This year, we are continuing our bus protocol. This protocol was implemented in order to make certain that all our students who ride the bus are safe and accounted for at all times. We have made some important changes regarding bus dismissal, the changes are noted in red. Click here to read the updated bus procedures. To translate, please select language in the upper left of the website.
IMPORTANT BUS POLICY: PLEASE READ
This year, we are continuing our bus protocol. This protocol was implemented in order to make certain that all our students who ride the bus are safe and accounted for at all times. We have made some important changes regarding bus dismissal, the changes are noted in red below.
1. If your child is not taking the bus home at dismissal because an adult is picking him/her up at school, you must send a note in the morning, and email PS11chelseabus@gmail.com by 2:30pm. Include the name of the adult picking up your child. Due to the construction, buses will pick up students on 20th street. Whoever is picking up your child MUST be at the 20th street bus door by 3:00pm. If no adult is present at the time your child is to get on the bus, your child will go on the bus and will need to be picked up at his/her scheduled bus stop. If your child is attending PS 11 Afterschool, he/she will not report to the bus line.
2. If your child will be picked up on the same days each week (i.e. every Tuesday and Thursday they have a class), you can notify ps11chelseabus@gmail.com and your classroom teacher at the beginning of the year to let them know. However, if an adult is not at the gate by 3:00pm, they will get on the bus, regardless of whether it is a typical pickup day or not. If an after school activity ends, and the consistent pickup changes, please notify your teacher and the above email address.
We have adopted the following procedure to ensure that our students are dismissed safety from the bus each day.
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Each bus route will be assigned a color ID badge. The color of the badge will represent the BUS ROUTE. The badge will have the student's LAST NAME and FIRST INITIAL as well as the STOP # and ADDRESS of the stop. Students must have their bus badge on his/her backpack.
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A bus attendance/bus dismissal recording sheet with be created for each bus route. This will be created on two page carbonless paper. This sheet will contain students' names (alphabetical), grouped by bus stop. Bus stops will be numbered in the order that they appear on the route guide.
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As each student is placed on the bus, a PS 11 staff member will take attendance on the spread sheet. Once all of the students are on the bus, the bus driver will receive a copy of the attendance.
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As students are dismissed, they will show his/her badge to the bus driver and the driver will check the dismissal box. Students will not be permitted to exit the bus unless they are at the DESIGNATED STOP # and DESIGNATED STOP ADDRESS.
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Students are never permitted to get off the bus at a NON-DESIGNATED stop.
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Please remind your child that they MUST have his/her badge each day. If an adult is not present at the designated stop, the student will notify the bus driver and may choose to stay on the bus. After the route is completed, the driver will return to the stop. If an adult is still not present, the driver will contact 911.
Positive bus behavior is incredibly important to keep students safe. We will be reminding them of bus safety rules, but please speak to your children about staying in their seat with the seatbelt fastened, using kind language and following the rules. If a child displays inappropriate behavior, please be aware that your child may be suspended from the bus.
The Department of Education has created a short video about busing procedures. You can view that here:
http://www.optnyc.org/opt_files/videos/Unattended_Child_Parent/index.html