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.

Welcome to the School Bus!

We understand that the transition to kindergarten can be both exciting and overwhelming for students and families! The First Riders Program helps incoming kindergarten students feel confident about riding the school bus for the first time. This free, 30-minute session takes place once a year in early June and includes an interactive safety video, a bus safety demonstration, and a short bus ride.

Families can attend any of the multiple sessions held on one day across seven schools in Waterloo Region, regardless of where their student is registered.

A wheelchair-accessible bus will be available at select locations.

Emails and/or letters with registration details will be sent in the spring to parents and caregivers who have registered a junior or senior kindergarten student by mid-April. Space is limited, and attendance is strongly encouraged.

Please watch the School Bus Safety Rules and Expectations for First-Time Riders video, created specifically for students new to the bus.

If you cannot attend the First Rider Program, this video provides a great overview for JK/SK students and their parents/caregivers.

Some important notes before you head out for the bus day one:

Kindergarten Information Letters/Emails

• An email will be sent to the email(s) listed on the students school record. 
  • Ensure your email is on file with your student’s school to receive these emails and check your junk/spam folder.
• If no email is on file, a letter will be mailed. Verify that the school has the correct address, including unit numbers, to ensure delivery.
• A Kindergarten Brochure with important transportation details will also be provided.
• This brochure contains valuable information to help you and your student prepare for bus transportation.

Kindergarten (Kindie) Tags

• All Junior and Senior Kindergarten students are put on the bus by school staff according to their colour coded kindergarten (kindie) tag matching their bus route. The school is responsible for getting the students onto their correct bus.
• Kindergarten (kindie) tags should be placed at the top of the backpack so that they are visible to the driver.
• Please verify the information on the tag. If incorrect, contact your school.
• If a student is not met at the stop, they will be returned to school. If the school cannot accept them, Family & Children’s Services will be contacted.

Safety Around Bus Stops

We encourage all students to walk to their bus stop. If parents/caregivers must drive, please avoid parking near the stop. The danger zone around the bus, explained in the video, is an area where injuries are most likely to occur. While students are very safe on the bus, it is important to be cautious outside of it.

Respect Your Neighbor’s Property

STSWR places bus stops at walkways or parks where possible, but some may be near personal property. Please remind your student to always respect others’ property.

Pick-Up Procedure: Ask for Your Student by Name

• Parents/caregivers should approach the bus door and ask for their student by name.
• This ensures students are safely matched with the correct person.
• If your student does not see the person picking them up, they should notify the bus driver immediately.

Arrive 5 Minutes Early

Traffic conditions vary daily. To ensure you do not miss the bus, please arrive at the bus stop at least 5 minutes before the scheduled pickup time.

Subscribe for Bus Updates

• Click here to view instructions on how to add a student to your Parent Portal.
• We strongly encourage families to visit STSWR on X (Twitter) or BP Web alerts for the latest information.

Walking to the Bus Stop

The walk to the bus stop is a great opportunity to teach road safety. Before school starts, walk the route with your student and discuss these important safety tips:

• Choose the safest route with crosswalks or intersections whenever possible.
• Teach proper street-crossing techniques:
  • Stop at the curb, driveway, or street edge.
  • Look left, right, left, and behind for traffic.
  • Listen for approaching vehicles, especially near curves or hills.
  • Walk, don’t run, across the street.
• If crossing the street after exiting the bus, always cross 10 feet in front of the bus where the driver can see you.
• Wait for the school bus 10 feet from the road or farther if weather conditions are poor.

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

• Visit www.stswr.ca and select ‘Parent Portal’
  • If you are unsure if your student is eligible to ride the bus, click HERE to find out!
• Sign up with the email you wish to receive notifications to
• A confirmation email will be sent to that email to complete your sign up
  • Check your junk/spam folders if you do not see the confirmation email in your inbox
• Click on ‘Confirm Email’ link and log-into your account

How to Add Your Student to Your Parent Portal

• When logged in, ensure the year at the bottom of the page reflects the current school year. You should see the following options: Add Student, My Students, My Subscriptions.
  • You cannot add a student for the next school year until late August
• New students and JK/SK students cannot be added to your Parent Portal until an OEN (Ontario Education Number) is provided by the school
  • Contact STSWR at the end of August to have your student added manually: https://www.stswr.ca/contacts/feedback/
• Add in the students information in the 4 mandatory fields:
  • The OEN can be found on the student’s past report cards. This is a 9-digit number
  • Birth date is YYYY/MM/DD
  • Input the home address street number only (e.g., Unit 99-15 Maple Leaf Drive, you will only type 15)
  • Select your student’s school
• Complete the Captcha and click ‘Add Student’

Viewing Transportation Details in Your Parent Portal

• Once you have added your student, their information will show as assigned under the ‘Transportation’ tab
  • Turn your mobile device ‘landscape’ to view the full details
• You will now automatically receive delay notifications via email as they are posted by the bus operator
  • If a bus is delayed or if your student has left something on the bus, please contact your operator directly that is listed in your Parent Portal
• For any additional questions regarding the student’s route or bus stops, please contact the transportation planner for your school: https://www.stswr.ca/schools/your-area-transportation-planner/

*You can only add students who are already enrolled to school to your list during the current school year (Sept-June). To add students to your list for the next school year, please return to the Parent Portal at the end of August.

Adding Phone Numbers for Text Notifications

You can add up to five (5) phone numbers for text notifications by following these steps:

• Click on the ‘Parent’ drop down at the top of the page (or the 3 lines if you are on mobile)
• Select ‘My Account’ 
• Click on ‘Mobile Numbers’
• Check ‘I want to receive texts alerts’
• Add phone number(s)
• Update

*All US based phone numbers will not receive text messages. The only option for those families is email.*

Reviewing Student Information & Contacts

• Transportation is assigned using information provided by the school on the student’s school record.
• If any of the information for your student in the Parent Portal is incorrect or you would like to add a contact or have moved, please contact the student’s school directly to update.
• Not seeing updated information in your portal? Information is updated online 24 hours after the change is made at STSWR.

Parent Portal Questions

• My student isn’t listed when I log into the Parent Portal!
  • You must add your student yourself to the Parent Portal.
  • Ensure the school year at the bottom of the page reflects the current school year. If it is reflecting as next year, you will not be able to see or add student information. If needed, try adding your student again using the instructions above.

• I have questions and/or concerns about my student bus route or bus stop.
  • For any additional questions regarding the student’s route or bus stops, please contact the transportation planner for your school: https://www.stswr.ca/schools/your-area-transportation-planner/

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 students 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

• 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 student 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 student’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 and stay 5-10 minutes after the scheduled pick-up time, in case bus arrives later than the scheduled time.

“Kindie/Kindergarten Tags” will be provided at school and are mandatory for all Kindergarten students that ride the bus at the end of the day

This tag includes your JK/SK student’s pertinent transportation information, helping the driver ensure your student gets off the bus at the correct location.

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

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 on the students school records. You can find out if you live in the busing zone or the walking zone by selecting ‘Can I Ride a Bus?’

If your student is eligible for transportation but does not require busing, please fill out a “Do Not Ride/Return to Busing Form”. This ensures your student is not assigned to a bus and inadvertently put on a bus at the end of the day. This is a digital form that is sent automatically to the school and the STSWR transportation planner who handles your schools routes.

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

You can reverse this change at any time throughout the school year by completing and submiting the same digital form.

Set up an account

• Visit www.stswr.ca and select ‘Parent Portal’
  • If you are unsure if your student is eligible to ride the bus, click HERE to find out!
• Sign up with the email you wish to receive notifications to
• A confirmation email will be sent to that email to complete your sign up
  • Check your junk/spam folders if you do not see the confirmation email in your inbox
• Click on ‘Confirm Email’ link and log-into your account

How to Add Your Student to Your Parent Portal

• When logged in, ensure the year at the bottom of the page reflects the current school year. You should see the following options: Add Student, My Students, My Subscriptions.
  • You cannot add a student for the next school year until late August
• New students and JK/SK students cannot be added to your Parent Portal until an OEN (Ontario Education Number) is provided by the school
  • Contact STSWR at the end of August to have your student added manually: https://www.stswr.ca/contacts/feedback/
• Add in the students information in the 4 mandatory fields:
  • The OEN can be found on the student’s past report cards. This is a 9-digit number
  • Birth date is YYYY/MM/DD
  • Input the home address street number only (e.g., Unit 99-15 Maple Leaf Drive, you will only type 15)
  • Select your student’s school
• Complete the Captcha and click ‘Add Student’

Viewing Transportation Details in Your Parent Portal

• Once you have added your student, their information will show as assigned under the ‘Transportation’ tab
  • Turn your mobile device ‘landscape’ to view the full details
• You will now automatically receive delay notifications via email as they are posted by the bus operator
  • If a bus is delayed or if your student has left something on the bus, please contact your operator directly that is listed in your Parent Portal
• For any additional questions regarding the student’s route or bus stops, please contact the transportation planner for your school: https://www.stswr.ca/schools/your-area-transportation-planner/

*You can only add students who are already enrolled to school to your list during the current school year (Sept-June). To add students to your list for the next school year, please return to the Parent Portal at the end of August.

Adding Phone Numbers for Text Notifications

You can add up to five (5) phone numbers for text notifications by following these steps:

• Click on the ‘Parent’ drop down at the top of the page (or the 3 lines if you are on mobile)
• Select ‘My Account’ 
• Click on ‘Mobile Numbers’
• Check ‘I want to receive texts alerts’
• Add phone number(s)
• Update

*All US based phone numbers will not receive text messages. The only option for those families is email.*

Reviewing Student Information & Contacts

• Transportation is assigned using information provided by the school on the student’s school record.
• If any of the information for your student in the Parent Portal is incorrect or you would like to add a contact or have moved, please contact the student’s school directly to update.
• Not seeing updated information in your portal? Information is updated online 24 hours after the change is made at STSWR.

Parent Portal Questions

• My student isn’t listed when I log into the Parent Portal!
  • You must add your student yourself to the Parent Portal.
  • Ensure the school year at the bottom of the page reflects the current school year. If it is reflecting as next year, you will not be able to see or add student information. If needed, try adding your student again using the instructions above.

• I have questions and/or concerns about my student bus route or bus stop.
  • For any additional questions regarding the student’s route or bus stops, please contact the transportation planner for your school: https://www.stswr.ca/schools/your-area-transportation-planner/

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 twenty minutes, and stamina for walking (and all day long) improves quickly with daily practice. Often, small students 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 student sleep better at night. Parents/caregivers are responsible for ensuring small students are supervised on the walk to school.