If you prefer assistance in another language please telephone the English as a Second Language (ESL) Centre at

Transcription

1

2 EDMONTON CATHOLIC SCHOOLS The mission of Edmonton Catholic Schools is to provide a Catholic education that inspires students to learn and that prepares them to live fully and to serve God in one another. The purpose of this guide is to provide users with a brief overview of the student If you prefer assistance in another language please telephone the English as a Second Language (ESL) Centre at transportation services available at Edmonton Catholic Schools and the responsibilities of everyone involved.

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Transportation Application 2 Student Transportation Administrative Policy 2 Safety, Safety, Safety 3 - Danger Zone 3 - Point - Pause - Proceed 4 - Safe Stop Locations 5 - School Bus Zones 5 Kindergarten Transportation 6 Special Needs Transportation 7 Route Design 8 Route Adjustments 8 Route Maps 8 Severe Weather Conditions 9 - SchoolConnects 9 Partners in Safety 10 - Parent s Responsibilities 10 - Student's Responsibilities 11 - School and District Responsibilities 12 - Bus Driver s Responsibilities 13 - Contracted Carrier Responsibilities 13 Video Surveillance 13 Bus Passes 15 - Family Plan 15 Verification Form (to be signed) 16

4 TRANSPORTATION APPLICATION Eligible students need to complete a Transportation Application in order to access yellow bussing service. This form is available at the school and on the district website It is important that the form is completed legibly with the student s legal name, contact phone numbers and an address. The phone numbers and information is used in the event a SchoolConnects message is broadcast to advise if a bus is running late or if there is other information that Transportation Services would like to pass on to the students using transportation. If a student is not eligible, Transportation Services shall advise the school who will communicate this to the family. If a student is currently using transportation it is not necessary to complete a new application each year. A new application is required only if there is a change in address or if the student is attending a new school. STUDENT TRANSPORTATION ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY EDMONTON CATHOLIC SCHOOLS shall arrange transportation for students who are entitled to transportation under the School Act, or who are designated by the District to attend a specific school or program. The District may charge a transportation fee to recover the cost of the transportation program in excess of the transportation grant(s) provided by the province. The fee for elementary students may differ from the fee for junior and senior high students. The District shall strive to provide safe and reliable transportation. Edmonton Catholic Schools does not own and operate its own school buses. Rather than operating its own fleet, Edmonton Catholic Schools contracts various carriers to provide service to over 7,200 students every school day. This guide provides a brief overview of District student transportation services. Parents are required to read and review carefully the enclosed information with their child(ren) and return the signed verification form, located on the last page of this guide, to the school. Student safety is always the underlying principle in all student transportation decisions made by Edmonton Catholic Schools.

5 SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY Danger Zone The area directly around a school bus, even when it is parked, is called the DANGER ZONE. It is called the danger zone because bus drivers have a hard time seeing objects that are very close to the bus. This might seem surprising to you, because you might think that because you can see the bus, the driver can see you. But that is not always true.** How big is 3 metres - 5 giant steps!!!!! Getting ON the bus Wait until the bus comes to a complete stop and the bus driver opens the door before you step toward the bus. To get on the bus, you have to walk through the danger zone - so no running and no pushing - hold onto the handrail everytime you get on or off the bus. And watch your step - it's a big one! Getting OFF the bus Stay in your seat until the bus has stopped and the door is open. Leave the bus in single file - do not push or shove. Don't forget to use the handrail and watch out for that big step. And remember you have to walk through that danger zone again so as soon as you step down, take 5 giant steps away from the bus. Never, ever go back into the danger zone for any reason. ** - Safety Themes

6 AND READ THIS IMPORTANT SAFETY MESSAGE IN URBAN AREAS students must wait for the bus to leave. After the bus leaves, the student must go to the corner, or crosswalk, and check traffic in all directions - follow the Point - Pause - Proceed pedestrian safety rules. Under no circumstances should children in an urban area attempt to cross in front of the bus! Point - Pause - Proceed Pedestrian Safety Rules** FIRST, look all ways for traffic, Next, you should POINT across the road with your arm to signal that you want to cross, Now PAUSE until all vehicles stop, Then PROCEED across the street with your arm extended. Make eye contact with the drivers and make sure to look for vehicles in each lane that you cross. If you cannot see into a lane, stop and take a good look to make sure it is safe before you cross. IN RURAL AREAS the driver uses alternately flashing red lights when the bus is stopped. Often, in rural areas, there are no bus stops or controlled intersections. Frequently, students must cross at private lanes. Upon the instruction of the driver, students should cross in front of the bus at least 5 metres (15 feet) from the bus. Dangerous/Loose Articles on the Bus Dangerous articles, such as (but not limited to) flammable substances, snowboards, skis or skateboards, may not be transported on a charter (yellow) bus. Loose items, such as (but not limited to) baseballs, skates, or marbles, must be securely contained within an athletic bag or a book bag.

7 Safe Stop Locations All bus stop locations are selected with student safety in mind. Students board and get off buses at designated school bus zones, transit zones, future transit zones, far side of crosswalks or far side of intersections. These locations promote consistent crossing practices that are safe for students. AND READ THIS IMPORTANT SAFETY MESSAGE Wait for the bus to leave then follow the Point, Pause, Proceed pedestrian safety rules. Under no circumstances should children in an urban area attempt to cross in front of the bus! School Bus Zones Parking in school bus zones is illegal and presents a serious safety hazard. Such parking forces buses to double park when loading or unloading students. This creates an extremely unsafe situation for students. Unauthorized vehicles will be ticketed.

8 KINDERGARTEN TRANSPORTATION There are two distinct types of bussing services available to kindergarten students: CHARTER (YELLOW) BUS SERVICE and NOON HOUR SERVICE. The type of service provided to a student is dependent on specific eligibility criteria. The criteria is available from any Edmonton Catholic Elementary school. CHARTER (YELLOW) BUS SERVICE is available one way, either to the morning class or from the afternoon class. Since the big yellow bus service is shared with students in other grades, kindergarten students must access designated stops on bus routes. Parents are responsible for getting their children to and from designated stops or making arrangements for their children's supervision. A minimum of 10 working days is required to add a stop on an established charter (yellow) bus route. NOON HOUR SERVICE is different from the morning and afternoon routes. Since only kindergarten students are transported at this time of day, a "curb" service will be provided for eligible students. Application forms for Noon Hour Service are available at all Edmonton Catholic Elementary schools. Note that 3 to 5 days is required to arrange and/or change Transportation Noon Hour Service. Eligibility for NOON HOUR SERVICE: As defined by School Attendance Areas Map, Students live in an area that is not served by a local school, Students are attending their designated schools. NOON HOUR TRANSPORTATION SERVICE is based on the following criteria: The address must be located within the transportation catchment area for the school (refer to School Attendance Area Map), Only one address can be accommodated for noon hour curb service, Curb service is available where roadways and/or access allow (for example: door-to-door service may not be available in new subdivisions where roads are not developed; or during winter conditions). Under these circumstances, students may be required to access a designated safe stop location until such time as the roadways or road conditions change. AND READ THIS IMPORTANT SAFETY MESSAGE It is the responsibility of the parent to ensure that someone is available to receive a student on curb service transportation at the scheduled drop-off location and time. If no one is available, bus drivers are instructed to contact the carrier, communicate this information and then continue on with the route. At the end of the route, drivers are instructed to return the student to the school. IMPORTANT - This safety practice applies to Kindergarten, Grade 1 and students on special needs transportation.

9 SPECIAL NEEDS TRANSPORTATION All Students are required to purchase a monthly bus pass from the school office. The District provides Special Needs Curb Service (charter [yellow] bus service) transportation to designated schools upon authorization from the consultant responsible for the program. Requests for Special Needs Curb Service for District provided programs should be directed to Learning Services- Innovation. Once approved, Transportation Authorization for Students in District Programs forms will be completed by the consultant and forwarded to the District Transportation Services Office. Transportation Services will arrange for an appropriate carrier. The carrier will be responsible for contacting parents and providing information on pick-up and drop-off times. It may take up to 5 working days to arrange for transportation. Students using special needs transportation are required to purchase a bus pass. Requests to arrange special needs transportation to more than one pick-up address or more than one drop-off address cannot be accommodated. An example would be to request a pick-up at the home address on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, but a different pick-up address on Thursday mornings only. Wherever possible, the District will try to accommodate a different pick-up location from the drop-off location as long as these points remain consistent and the locations are within the transportation area. For example, if a child is to be picked up at home and dropped off at a daycare every day of the week, this can, in most cases, be accommodated. Bus drivers are usually operating on tight schedules. It is the responsibility of the parent to have the student ready at least 5 minutes prior to the scheduled pick-up time. It is impossible for bus drivers to grant requests for waiting, delays or late pick-ups. AND READ THIS IMPORTANT SAFETY MESSAGE It is the responsibility of the parent to ensure that someone is available to receive a student on curb service transportation at the scheduled drop-off location and time. If no one is available, bus drivers are instructed to contact the carrier, communicate this information and then continue on with the route. At the end of the route, drivers are instructed to return the student to the school. IMPORTANT - This safety practice applies to Kindergarten, Grade 1 and students on special needs transportation.

10 ROUTE DESIGN Transportation routes and schedules are designed in accordance with District guidelines. Carriers and individual drivers are not permitted to make changes to the established routes. To reduce ride times and avoid delays, charter buses travel on arterial, collector, and major roadways designated as transit routes and snow routes. Buses are not normally routed down cul-de-sacs, crescents or on streets less than 11 metres wide (38 feet). ROUTE ADJUSTMENTS Changes in the design of a route will have an impact on all riders. Therefore, requests for adjustments must be authorized through the District Transportation Services office. A minimum of 10 working days is required prior to implementing any change to an established transportation route. Parents will be contacted, if necessary, to follow up on requests. Otherwise, maps and schedules are sent to the schools for distribution to parents prior to implementing any change to an established transportation route. Requests for route changes can be made through schools or directed to: EDMONTON CATHOLIC SCHOOLS District Transportation Services Office Catholic Education Services Street, Edmonton, Alberta. T5K 1C2 Tel: Fax: ROUTE MAPS Information indicating bus stop locations and pick-up times are available from schools. The route number on the map corresponds to the route number sign displayed in the windshield of the bus. The carrier name and telephone number are in the information box on the map. Parents may contact the carrier's office directly for general information. However, all transportation concerns or route adjustment requests are to be directed to the District Transportation Services Office at Edmonton Catholic Schools.

11 SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS Our transportation system has an excellent record for service. However, given the possible extremes of Edmonton weather and the potential for unexpected mechanical difficulties, it is impossible to guarantee buses will run on time or at all. A route can take 50% longer in adverse weather conditions. Parents are advised that if a bus does not arrive within 20 minutes of its scheduled time, they are to assume the bus is not coming. Parents must ensure that their child knows to return home or to a pre-selected location and it is the responsibility of the parents to make alternate arrangements to get their child to school. Parents should also ensure that: children are supervised at the bus stop, children have a place to go in the event the bus does not arrive, children have alternate arrangements for getting to school should the bus not arrive, children are suitably clothed to withstand weather extremes. SchoolConnects Transportation Services uses an automated notification telephone system (SchoolConnects) to make calls to parents regarding delays in regular yellow bus service. Once bus carriers advise Transportation Services that a regular route is delayed more than 15 to 20 minutes, the system will be activated to deliver an electronic message. The system is setup to send the electronic messages to the home phone number as well as a preferred phone number based on the information that is entered by the school.

12 PARTNERS IN SAFETY PROVIDING SAFE TRANSPORTATION requires the support of parents, students, teachers, principals, carriers and drivers. Each person has his/her own important responsibilities. Parent's Responsibilities Only students with a valid bus pass and a designated stop can use the bus. Students using the bus to go to a friend or relatives etc. is not permitted. Instruct your children in safety and the rules for riding school buses, Review the Student Transportation - A Guide to Using Charter (Yellow) Bus Services with your child(ren) and return a signed Verification Form to the school principal, Explain the danger zone that exists in the immediate vicinity of school buses, Review and discuss bus safety with your child(ren) on a regular basis, such as the following: - What to do if the bus does not arrive on time at the pick-up point, - What to do at the drop-off point, - What to do if the child misses the bus at the end of the school day (report to the school office). Familiarize children with the pick-up and drop-off points. Children must be fully aware of their stop locations since it is sometimes necessary to assign a spare driver to a route, Arrive at the designated pick-up point approximately 5 minutes before the scheduled bus arrival time, Ensure your child's safety while getting to and from the bus pick-up/drop-off points, Be at the pick-up/drop-off points each day or arrange for a responsible person to be there, Assist your child in organizing and securing belongings before leaving home. Children should be cautioned against wearing items that may get caught on parts of the bus, such as loose clothing, scarves, draw strings or long, dangling straps on backpacks, Support the enforcement of school bus safety rules and procedures, Instruct children to wait in an orderly fashion well back from the side of the road and to respect the property of others when waiting (keep off lawns and driveways), Demonstrate procedures for getting off school buses in an urban area or rural area (whichever is applicable). See Point, Pause, Proceed pedestrian safety rules in the SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY section of this guide on pages 4 and 5. Parents are advised that serious or ongoing student misconduct should be reported to the school principal, and that concerns about drivers should be directed to the District Transportation Services Office at Edmonton Catholic Schools.

13 Student's Responsibilities Students should arrive approximately 5 minutes before the scheduled arrival of the bus, Wait in an orderly fashion well back from the side of the road, Students should recognize that a danger zone exists in the immediate vicinity around the school bus, Behave in a responsible manner at the bus stop, while on the bus, and while loading and unloading, Board the bus in single file and use the handrail, Show the current bus pass to the driver each time they board the bus. Bus passes confirm the eligibility of riders as well as assist schools and bus drivers in determining the correct bus route for young children. While riding school buses students must: Walk directly to their seat as specified by the driver and sit down, Keep books and parcels on their laps and keep aisles clear at all times, Promptly obey the driver's directions, Use the emergency exits only in the case of a genuine emergency, Speak in a moderate and polite tone of voice, Never eat or drink on the bus. When getting off school buses students must: Be familiar with their assigned stop, Have belongings organized and adequately secured before arriving at their stop, Remain seated until the bus comes to a full stop and the door is open, Walk to the front of the bus and use the handrail while exiting, Get off the bus only at their designated stop, Immediately move away from the bus to the sidewalk, recognizing the danger zone close to the bus.

14 School's Responsibilities The school principal will: E D M O N TO N C AT H O L I C S C H O O L S Provide an orientation on student transportation procedures and safety, Arrange adequate supervision at the school for students utilizing transportation provided by the District, Distribute the brochure entitled: Student Transportation - A Guide to Using Charter (Yellow) Bus Services and obtain signed Verification Forms, Distribute school bus route maps and schedules to students, Address and resolve student conduct concerns on the bus, Oversee the sale and distribution of bus passes to students, Comply with Edmonton Catholic School District and Alberta Education requirements for collecting and reporting transportation related information. District Responsibilities Develop policy, regulations and operating guidelines for student transportation services, Liaise with appropriate authorities regarding the establishment of safe and efficient student transportation services, (e.g. Edmonton Transit and Alberta Transportation), Disseminate information to students, parents, schools and carriers, Arrange contracted services with qualified carriers, Provide bus passes to schools for distribution, Provide route maps to schools for distribution to parents/students, Provide necessary student information to carriers, Address parental questions and concerns about the operation of the student transportation system.

15 Bus Driver's Responsibilities Kindergarten and Grade 1 students are dropped off and met by an adult, if no one is there to meet the student, contact dispatch and transportation, and the student is then returned to the school; Transport students to and from school safely, courteously and reliably, Orientate students on procedures and safety, Develop seating plans and assign students to specific seats (kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2 students occupy the front row seats of the bus), Follow the route and schedule provided, Pick-up or drop-off students only at the designated stop on the bus route. This practice will ensure that students are not missed when there are new or spare drivers operating the bus route. Maintain discipline among students on the bus in accordance with the guidelines set out by the District, Report student behaviour on an infraction report to the school principal as necessary, Check passes every day when students board the bus, Drive students to the school or to the after school drop-off location once they have boarded the bus, Display the route number clearly on the right-hand side of the windshield, Complete route and ridership information forms as requested by the District, Conduct bus evacuation drills. Contracted Carrier's Responsibilities Contact Transportation office immediately regarding: unmet student (K & Grade 1), accidents, schedules bus and/or driver information. Operate routes according to the schedules provided, Provide an effective bus driver training program, Provide statistical information as required by the District, Fulfill all requirements outlined by law and the District contract and as directed by the District. VIDEO SURVEILLANCE Bus behaviour of students plays a significant factor in the safety and efficiency of school transportation systems. In order to provide for the personal safety and security of students and personal property of the students and the District, the District supports the use of video surveillance practices on student transportation vehicles. Such practices shall, through deterrence, encourage good behaviour and promote safe practices.

16 Camera Location, Operation and Control The District requires cameras to be equipped on contracted school buses ( vehicles ) used for regular routes with video recording devices and use video practices: to promote safe and efficient school transportation practices, to encourage good behaviour in students through deterrence, to decrease the potential risk of injury or damage to students and/or District property, to deal with student discipline, to deal with inquiries and proceedings relating to law enforcement, to detect or deter criminal offences which occur in view of the cameras, or for any other reason deemed appropriate. Video monitoring equipment may be in operation on a sporadic basis, continually, or otherwise. Video recordings of passengers are the property of the District. Notification and Use of Video Tapes One or more signs of a highly visible nature shall be clearly placed in each vehicle notifying passengers that an audio and video recording may be made. Video recordings of passengers are the property of the District. Designated District administration and school administration may have access to and review the video tapes on a random or non-random basis for the purposes of (1) determining adherence to District, District contractors and/or school rules respecting safety, security, or transportation of passengers; (2) the safety and security of any passenger and/or board property; or (3) for any reason deemed appropriate. EDMONTON CATHOLIC SCHOOLS District Transportation Services Office Operating hours are from September to June 7:15 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 7:15 a.m p.m. Thursday (Summer Hours of Operation vary) Tel: Fax:

17 BUS PASSES Every student riding a bus whether on regular transportation or special needs transportation must have a current bus pass. Students should show their current bus pass to the driver each time they board the bus Ensure bus passes are properly completed on the back, On the front, enter the bus route number in the space provided, On the back, enter the student's name, address and telephone number, and an emergency contact name. ETS: Any questions regarding ETS bus routes may be directed to ETS at or 311 Note: In the event of an emergency (e.g. bus breaks down and children have to transfer to a substitute vehicle) bus pass information will assist drivers, particularly with younger children. FAMILY PLAN When a family of three or more are purchasing bus passes within the Edmonton Catholic District, a discount will be given to those families. (Further details may be found on the forms which are available at the school)

18 VERIFICATION FORM DECLARATION OF PARENT/GUARDIAN THIS IS TO CONFIRM that I have read Student Transportation - A Guide to Using Charter (Yellow) Bus Services and have reviewed the safety issues and procedures for riding a school bus with my child(ren). Child's Name School Parent/Guardian Signature Date Please print name of Parent/Guardian Please return completed form to the school principal. Comments should be attached on a separate sheet.

19 DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION SERVICES OFFICE Catholic Education Services Street, Edmonton, Alberta T5K 1C2 Tel: Fax Transportation Services Edmonton Catholic Schools Published Spring 1997; Fifth revision January