VWCS lists transportation policy changes

VW independent/submitted information

Van Wert City Schools would like to remind parents of the new transportation procedures that are taking effect for the 2019-2020 school year. 

In an effort to ensure the safety of all of VWCS students, the district has added and/or changed its procedures for after school transportation. School officials believe that “consistency means safety” and therefore they believe they must limit the daily changes to transportation plans that the schools receive.  

For all buildings, any changes in after school transportation provided by the district (busing) must be delivered to the school by a note from the parent/guardian or by a telephone call from the parent/guardian to the school no later than 2 p.m.the day of the change.

Beginning with the 2019-2020 school year, parents will designate one bus stop location as their child’s primary/normal bus stop. Students must ride this bus daily, unless the school is notified by 2 p.m. that day and the child would then be a pick-up from their school.

A secondary/emergency bus stop may also be designated. Students may ride a secondary/emergency bus only on occasion and if the reason for the change is pre-approved by the principal. Families that have shared parenting agreements may designate a second bus stop when the mother and father do not live together. These families must provide the school(s) with a monthly calendar (by the first of each month) showing where the child goes each day. No student will be transported to an address outside of the school district or to a bus stop that is not already an established bus stop.

Parents/guardians will no longer be permitted to switch to a different bus stop for convenience reasons (i.e. after school social events, lessons, ball games, parent is running late, riding with friends, etc.)  If a parent/guardian cannot get to their child’s normal bus stop, the parent’s/guardian’s options would be to ask someone else to pick them up at the normal bus stop or request, with a note or call to the school by 2 p.m., to pick their child up from the school building at normal dismissal time.  

If the parent/guardian is hosting or involved with a birthday party, slumber party, social event, dance, or sporting event after school that includes students other than their own, they will not be permitted to have those friends ride the bus home or to a bus stop with their student.  

If a parent/guardian is having an event like this, that parent/guardian may pick up all of the students from the school at the normal dismissal time. The parent of each child riding home with another parent/guardian must provide the school with a note or a phone call permitting this. Again, this must occur before 2 p.m. on the day of the change.