Transportation

You will receive a list of buses and bus stops set up through Centerline Bus Company prior to the start of each school year and the learning year (summer) school schedule. Bus routes are established to keep walking distance to the bus stops short. Be sure that your child(ren) will not have to cross any busy streets to get to the bus stop that you are assigned.

Any variation in the stop should be requested by a written note from the parent/guardian turned in to Achieve Language Academy office, and the office staff will forward the request to Centerline. Temporary changes to bus stops, or multiple pickup and drop-off locations will not be honored by Centerline. Neither the bus company nor the school can control unknown circumstances that may delay scheduled pick-ups or drop-offs of students.

To help assure that your child(ren) get(s) to and from school safely please read and follow these guidelines:

1. Each child will receive a Bus Pass at the beginning of the school year. Have your child(ren) hook this card in a safe place on his/her backpack.During the first weeks of school, you might also want to pin the bus number on the outside of your younger (grades K-1) child’s shirt/jacket.
2. Please remind your child(ren) that more than one bus may stop at his/her stop and be sure that he/she knows the bus number of the bus that will bring him/her to Achieve Language Academy.
3. Each bus rider is responsible to be at his/her stop at least 10 minutes before the scheduled pick-up and should remain at the stop for at least 10 minutes beyond the scheduled pick-up.
4. Our school day ends at 3:50 p.m. Achieve Language Academy staff will monitor our students at the bus loading area and assist them every day in getting on the right bus.Usually, all children should be home by 5:00 p.m. In some cases, it may be later for the first week or two until drivers learn their routes. The time could also vary due to weather conditions. If, for any reason, you are concerned because your child is later than 20 minutes beyond his/her scheduled arrival at home, please call the school. If the school is aware of a later than usual bus departure students will be asked to call home to alert parents.
5. The first week of school, the staff will be making a list of all students that ride each bus. If your child’s bus riding arrangement changes, please be sure to inform the Office.
6. Please advise your child(ren) that they should go directly home each day after school to report in. This will help to alleviate false alarms of missing children to the school and bus company.
7. New this year: Free busing during the noon hour for a.m. and p.m. prekindergarten will be available.

At the beginning of the school year or when you have a change in your bus stop/schedule, there may be problems with some of the buses. If the bus you are expecting does not come, please call the school and we will report it to the bus company. If possible, you might want to have an alternative ride for your child(ren) during this time.

Parents/Guardians please go over the following rules with your children for when they are riding a school bus or school van:

1. Stay off the road while waiting for the bus.
2. Form a single file line behind the curb when the bus approaches. Wait in an orderly manner, and do not move forward until the bus stops. Drivers will stop only at scheduled bus stops.
3. Students who are assigned to ride the bus are expected to use it regularly. All riders shall decide which bus stop they will use (which will become their assigned stop) and shall get on and off at this stop both before and after school. A student will not be allowed to change bus stops unless he/she submits a note from home. The administrator and the bus company must approve these changes.
4. Be careful when entering or exiting the bus. Keep hands out of pockets and hold onto the rail when boarding the bus.
5. Find assigned seat quickly and remain seated, facing forward, with arms and legs out of the aisle.
6. Show respect to the bus driver. Speak politely; do not make noise or distract the driver.
7. Show respect to fellow students. Use appropriate language and actions.
8. Do not put anything out a window. Keep hands and head inside.
9. Riders should not eat, drink, or chew gum on the bus.
10. Glass containers are not permitted on the bus.
11. Animals are not permitted on the bus.
12. Keep the bus clean. Place trash in the container at the front of the bus. Be careful not to leave any personal belongings on the bus.
13. Wait until the bus has stopped at school or at your regular stop before attempting to exit. Then walk to the front door and step down while holding onto the handrail.
14. If there is a need to cross the street after getting off the bus, make sure to cross ten feet in front of the bus where the driver can see you and you can see the driver. Wait for the driver to signal you to cross. Never cross in back of the bus.
15. During bus drills and use of the emergency exits:

• Be quiet and listen for instructions
• Leave in bus drill order
• Stay calm
• When using the back door: Duck your head, Sit down, Push off, do not jump up!

Consequences for any student who violates the bus/van rules:

• They will be issued a bus conduct report (a copy of which will be sent to the parent/guardian)
• Repeated infractions of the rules may result in a student's removal from the bus for a period of time to be determined by the building administrator.
• Parent/guardians will be contacted prior to a student's bus suspension, and the circumstances will be explained.
• After suspension from the bus for 2 or more days, the student and parent/guardian will be required to meet with Administration to demonstrate that he/she knows the rules and can abide by them before riding the bus again.
• Serious, continued, or repeated misconduct on the bus/van may result in loss of bus/van privileges for the rest of the school year.

Even though transportation is available to all students that live within a 1-mile radius of school these students may elect to walk to school. Achieve asks that, if students are going to walk, we have written permission from parents, which will be kept in the Office. We do provide Walking Patrols at the corner of Stillwater and Nokomis.

Students who ride their bicycles to school are to put them in the bicycle racks next to the school. Bicycles should be locked to prevent theft. Bus riders who wish to ride bicycles should provide a written permission from a parent or guardian. Kindergarten students are not permitted to ride bicycles to school. First grade students are not permitted to ride unless a note is received from parent/guardians stating that the child has the physical skills, knowledge, and good judgment necessary to ride a bicycle safely to school.