Talk to me about the school bus!

[Mickey'snewestfan]

Thanks everyone!

I actually did a little research, and it turns out that Grandma's on our same bus route. We both live in relatively large apartment complexes so there will undoubtedly be tons of kids getting on/off at each stop (the route has 3 stops, and I'm pretty sure they fill at 60 seat bus). Anyway, I'm not asking them to add another stop to the route or to let him off somewhere different. Grandma (my mom) is just 2 blocks from a subway stop so he could use that stop when he needs to get to the train. Hopefully they'll let him have blanket permission to get off at either my stop or that stop. Since it's the same bus, I don't imagine the issue of it being full will come up.

As far as things like not letting the off if there's no car, or written permission for each day, or dividing into walkers/car people -- do those things still apply in middle school? I was actually at the school at dismissal one day and it seemed as though the doors just opened up and kids walked out, and either climbed onto a bus, got in a car, hopped on a bike or walked home. It didn't seem as organized as elementary school dismissals, with carpool lines, "walkers/riders", bus numbers being called etc . . . Does that seem right?

 

[minkydog]

Thanks everyone!

I actually did a little research, and it turns out that Grandma's on our same bus route. We both live in relatively large apartment complexes so there will undoubtedly be tons of kids getting on/off at each stop (the route has 3 stops, and I'm pretty sure they fill at 60 seat bus). Anyway, I'm not asking them to add another stop to the route or to let him off somewhere different. Grandma (my mom) is just 2 blocks from a subway stop so he could use that stop when he needs to get to the train. Hopefully they'll let him have blanket permission to get off at either my stop or that stop. Since it's the same bus, I don't imagine the issue of it being full will come up.

As far as things like not letting the off if there's no car, or written permission for each day, or dividing into walkers/car people -- do those things still apply in middle school? I was actually at the school at dismissal one day and it seemed as though the doors just opened up and kids walked out, and either climbed onto a bus, got in a car, hopped on a bike or walked home. It didn't seem as organized as elementary school dismissals, with carpool lines, "walkers/riders", bus numbers being called etc . . . Does that seem right?

In my district middle schools still release bus riders to the buses, while car riders and walkers wait until all the buses clear the parking lot. Some schools have separate bus ports from the car riders, but some of them share the same space so it is very important to keep kids from running between buses where they could get hit in the parking lot. Now, at DDs high school, it looks like it's every man for himself`

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

In my district middle schools still release bus riders to the buses, while car riders and walkers wait until all the buses clear the parking lot. Some schools have separate bus ports from the car riders, but some of them share the same space so it is very important to keep kids from running between buses where they could get hit in the parking lot. Now, at DDs high school, it looks like it's every man for himself`

OK, I have to admit that I kind of "stalked" dismissal at this school. I had gone for a tour and was pulling out the parking lot when I thought -- dismissal is a logistical nightmare at my son's current school, it's such a symbol of why we're leaving -- I'm curious what dismissal is like here. So, I just sat in the parking lot and watched.

It seemed like 90% of the kids rode buses, so maybe I just didn't see the walkers, but the buses were all lined up in one direction, and the cars in the opposite -- the kids just walked out, and climbed on buses or into cars, then the buses all pulled out one exit and the cars out another.

Even if they keep the walkers back -- would they really not believe a 12 year old who said "my mom said she's picking me up so I'll stay with the walkers today?" Maybe that's a good thing, but it's surprising to me coming from a place where most middle schoolers are taking public transportation home.

 

[hedgehog2owl]

1) Ride the bus sometimes, and othertimes not, without prior warning. We're in biking distance so let's say he usually bikes but then one day he's going to stay late for play practice or it's raining or whatever -- could he just run out and hop on the bus? YES

2) After school one day, just get on the bus that goes to Grandma's (a mile away, zoned for the same school) instead of to our place? NO

3) Get off the bus at a different stop from his "regular" stop, for example if he wanted to run an errand on the way home, or go to an after school activity, again without prior arrangement. NO

4) Bring a friend home with him on the bus. NO

 

[aprilgail2]

That has to be the most ridiculous rule that I've ever heard. What if the family has no car, or only has one car that one parent drives to work? What if they have a side-entry enclosed garage, or one that is at the back of the property? What if the car is in the shop?

I can see insisting for YOUNG kids that an adult meet them at the stop, but basing the safe dropoff on the presence or absence of a car is bizarre.

I agree- that is totally nuts- what if the car is in the garage and they cant see it??? That can not seriously be a rule ROFLMAO.
Here only kindergarden kids have to have parents meet them at the bus stop...and then if the parent informs the driver that they can walk home from the bus stop on their own they release them without the parent meeting them, we have one boy that comes home on the bus with my daughter that was in kindergarden and he would come home with his house key on a string around his neck to get into his house and no one would meet him at the bus stop.
As far as all the rest of the things you would have to write a note each day at ours schools to go home to grandmas on a different bus, but if its on the same bus you can get off any stop you want. You can go home with a friend as long as you have a note-that is never a problem.

 

[englishteacha]

Check with the school district. Everywhere is different. We have a rural school, so we have buses going pretty far. Our district has a pretty liberal policy about middle school kids riding buses. If parents send a note that says, "Jamie can ride Sally Smith's bus today and get off with her," the office will give Jamie a bus pass that allows her to ride Sally's bus and get off with Sally. We have a 3:30 late bus students can ride with a pass from a teacher, and a 5:00 bus students can ride if they sign up through the afterschool library program. We also have kids with 2 homes, so some days they ride the bus to Mom's, some days to Dad's. The parents provide a note at the beginning of the year and the kid takes the appropriate bus home (hopefully) on his/her own. Most districts are not this liberal with their bus policy. Talk to the school and/or the transportation dept. They can give you more information.

 

[golfgal]

Thanks everyone!

I actually did a little research, and it turns out that Grandma's on our same bus route. We both live in relatively large apartment complexes so there will undoubtedly be tons of kids getting on/off at each stop (the route has 3 stops, and I'm pretty sure they fill at 60 seat bus). Anyway, I'm not asking them to add another stop to the route or to let him off somewhere different. Grandma (my mom) is just 2 blocks from a subway stop so he could use that stop when he needs to get to the train. Hopefully they'll let him have blanket permission to get off at either my stop or that stop. Since it's the same bus, I don't imagine the issue of it being full will come up.

As far as things like not letting the off if there's no car, or written permission for each day, or dividing into walkers/car people -- do those things still apply in middle school? I was actually at the school at dismissal one day and it seemed as though the doors just opened up and kids walked out, and either climbed onto a bus, got in a car, hopped on a bike or walked home. It didn't seem as organized as elementary school dismissals, with carpool lines, "walkers/riders", bus numbers being called etc . . . Does that seem right?

Generally middle school rules relax. I know in our middle school the kids just left school at the end of the day and got home however. If you wanted to go to a friends house you had to have a note from your parents and they issued you a bus pass in the school office. Our kids could have gotten off at 2 different stops and depending on how much talking DD was doing at the time, would get off at either of them. .

I would bet if the bus company or the school had a note on file from you saying it was ok for your DS to get off at either stop that would be sufficient. The problem comes in when kids just do what they want and the parents have no idea where the kids are and call the bus company freaking out, but, since that won't be your situation, it will probably be ok.

I have never heard of the not letting kids off if there isn't a car in the driveway before. That isn't a common rule I don't think. Our neighbor boy is severely autistic and they won't let him off the bus unless they see an adult come to the door to get him but that is a different situation.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

Is dropping off at individual houses an elementary thing or a rural thing? It's how are buses work here, but as I said they are all special ed, and only a small portion of special ed kids qualify for them. The kids are escorted to and from the door by a bus aide, at least the ones I work with who are little do.

But in the new district, it seems like there's one bus stop for a few blocks radius. The bus my son will ride happens to stop right outside our building, but it looks like it picks up all the kids in the complex (maybe 15 low rise buildings, that cover 3 city blocks) as well as some of the other buildings around. Then it drives to another neighborhood (I don't know what's there) and then drops off at the building next to my mom's which are both 25 story high high rises with maybe 40 apartments per floor. Then off to school. I'm pretty sure they aren't going down in the underground garage and checking on each parent's car.

Is that unusual? I can't imagine how much door to door busing would cost.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Like others have said, all districts are different. It doesn't matter if your kid chooses to ride only some days and not others. But in our district, they must get off on their stop (not even another stop along the route) for liability reasons. We cannot take a child's word that mom/dad said it was okay. For them to go home a different way, the parent has to call the office and tell them. I don't know about having a friend go home on the bus, I think it would depend on how full the bus is. These would be great questions to ask your school district since every district will have different protocols.

 

[golfgal]

In the school districts I have been in either as a student, teacher or parent there has never been door to door drop off for kids in town other than for special ed kids. In rural areas it is common to drop off at each house but those houses are often 1/2 mile apart or more. We happen to have the bus stop at the end of our street (we are the second house in) so our kids only have to walk about 100 feet but kids come from about a 4 block radius to our stop.