1. Transportation Eligibility:

Bus transportation is provided under law to only those students who are residents of the Council Rock School District. Non resident students may not ride a Council Rock school bus

Public Schools:

Transportation services to and from school are provided for students in grades K – 6 who live more than 1.5 miles from their school . Students in grade 7 -12 are provided transportation if they live more than 2.0 miles from their school. In addition, transportation is provided to those students who live closer than the 1.5 and 2.0 miles stipulated above if they must walk along or cross a roadway that has been designated a hazardous walk zone or roadway by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Non Public Schools:

The Pennsylvania School Code also requires school districts to transport their resident non public students (who live more than the 1.5 and 2.0 miles from their school) to the schools of their choice that are within 10 miles of the school district's boundary provided that the schools are accredited by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and are recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a non-profit school with a 501( c ) certificate.

Special Education Schools:

Proof of Residency:

Non Public school students prior to being assigned transportation must prove residency by providing the transportation department with 4 different proofs of residency in the district. All public school students must be duly registered and if changing address must also show proof of their new residency prior to receiving bus assignments. The owning of property within the Council Rock School District and the payment of property taxes does not automatically fulfill the residency clause as stated in the Pennsylvania School Code.

2. School Calendars:

Council Rock SD is required by law to provide transportation in accordance with the officially adopted school calendar of all non public and charter schools regardless whether or not Council Rock is open or closed. The only exceptions are New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Christmas.

In addition each school district is allowed to choose 5 “local” holidays. These generally are Thanksgiving Day and the day after and Good Friday. Each non public & charter school is notified by May of the dates Council Rock SD will not provide transportation during the next school year.

3. Early Dismissals:

The Pennsylvania School Code requires school districts to provide “like” services. Since CR has 5 early dismissal days, it will honor and provide transportation to non public schools on 5 days. These days are chosen by the non public school prior to the start of the school year. All early dismissals on the official calendar of special education schools are required by law to be honored.

Council Rock's early dismissal times are as follows:

• High schools - 10:45 AM;

• Middle schools – 11:30 AM

• Elementary schools – 12:15 PM

On CR early dismissal days there is no kindergarten transportation. Kindergarten students will ride the regular afternoon buses home.

4. Official Residence

The Council Rock SD recognizes only one residence as the official residence of a student and will transport a student to and from that residence only, except elementary students attending day care. (See Day Care).

5. Joint Custody Transportation Policy

Council Rock will only transport a student to the official address of the student. If a student alternates living with their parents, it is the responsibility of the parents to arrange for the movement between residencies. The school bus will pick up and drop off students only at the official residence. In the case where a student may attend a before or after school program, Council Rock will provide transportation to or from that site based on the Day Care Transportation Policy.

What was once a nice thing to do; i.e. take children of divorced or separated parents to the mother's home on some days and on other days to the father's residence became a nightmare to track. In addition the change of a pick up or drop off location some times altered the route schedule by as much as 10-15 minutes. This time variation causes great anxiety to the parents of other student riders and results in numerous, frantic phone calls to the transportation office. This policy also prevents students from arriving at a home, only to find no one there because it was the “wrong” day.

6. Kindergarten Transportation Guidelines

All students will be placed in either AM or PM sessions in accordance to where the student resides. From year to year the boundaries may change slightly to even out the number of students in the AM/PM classes. If a parent requests a change from the session to which their child has been assigned and the school's principal grants the request, then the parent is responsible for the mid-day transportation. If you plan to use a day care facility or care giver, please fill out the Day Care Transportation Request Form and submit it to your school office prior to the start of the school year. Once school has started the forms should be submitted to the transportation office. Buses will not drop off a kindergarten student if a parent or previously designated adult is not at the stop to receive the student. (An exception is if a student has an older sibling also getting off the bus at the same time. If there is no one at the stop to receive your child, the bus will continue on its route dropping off the remaining students. It will stop back and if there still is no one at the stop, the bus will return your child to his/her school. Repeated lateness to a bus stop may result in the revocation of bus privileges. For safety reasons, students are permitted to ride only the bus to which they are assigned and are only allowed to get on or off the bus at the stop to which they are assigned. Requests for permanent changes to the bus schedule or stops, must be in writing and submitted to the Transportation Department. In cases of an emergency contact your school office for a temporary bus pass. On early dismissal days there is no mid-day kindergarten buses. The student will ride home on the regular afternoon bus for their neighborhood. On days that snow causes a 2 hour delayed opening, there is no AM kindergarten. PM will have normal transportation.

7. Day Care Transportation

Council Rock will transport a student to or from a day care facility or day care provider under the following rules:

• The location of the day care provider or facility must be in the home school attendance boundary. See paragraph 19 for link to forms.

• Transportation will be provided 5 days a week to or from the same address in the morning and afternoon. The morning and afternoon addresses may be different.

• If the student is scheduled to attend the day care less than 5 days per week, on the days the student is not to be picked up or dropped off at the day care provider or facility, it is the responsibility of the parent to provide transportation to or from school.

To arrange for transportation to or from a day care facility or care giver please use the Day Care Transportation Request Form. See paragraph 19 for link to forms.

Request for a change in transportation will become effective only after adequate time has been given to make the changes and properly notify all persons concerned. (48-72 hours) Telephone requests for permanent changes will not be accepted. Notes requesting changes signed by parents will not be accepted by bus drivers. Any change in the case of emergencies shall be made through the school principal who will issue a temporary bus pass.

8. Bus Routes and Stop Assignments

CR transports over 28,000 students each day on approximately 150 buses to over 125 different schools. In the course of a year the buses travel over 2.6 million miles and use over 300,000 gallons of diesel fuel. The 150 buses run nearly 1,000 separate trips each day and all must be integrated in the same fashion as the air lines run connecting flights. We route school buses in the most efficient manner consistent with State law and School Board policies and guidelines regarding the establishment of safe school bus stops. Bus stop locations are established with safety the main criteria. There are often conflicting issues involving bus stop locations such as time ( a very limited commodity ), door side pick ups and distance. Some, but not all, of the factors in determining a bus stop are:

• Potential safety issues at waiting/loading zones

• Age of the students

• Student access to the bus stop

• Maintaining state mandated distances for activation of the school bus 9-way warning lights

• Visibility at the stop location for approaching motorists

• Because of the inherent danger in school buses backing up, routes and stops locations are established where possible to preclude the necessity of buses backing up.

• Routes are designed to avoid buses traveling into areas terminating at cul-de-sacs or dead end streets

• Buses will not be routed into developments where other vehicles or objects may block or create unsafe travel through the development

• Is the road a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation designated “hazardous road?”

• On high speed and congested roadways school bus stops create hazards for both students and the motoring public so the department tries to keep to a minimum the number of stops

House Stops – School Board Policy #810 bans “house stops” except for students whose IEP requires one, for validated medical reasons of the student or where Penn Dot has certified the road to be hazardous to walk or cross over.

Hazardous Routes – Only the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation can certify a road as hazardous. Even if designated a hazardous road the law permits students to walk up to 500 feet in some circumstances to reach a bus stop.

Distances from Bus Stop or School – School Board Policy #810 permits a secondary student to walk 1.0 miles to a bus stop or school. The same policy permits elementary students to walk 0.5 miles. Both distances are 1 mile less than the state law permits.

Length of Ride (Time on Bus) – There are no time limits set by the Pennsylvania Department Education on the length of a bus ride. Council Rock School Board Policy #810 sets a limit of 75 minutes within the district boundaries. Any time outside the district is considered additional allowable time.

Stop Locations – We try to centrally locate all stops for the students assigned. Elementary stops may be within the neighborhoods. Middle School students are expected to walk farther and high school stops are almost never in the neighborhood, but out at main roads.

Public School Students:

Non-Public School Students:

If Council Rock School District is closed, has a delayed opening or an early dismissal because of snow the information is disseminated via commercial radio, TV, the Council Rock Web Page (CRSD.org), the Council Rock television channel 28 and if your student is a Council Rock student via an automated telephone network. Since all Council Rock school buses take students to 2, 3 or even 4 schools (all with varying bell times) every morning and afternoon, it is impossible for them to alter their schedules. Therefore the following rules apply to bus service supplied by Council Rock.

• If Council Rock School District is closed – No transportation will be provided to any school, public private or parochial

• If Council Rock School District opens 1 or 2 hours late – All bus transportation will be 1 or 2 hours late even if your school is running on a normal time schedule. If your student needs to be at school at the regular normal time, they need provide their own transportation.

• If Council Rock School District is operating on a normal schedule – All buses will run on a normal schedule regardless if you school is running late. If your student attends a special needs school, Council Rock will provide a bus after they finish their regular scheduled runs.

• Afternoon transportation will be normal on days that Council Rock School District opened late.

• In the event Council Rock School District decides to close early because of deteriorating weather conditions public school parents will be notified by an automated telephone system. If you are a private or parochial parent, your school will be notified and they are required to notify you.

12. Late Activity Buses

The district effective with the 2011-12 school year will nolonger provide late activity buses at 5:00 P.M. or later for publicor non-public schools.

Council Rock provides busing for class trips, community based instruction and athletic team trips. All trips have administrative regulations that govern their appropriateness and where the funds to cover the costs are generated.

• Always follow driver's instructions

• Always be courteous to fellow students

Waiting for Bus

• Be at your stop 5 minutes early. Sitting in a car is not considered being at the stop.

• Be considerate of private property (no ball or game playing)

• Wait until bus comes to a complete stop. Never cross street to a bus stop until bus has put its red lights on and crossing arm is extended..

• If you are late, never run after a moving bus! (be 5 minutes early)

• Never chase after a bus to another bus stop in a car. You are not authorized to board the bus anywhere except at your assigned stop.

• Parents are responsible for the behavior of their students to and from the bus stop.

Riding the Bus

• Keep your hands and heads in side the bus at all times.

• Stay seated. Do not get up and move around.

• Do not throw anything out the windows.

• Share your seat. Elementary students may sit 3 per seat.

• No smoking is permitted.

• No eating or drinking is allowed as some students may have allergies and become ill.

• No shouting, yelling or loud music as it is distracting to the driver and your safety.

• The use of electronic devices (including cell phones) is prohibited by school board policy #237 as they can be disturbing to the bus driver.

Exiting the bus

• Stay seated until bus comes to a complete stop.

• Students may exit the bus only at their assigned bus stop.

• Stand a safe distance away from the bus after exiting

• If crossing the street, always do so in front of the bus beyond the crossing arm where the driver can see you at all times.

15. Carry – On Policy

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation mandates that the interior of a school bus must be free of any objects that could cause injury. All objects must be secured and the aisles, emergency exits and the driver's compartment must be free and clear of any object.

The follo, wing rules must be adhered to at all times – NO Exceptions.

• No food in open containers (No eating or drinking is allowed on buses). Many students have allergies to certain foods and for their safety no one is allowed to eat while on the bus.

• Students may not bring skate boards or any live animals (including animals for class projects) on board the buses. Guide or trained companion dogs are the only exception.

• No student may bring any plant or balloon on board a bus.

• No student may bring any suitcase, book bag, school class project or any other object unless it can be held on their lap or placed under the seat.

• Musical instruments may be brought on board if it can be held on their lap. If it does not fit on their lap, provided there is room, a student may place the instrument on the seat or on the floor between them and the window. In this manner it will not interfere with the access to the exits by other students, nor block any portion of the aisle. This exception does not apply if the seat is one with an emergency window exit.

• Any object in the opinion of the bus driver that may endanger other students may not be allowed on the bus by the driver. Examples, but not limited to this list are glass bowls or Aquariums, look alike knives/guns, ice skates, cutting tools etc.

16. Discipline Policy

The school bus is considered district property and all school board policies and administrative regulations are in force. The bus driver is responsible for all actions on the bus and may issue a disciplinary form to the student who must take it to the principal for corrective action. No student, issued a disciplinary slip, may board the bus without the signature of the principal. Please remember a distracted driver is not a safe driver. Transportation is not a right, but a privilege and continued mis-behavior may result in the loss of this privilege.

17. Bus Passes

Students are not allowed to board or get off a bus other than at their officially assigned stop in accordance with Pennsylvania Department of Education regulations. In the case of an emergency you must contact either your school office or the transportation department and a bus pass will be issued for your student to give to the bus driver. The passes are valid for one day only and will not be issued for things like “play dates.”

18. Lost & Found

If you think your student has left something on the bus, please call First Student's dispatcher at 267-757=0413. Each bus driver is required to “walk” the bus after each run to primarily to make sure there are no sleeping children. If they find an article of clothing or a personal item of a student they will turn it into their dispatcher.

19. On Line Forms / Lists:

Daycare Transportation Request

Daycare Facilities List

Request for Change in Transportation or Bus Stop