Procedures for Transportation

• Your child must be ready and waiting for the bus.  This is a matter of courtesy for all other students on the route as it assures that all students will arrive on time at their school.

• You must be available to assist your child getting on and off the bus.  Siblings are not allowed on the school bus.

• Only students who have special transportation stated on their I.E.P. may ride on our buses and vans.

• Eating and drinking are not allowed on the bus except for medical reasons.  The Director of Special Education must be notified if your child requires food while on the bus.

• Routes and schedules may not be changed without permission of the Director of Special Education.

• Your child will be picked up and dropped off at your home.  Any other designated place must be approved by the Director of Special Education and must be located in town.

• We will not drop off a student if you or somebody you have designated to us is not at home.  Your child will remain on the bus until the entire route has been completed and be returned to your home at the end of the route.  If no one is at home when the driver returns, your child will be brought to the Director's office at 6 Morse Street and you will be responsible for meeting your child in the office before 5 p.m.

• Your child may carry a backpack for supplies.  The driver or monitor will determine a safe place to keep the pack on the bus during the trip.

• If your child is unable to attend school, you must call the Special Education Office as early as possible to inform us.  In addition to having voice mail, there is usually someone in the office by 6:30 a.m.  Our telephone number is 508-643-2160.

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Federal and state education laws require that a public school system must provide transportation if a child's Team determines that this related service is essential to ensure access to the curriculum.  Since your child's Individual Education Program (I.E.P.) lists transportation as a service, reviewing our procedural requirements will help us ensure safe journeys for everyone involved.

• Transportation for each child is "door to door."
• We make every effort to have children home within a reasonable time from the timeline we provide to you at the beginning of the year.  If, however, the driver has not arrived within the flexible time limits, please contact the driver directly or call the Special Education Office at 508-643-2160 to get information regarding your child's anticipated arrival time.  If we know that we are very late on a route, either the driver or Michelle Hulme will call to inform you of the situation and give an estimated time of arrival.  If your child received transportation last year, you have a magnet with all of the numbers you need.  For all new students, the driver will provide the "Mini Information Card" to you.
• Basic safety rules apply while students are on the bus.  Children must remain in their seats, wear seatbelts and, in general, be respectful of everyone on the bus.

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• If school is cancelled or delayed in North Attleborough, there will be no transportation provided for any out-of-district programs.  We will follow the times given if a delay of the starting time is announced for schools in North Attleborough.
• If school is cancelled in any town where we transport students to a program, we will not provide transportation to that program.  You will need to listen to WBZ or Channel 4 for school cancellations.
• If a storm begins during the day and is severe, the Special Education Director will determine when a bus will be sent to programs to pick up students.  Parents and an official at the program will be notified that a driver is being sent for an early dismissal.  Safety is the key factor in these situations and will be the basis for the decision for early release.
• We continually update our emergency information, including cell phone numbers.  If you have made any changes in phone numbers or names of people to contact in case of an emergency, please call Michelle Hulme at 508-643-2160 with your updated information.

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