Welcome to Kindergarten!
If your student is starting Kindergarten for the first time this year and will be taking the bus, this page has everything you need to know!
If this is your students first time taking the bus, please review these links below:
- (VIDEO) How to Create and Navigate Through Your Parent Portal Account
- School Bus Safety
- Responsibilities of Students
- Responsibilities of Parents/Caregivers
- Inclement Weather Procedures
- Kindergarten Brochure (PDF)
- (VIDEO) Guide to School Bus Safety Rules JK to Gr. 3
Frequently Asked Questions
How will my JK/SK student know which bus to take? Will school staff know too?
- Bus route numbers are posted on the front and/or side of the bus, and drivers also have a list of students expected on their route.
- In the afternoon, Kindergarten students riding the bus home will receive a coloured ‘Kindie Tag’ from their teacher. This tag, attached to their backpack, shows the student’s bus number and stop information.
- Teachers use the tag information and tag colour to ensure students board the correct bus in the afternoon, and drivers use it to confirm each student is on the right route.
Who needs to meet my child at the stop? What if no one is there?
- Kindergarten students MUST ALWAYS have a parent, caregiver, or responsible older sibling at the stop in the morning and afternoon.
- It is up to the parents/caregivers decide if/when a sibling is responsible enough to meet the kindergarten sibling at the bus stop. Please let the driver know ahead of time who will be picking up the student.
- In the afternoon, a parent, caregiver, or responsible older sibling must go to the bus door and ask for the student by name. This helps the driver make sure the student is leaving with the right person.
- If no one is at the stop, the student must tell the driver immediately. STSWR & the bus company will call the contacts on file, and if no one can be reached, the student will be returned to school and met by staff.
The information I receieved is wrong for my student. How do I change it?
- Any information changes must be made at the students school. This includes adress changes, name changes, contact changes, email changes, etc. Please contact your student school directly. STSWR cannot make any changes to student school records and will recieve the updated information from your students school.
Where will my kindergarten students bus stop be?
- Kindergarten students may be required to walk up to 0.5 kilometres (500 meters) to a common bus stop, as time does not permit stopping at each home.
- Stops are based on the community needs and not individual students.
- Students living on crescents or courts may be asked to walk to the nearest intersection.
- All stops are curbside. Buses will not enter apartment or townhouse complexes.
Can my child be picked up or dropped off at a daycare or babysitter?
- Transportation to daycare centres and babysitters is available under the following conditions:
- The daycare or babysitter is located in the school’s attendance area and in an area eligible for transportation (use the Can I Ride a Bus? feature on our website to see if an address is bus eligible); and
- The student is transported to the same location each day.
- Please contact your students school directly to update their pick-up and drop off locations. STSWR will recieve the updated information from your students school.
How can I see bus details online or sign up for delay alerts?
- Families can find the transportation details for their student by visiting www.stswr.ca and selecting ‘Parent Portal’ on the home page and creating an account.
- Watch this video on How to Use the Parent Portal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jrbO9OJb9s
- The email you use to create the account MUST be attached to your student’s student record in Aspen at the school. If you need to update your email, please contact the school directly.
- Learn more about this email requirement here: Why You May Not See Your Student’s Transportation Information in the Parent Portal
My kindergarten student doesn’t need transportation.
- If you do not require transportation for your student, click here to complete the ‘Decline or Reinstate Transportation’ digital form.
- Your request will be sent to STSWR to remove the student, and to your students school to ensure the teacher(s) do not mistakenly place your student on the bus.
- The change remains in place for the duration of the students time at the school or until you submit the form again, and as long as your student is still bus eligible.
- You can check your transportation eligibility at any time by using the Can I Ride a Bus? feature on our website.
Can I make special arrangements or changes in my student’s transportation directly with the bus driver?
- No. Without a written notice from Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region (STSWR), no bus driver is authorised to make changes to your student’s bus stop or bus schedule.
- If you are looking to change the stop location or bus for your student, please find and contact the transportation planner for your school: https://www.stswr.ca/directory
- Visit this link on our website to see if the student is eligible to ride the bus from the new address