Transportation

Our Head Start Transportation staff want to emphasize the importance of school bus safety.  Our goal is to continue the excellent safety record we have experienced in the past.  We have not had any child injuries in our bus turnaround area, parking lots or on any school bus and want that trend to continue.  We wish to extend our sincere thanks to all parents who put child safety first. 

Busing for Head Start Children is a Privilege.  If your child rides the bus, he/she will be expected to follow basic rules such as staying in his/her seat, no hands out the window, etc.  Our buses are equipped with 5-point safety harnesses for the protection of your child, similar to the one pictured to the right.  All children must be fastened into a harness before they can be transported.

 Bus Packs MUST Be Worn By Children.  Packs should not be worn in public places.  Packs are to be used for school only.  Children without bus packs and name tags will not be allowed on the bus.  The bus packs and name tags identify the children to the driver, and also serve as a communication tool between the home and the classroom.  Please check your child's bus pack EVERY day when he/she returns home to make certain you remove and read any communication placed inside by the teaching team.

Call us at 233-6606 if your child is going to be absent for any reason so the bus does not make an unnecessary trip.  If you do not call and the bus makes the trip to your home, Head Start will be charged for the mileage even if your child does not ride the bus.  Three consecutive absences without notification to the office or transportation clerk will result in cancellation of busing services.

Hand In Hand Policy:  The adult responsible for your child is required to walk your child to and from the BUS DOOR.  If you self transport, you must take your child to the classroom and sign in with the teacher.  When you pick your child up you must come to the classroom and sign your child out with the teacher.  Teachers are ready to receive children no sooner than 5 minutes before class begins.  Children must be picked up no later than 5 minutes after the end of class.

Point of Pick-Up will not always be in front of the residence.  If the child resides on a dead end street, cul-de-sac, one-way street, or other areas which are not accessible to the bus, drivers will establish the point of pick-up and/or drop-off.  Meeting points will be as close to the residence as safety to children and/or equipment will allow.

Authorized Adults:  You will need to provide Head Start with a list of authorized adults (forms are provided during the intake process) who can get your child off the bus or from school (from the classroom).  Without prior authorization, we will not release your child to anyone.  All individuals will be "ID'd" the first time the teacher meets them in the classroom to make certain they are a safe person to release your child to.  Be home when the bus arrives.  If no one meets the bus, the child will be returned to school, and you will have to pick your child up there.

Please park your vehicle in one of the parking lots in front of the Head Start center. 

Parking is NEVER permitted in the bus lane on the West side of the school.  Any vehicles parked in this area will be ticketed and/or towed.  This area needs to be free of vehicles for bus use, and to make certain children boarding and un-boarding buses are safe.