To: Parents of
Elementary School Children
Each year at the beginning of
the school, some students are put on the wrong school bus at school, get
off at the wrong bus stop, don’t get on the bus at all, etc. The
responsibility for the safety and accountability for our children is a
combined one. Parents, school administrators and secretaries, teachers,
the transportation department, school bus drivers, the security
department and the student all share in this combined responsibility.
Your role and assistance as the parent of our youngest riders can help
us ensure their safety.
Here are a few tips on things
that you can do that will help keep our elementary school age children
safe, that ride the school bus:
-
Make sure your child knows their name,
address, bus route number and their school bus stop location. Teach
them how to identify their stop when they return home on the bus.
-
Ensure that a tag is attached to your
child’s backpack with their name, phone number, school bus route
number and bus stop location.
-
Be at the bus stop with your child to see
them off in the morning and as they arrive in the afternoon. If
that is not possible have a friend, neighbor or older sibling help.
-
Teach your child to identify their bus by
route number, not the bus number. (The red number on the placard
in the window by the door is the route number; the bus number is
painted on the bus in black.)
-
Review the School Bus Safety Rules with your
child, sign and return the form to your child’s school
bus driver. These forms will be distributed to your child during
the first week of school.
-
Ensure that your child’s school has current,
correct and updated contact information for you and alternate
names and phone numbers in the event of an emergency.
-
Immediately inform the bus driver of any problem
or immediately call the school, transportation office (520-2940) and
/ or the district security office (520-2287).
-
Always, make alternate plans with your child
in the event of an emergency.
Additional Information
-
The school bus is on a tight schedule in
order to support improved school start times. The school bus
driver cannot wait at your child’s bus stop until you or another
adult comes to meet your child. Please plan appropriately.
-
Videos on transportation safety will be aired on
Adelphia Cable Channel 16 during the month of August to help you
reinforce school bus safety issues with your child.
Your help, in conjunction with our efforts as a
district, will contribute significantly to the safety of our children.
Thank you for your assistance,
W.L. (Bill)
Bair
Director of Transportation
Colorado Springs School District 11 |
