BUS ROUTE INFORMATION
by Jim Havelka, Superintendent
AUGUST, 2009
TO BUS ROUTE PARENTS:
Dear Bus Route Parents:
Bus routes for 2009-10 will be basically the same as last year and
driver assignments have not changed. South of Highway 30 we will
run one full route with driving shared between Rod Scott (AM) and
Ed Kroenke (PM). North of Highway 30 we will run two routes with
the drivers being Mel Kreitman, Northwest, and Ed Kroenke (AM) and
Karma Amison (PM), Northeast.
Bus service will be provided to eligible elementary and
secondary students and mileage will NOT be paid. Generally resident
students living outside of the city limits of North Bend and within
the school district are eligible for bus transportation to and from
school. For resident families, pick up/delivery will generally be
made at your home. However, there can be exceptions due to the
nature of road conditions. For instance, we will not cross railroad
tracks that do not have a full set of warning lights and will not
travel private roads. Under certain conditions, you may be asked to
bring your student to a pick-up point. Please keep in mind that the
drivers will try to meet everyone's needs, but ultimately safety is
our primary concern.
With the high cost of fuel, you can really help us reduce costs by sharing a ride and saving the need for bus service whenever possible. Often our drivers will travel a couple of extra miles to a route stop to pick up one child while that student's older brothers and sisters are driving into school. Riding together in those instances would reduce costs for everyone.
Option enrollment students and other non-resident
students can receive bus service in one of two ways as the result
of a Board Policy adopted last fall: (1) Non-residents living
within two miles of the school district or a bus route road can be
provided bus transportation to and from their residence for a fee
based on the state mileage rate. If you are interested in fee-based
transportation, please contact the Superintendent's Office at (402)
652-3268; (2) Non-resident students may meet the bus at a pick-up
point at a point on the resident student bus route and be
transported free of charge. At the east end of the district, a
pick-up/delivery point will be established in Ames; for other
option students, parents will need to work with the bus driver to
determine a pick-up/delivery point. An adult must pick up the bus
student each day or make arrangements for drop off another home; we
cannot leave a child unattended at a delivery point.
PICK-UP/DELIVERY PLAN: Pick up and delivery on a daily basis will be the same as last year. There is no change in school times. Both schools begin at 8:15; NB Elementary School ends at 3:15 with bus students dismissed at 3:10; early dismissals are 1:30 p.m. at both NBE and NBC with bus students at NBE dismissed at 1:20. In the afternoon, all three buses will pick up at North Bend Elementary School and then proceed to pick up at NBC. There will be no need for students to change buses. Buses will leave NBC at approximately 3:25 p.m. Pick up/drop off points have been established outside of the Post Office on the south side of Highway 30 in Ames and at the town square in Morse Bluff. If you utilize these pick up/drop off points, please arrange to meet your student there when the bus arrives. We cannot provide supervision before and after the bus arrival time. If you have a question about your eligibility for bus service or the location of pick up and delivery, please contact me at 652-3268.
The bus drivers have made a tentative route list. They will be
contacting parents of resident route students in the next few days.
However, if you want bus service and have not been contacted by
your area's driver, please call them or call the Superintendent's
Office at 652-3268.
Drivers, their route assignments, and phone numbers are:
Route 1: Mel Kreitman: North of Highway 30 and generally
west of Highway 79 and the far north portion of the area east of
Highway 79. Home--652-8387; Personal Cell--459-1807; Bus
Cell--720-1235.
Route 2: Ed Kroenke (AM)/Karma Amison (PM): North of Highway
30 and generally east of Highway 79. Ed Kroenke : Home--568-2394;
Bus Cell--720-1236; Karma Amison: Personal Cell--871-8118; Bus
Cell--720-1236.
Route 3: Rod Scott (AM)/Ed Kroenke (PM): South of Highway
30. All routes to Morse Bluff. Rod Scott: Personal Cell--720-1642;
Bus Cell--720-1238; Ed Kroenke : Home--568-2394; Bus
Cell--720-1238.
Again this year, we ask you to call your bus driver directly with
daily route changes rather than call the schools to have messages
to the drivers relayed. For instance, if your child is going to
ride home on a bus other than his/her normal one (visiting a
friend, for example), please notify your driver. Also, if you want
guests to ride home with your student, please call the driver in
advance. Some routes have room for extra riders, but some do not.
The drivers have been instructed to deny service if extra riders
would overload the bus.
Safety is also a concern in managing student behavior. Our basic disciplinary plan is for the driver and parents to work cooperatively to ensure appropriate student behavior. However, we will suspend students' bus riding privileges if that becomes necessary. Please help us maintain good bus discipline. Drivers will again be stressing that students are to remain seated at all times while the bus is moving. This is an important safety rule and I would appreciate it if you would also stress it to your children. We have asked each driver to assign specific seats for students and will expect students to ride where they are assigned. The drivers will also be discussing other rules, such as eating on the buses, etc., at the start of the year. Generally, students are asked not to eat on the bus going to or from school. Finally, it is crucial to have students ready to get on the bus at the pick up time. Please make sure your student is ready when the bus arrives. If you are using a pick up/delivery site, it is required that an adult or family member to be at the site when the bus arrives. Drivers cannot wait a long period at those sites. If no one is present to pick up the child, they will be returned to their school.
If you have a problem or question, please communicate first with
your driver. Kevin Ferguson and Ed Kroenke serve as our bus
coordinators and can resolve many issues, also. And, of course, you
can call your Principal or the Superintendent. I hope we can all
work as a team to make our busing program work well this year.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
JAMES P. HAVELKA,
Superintendent
P.S. We have a great need for qualified substitute drivers. The
school district pays all of the costs of training and acquisition
of the required licenses and drivers receive a per route salary. If
you are interested in becoming a substitute driver, please contact
me. Your help will be appreciated.
