Follow this link and enter your address to determine your transportation eligibility.

Eligible for the bus zone? See step 2 to learn about our First Rider program and when bus information will be released.

Eligible for the Walk zone? See the Kindergarten Walkers section for more information and resources available at your school.

The First Rider Program is a safety program introducing new riders to the bus and how to be a safe and responsible rider. An interactive video is followed by a bus safety demonstration and a short ride on the school bus.

For more information see the 2019 First Rider PDF.

To sign up for a session select a location and time from below:

Resurrection Catholic Secondary (wheelchair accessible bus on location)

455 University Ave W, Kitchener, ON N2N 3B9

5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 6:30pm

St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic School

560 Pioneer Dr, Kitchener, ON N2P 1P2

5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 6:30pm

Grand River Collegiate Institute

175 Indian Rd, Kitchener, ON N2B 2S7

5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 6:30pm

Jacob Hespeler Secondary School

355 Holiday Inn Dr, Cambridge, ON N3C 1Z2

5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 6:30pm

Forest Heights Collegiate Institute

255 Fischer-Hallman Rd, Kitchener, ON N2M 4X8

5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 6:30pm

Holy Spirit Catholic School

15 Gatehouse Dr, Cambridge, ON N1P 1C7

5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 6:30pm

St. Luke Catholic School

550 Chesapeake Dr, Waterloo, ON N2K 4G5

5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 6:30pm

There is no registration for transportation. All students living in a busing zone are automatically assigned to the bus based on the address provided to the school. During the last week of August, transportation information for September is mailed directly to families of JK and SK students in the busing zone.

Set up an account:

1. Enter your email address at https://bpweb.stswr.ca/Subscriptions/Subscribe.aspx
2. Choose the Subscribe button
   1. The system will send you an email (entitled: Email Subscription: Action Required sent from:geoquery_feedback@stswr.ca)
   2. Choose the Confirm link in the email
   3. Enter your preferred password twice on the page that opens

Subscribe to Route Delays & Cancellations:

1. If you aren’t logged in, login at https://bpweb.stswr.ca/Subscriptions/Login.aspx, using your email address and chosen password
2. Under My Subscriptions > Route Delays & Cancellations, find the Route for your child(ren) and be sure to select both the AM and PM runs for each student (e.g., Route 001 Find -> Add Run 001(your school)). Please note the AM and PM runs your child(ren) take may be on separate Routes.
3. Choose the checkbox under Add for each route, and then Subscribe

Subscribe to School Closures:

1. If you aren’t logged in, login at https://bpweb.stswr.ca/Subscriptions/Login.aspx, using your email address and chosen password
2. Under My Subscriptions > School Closures, select your child(ren)’s school(s) and Subscribe

 Subscribe to General Notices:

1. If you aren’t logged in, login at https://bpweb.stswr.ca/Subscriptions/Login.aspx, using your email address and chosen password
2. Under My Subscriptions > General Notices, choose Enabled

Ensure Subscription Status is Enabled:

1. If you aren’t logged in, login at https://bpweb.stswr.ca/Subscriptions/Login.aspx, using your email address and chosen password
2. Under My Information > Status, ensure Enabled is checked. If it isn’t, check it.

Subscribe to SMS Text Messages:

1. Click on ‘My Information’ in the menu bar to the left of the screen and select ‘SMS’
2. Check off the box tor receive SMS notifications and enter the phone numbers that you would like to receive SMS notifications.
3. Once you have entered your phone numbers, hit ‘Save’. You can enter as many as 5 numbers for one account.

All Kindergarten students taking the bus home from school will have a “Kindergarten” tag, as issued by your school at the beginning of the school year. This tag includes your child’s pertinent transportation information, helping the driver ensure your child gets off the bus at the correct location.

To ensure your child’s safe delivery, please contact your school immediately to replace a lost tag or if your child’s tag requires an information change.

• A parent, caregiver, or appropriately-aged sibling is required to come to the bus door to collect the Kindergartner by name in order to promote safe dismissal
• Assist your child in securing belongings before leaving home
• Remove all long drawstrings from outer clothing to prevent these from being caught in handrails and doors
• Ensure your child’s safety while getting to and from the bus stop
• Support the enforcement of school bus safety rules and procedures
• Please walk to the bus stop. If you have to drive, park a distance away to prevent congestion
• Please arrive at your bus stop 5 minutes ahead of the scheduled pick up time to avoid missing the bus.

Kindergarten Students are expected to:

• Sit in the first few rows of the bus
• Remain seated, facing forward at all times
• Remain seated until ready to leave the school bus
• Keep backpacks on lap and keep aisles clear
• Avoid distracting or disturbing the driver
• Open windows only with driver’s permission
• Keep hands, feet, arms, and head inside the school bus at all times
• Never throw objects inside the school bus or out the windows
• Never eat or drink on the bus
• Promptly obey directions given by the driver or the school safety patrol (if present)
• Use emergency equipment or exits only in the case of genuine emergency

At the Bus Stop

Students must:

• Wait in an orderly fashion well back from the side of the road in the safe zone
• Respect the private property at the bus stop
• Recognize that a danger zone exists in the immediate vicinity around the bus
• If children need to cross the road to board the bus, wait until the bus arrives with lights flashing, then continue to wait until the driver signals that it is safe to cross, then safely proceed across the road

Getting On/Off the Bus

Students Must:

• Secure and organize belongings before getting on the bus, and keep belongings packed while aboard
• Wait until the bus is completely stopped before approaching the door
• Enter or exit the bus in single file
• Never push or shove
• Get on and off the bus only at the designated stop
• Stay out of the danger zone: if you can touch the bus, you’re too close—use 10 giant steps to move out of the danger zone and into the safe zone
• When crossing the road, make eye contact with the driver, wait for the driver to signal, check traffic in both directions, then cross the road in front of the school bus
• Never stop to pick up anything that drops in the danger zone—ask an adult or bus driver for help
• Walk, never run across the road

During the last week of August, transportation information for September is mailed directly to families of JK and SK students in the busing zone.

There is no registration for transportation. All students living in a busing zone are automatically assigned to the bus based on the address provided to the school. You can find out if you live in the busing zone or the walking zone by using the Transportation Eligibility portal.

If your child is in the busing zone but does not require busing, please fill out a “Do Not Ride Form” to ensure your child is not assigned to a bus and inadvertently put on a bus at the end of the day. The form can be requested from your child’s school or our website.

You may opt out of busing altogether or morning or afternoon busing only. The form lets your school and driver know that your child will not be taking the bus in one or both directions.

You can reverse this change at any time throughout the school year by using the same form.

Set up an account:

1. Enter your email address at https://bpweb.stswr.ca/Subscriptions/Subscribe.aspx
2. Choose the Subscribe button
   1. The system will send you an email (entitled: Email Subscription: Action Required sent from:geoquery_feedback@stswr.ca)
   2. Choose the Confirm link in the email
   3. Enter your preferred password twice on the page that opens

Subscribe to Route Delays & Cancellations:

1. If you aren’t logged in, login at https://bpweb.stswr.ca/Subscriptions/Login.aspx, using your email address and chosen password
2. Under My Subscriptions > Route Delays & Cancellations, find the Route for your child(ren) and be sure to select both the AM and PM runs for each student (e.g., Route 001 Find -> Add Run 001(your school)). Please note the AM and PM runs your child(ren) take may be on separate Routes.
3. Choose the checkbox under Add for each route, and then Subscribe

Subscribe to School Closures:

1. If you aren’t logged in, login at https://bpweb.stswr.ca/Subscriptions/Login.aspx, using your email address and chosen password
2. Under My Subscriptions > School Closures, select your child(ren)’s school(s) and Subscribe

 Subscribe to General Notices:

1. If you aren’t logged in, login at https://bpweb.stswr.ca/Subscriptions/Login.aspx, using your email address and chosen password
2. Under My Subscriptions > General Notices, choose Enabled

Ensure Subscription Status is Enabled:

1. If you aren’t logged in, login at https://bpweb.stswr.ca/Subscriptions/Login.aspx, using your email address and chosen password
2. Under My Information > Status, ensure Enabled is checked. If it isn’t, check it.

Subscribe to SMS Text Messages:

1. Click on ‘My Information’ in the menu bar to the left of the screen and select ‘SMS’
2. Check off the box tor receive SMS notifications and enter the phone numbers that you would like to receive SMS notifications.
3. Once you have entered your phone numbers, hit ‘Save’. You can enter as many as 5 numbers for one account.

Check the Transportation Eligibility tool to find out if your address is in the walk zone.

Your school may already have walking programs that increase the safety and fun of walking to school by intensifying visibility and allowing students to walk with other children. Systems like the Walking School Bus, Walking Buddies, and Trailblazers all work to foster gradual independence through age-appropriate supervision, support, and road safety education. If your school does not already have these supports, call STSWR and ask how you might help to establish one.

An average Kindergartener can walk one kilometre in ten minutes, and stamina for walking (and all day long) improves quickly with daily practice. Often, small children have a harder time sitting still than they do moving for that amount of time. In fact, 20 minutes of physical activity at the beginning of the day can boost metabolism, increase mental focus for up to four hours, and help your child sleep better at night. Parents are responsible for ensuring small children are supervised on the walk to school.