School Bus Transportation Information

SCHOOL BUS PASS AND BUS STOP UPDATE-SEPTEMBER 2, 2008

All bus passes that were applied for on our SCHOOL BUS REGISTRATION FORM prior to August 18, 2008 have now been processed and mailed. With few exceptions, passes should have been delivered by today’s date. Bus drivers have been advised to extend the period during which we will not enforce bus passes until Monday, September 8, 2008.

If you have applied for a bus pass after August 18, 2008, or if you paid for a bus pass using our UNIBANK on-line payment option, and did not subsequently mail the SCHOOL BUS REGISTRATION FORM to us, we will be processing your passes over the next few days, and will mail them prior to Friday, September 5, 2008. If you have filled out a form requesting a change in your school bus stop location, it will be reviewed over the next 2-4 weeks by the Transportation Office and the bus company. You will be notified in writing of the result of your request once our review has been completed.

Your continued patience is appreciated, and we expect to have the school bus transportation process completed and running at 100% very shortly. Again, safety and efficiency are our top priorities. Feel free to contact us via e-mail with any comments or questions.

School Bus Transportation Information 2008-2009

The transportation program of the Shrewsbury Public Schools is one of the many services that the district provides to support the education of its students from pre-kindergarten through grade 12. The three-tiered system (high school, middle school, elementary) transports nearly 90% of the 5,885 students who attend our schools each day. The program involves 45 buses at a cost of nearly $2,600,000 each year. In accordance with state law, transportation services must be competitively bid. Currently, we have a five-year contract with AA Transportation Company for all of our business through August of 2013.

Mr. Dew Damien, the Transportation Coordinator, and Ms. Anne Mahan, the Director of Business Services, work each year to increase the efficiency of the transportation program. Clearly, with the constraints of the annual school budget, the district is committed to devoting as many resources as possible to the academic program (i.e., teachers, books, materials, etc.). For the 2008-2009 school year, we are planning to make a small reduction in the number of buses in the fleet and eliminate bus stops that are in close proximity to others. These adjustments will not compromise the safety of student but will permit the allocation of additional funds to the academic program.

Few issues are more upsetting to parents than inconsistencies, delays, or other problems associated with their children’s school bus schedules. Allow me to outline some areas of responsibility as we all work together to ensure the safe and effective transportation program that is our goal.

Students – The ride to, and from, school is an extension of the school day. Students must wait for, and board, their bus in an orderly fashion. Once on the bus, students should remain in their seats and respond to the direction of the bus driver. Students should never put their hands or head out of the window. Additionally, student should do their part to keep the bus clean by not littering (eating and drinking on the bus are not permitted). Driving a bus is an assignment with much responsibility and it is important for students to assist in ensuring a calm and pleasant bus ride to and from school. The enclosed bus discipline guidelines are now in place. Please review the consequences of inappropriate behavior on the buses (enclosed).

Parents – The more supervision and assistance that parents provide, the better! Parent attendance at bus stops is an excellent way to increase the security of students before and after they leave the care of the school district. Parents should also reinforce the importance of appropriate behavior on school buses and should review the enclose information on discipline and consequences with their children.

Administrators – It is our responsibility to monitor the performance of the system, be responsive to parent concerns, and be willing to speak to bus drivers regarding problems that arise. Simply put, we should expect nothing less from a high performance district like the Shrewsbury Public Schools.

The Bus Company – Bus drivers are required to obtain a commercial driver’s license, with a specific designation for driving a school bus. Additionally, our bus company AA Transportation Company requires both a criminal records check and an average of 40 hours of bus driver training for all newly hired drivers. Emphasis will be on the enclosed procedures and productive ways to deal with students. Our bus drivers are not teachers, but they are expected to be pleasant and respectful of students and parents in the course of their work. The administration of the Shrewsbury Schools is in contact with AA Transportation Company every day in response to parent questions and problems associated with bus stops, delays, and student conduct on the vehicles.

Summary – The transportation system is a very complex program. The fiscal constraints are real but we know that the busing program is important and we work on improvements each year. Please call Mr. Drew Damien, Transportation Coordinator, at 508-841-8408 if you have questions or comments about the general operation of the busing program.

Thank you for your continued support as we all work to make a very good school district, still better!

June 16, 2008 Deadline

The cost of a bus pass will be $210.00. There will be a family cap of $420.00 for families responding before the June 15, 2007 deadline. After June 16, 2008 a late fee of $25.00 per student will be assessed. Detailed bus routes are based upon data in the transportation database, therefore payment and requests must be received by June 16, 2008 for proper assignment, availability and capacity.

The criteria for free vs. fee based bus service remains the same. Any child in grades K-6 residing less than 2.0 miles from the assigned school, and all children in grades 7-12 regardless of distance will pay a fee for transportation services. In accordance with Massachusetts School Transportation statue, any child in grades K-6 residing 2.0 miles or more from the assigned school will receive free transportation.

Registration forms may be downloaded from the school website

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