off for all Junior and Senior Kindergarten students. Ask at the door of the bus for all Junior and Senior Kindergarten students. All students not met by a parent/guardian or appropriate aged sibling will be returned to the school (where they must be picked up by their parent/guardian).
Parents and Guardians are encouraged to arrange a neighbourhood “buddy” or responsible adult to accompany young students (grades 1-5) to and from the stop.
14. Inform the school bus driver of any allergy or medical conditions which exist.
15. Notify the school immediately of change in address and/or change in emergency contact information.
16. Notify the school of any situation occurring at a stop or on the bus that may have impacted student safety.
17. Understand that the student may not have the same bus driver consistently.
18. Not attempt to request or negotiate special transportation arrangements with Bus Company, bus driver or school principal directly.
19. Be at their kindergarten student’s assigned drop off location (5) minutes prior to the scheduled drop off time to meet their student
20. Parent/Guardian with a student riding on a taxi need to be aware that in Waterloo Region, all taxi Operators equip their taxis with camera surveillance. This practice is to enforce driver safety in Waterloo Region.