Safety and Procedures
FAQ: Safety and Procedures
How do I know my child will be safe riding the school bus?
The bus drivers have primary responsibility for the safety of students. They handle day-to-day incidents that occur on the bus and report any serious incidents or repeat offenders to the school, where they are addressed by the assistant principal. In addition, parents should review the important School Bus Safety Rules with their child to ensure that students are familiar with common safety issues and proper school bus behavior.
Is my child permitted to get off the bus in the afternoon without a parent there?
Children in grades K, 1 and 2 must be met at the bus stop by a parent or designated adult. Parents with children in grades 3 and 4 can opt to allow their child to be dropped off without being met if they give a note to the bus monitor, which is usually done at the beginning of the year. Otherwise, if there is no parent at the bus stop, the driver is instructed to take the student back to the school and the parent will be notified.
How are parents notified of a bus delay or breakdown?
If a bus is more than 15 minutes late, parents can call the bus company dispatch office (see Contact Information for appropriate number), the transportation office at 914-295-5544, or the school for more information. If the school is notified that a bus is going to be significantly delayed, the school office will do its best to reach parents by phone or automated alert.
What if a school bus is consistently early for morning pick-up?
Because bus arrivals can vary depending on many variables over which the District has little or no control, students should be at their assigned stop 5 minutes ahead of the scheduled morning pick-up time. If a bus is consistently arriving more than 5 minutes early, please contact the bus dispatch office or the transportation office. If there is a need to officially change the timing of a bus run during the year, you will be notified by the transportation office.
How can I have a school bus issue reviewed?
E-mail Jack Coxen, Transportation Supervisor at jcoxen@ardsleyschools.org with issues, questions and concerns. The transportation office will review the case and respond, taking into consideration state regulations as well as District policies, regulations and practices that may limit what can be done for parents and students. The transportation office is located in the Central Office of the Ardsley Union Free School District, 500 Farm Road, Ardsley, NY 10502, phone 914-295-5559.
If you need further assistance, please contact Maureen Caraballo at the Hastings-on-Hudson School District at 914-478-6405, or e-mail caraballom@hohschools.org.
Who has ultimate authority over school bus issues?
The NYS Commissioner of Education hears some appeals ultimately. State laws regarding school transportation are written in the state legislature and approved by the governor. School boards and superintendents get their directives from the state level, including state agencies such as SED, DMV and DOT, and then develop local policies and regulations for implementation by administrators and staff. Appeals involving laws, regulations and practices work their way back up through the chain of command through local school administrators and perhaps back to the State.
PLEASE NOTE: Hillside Elementary School organizes meetings at the start of the school year and periodically throughout the year to review expectations and procedures with the drivers and monitors.