NEWS | Transportation Services |
For Immediate Release: Aug. 31, 2012 |
Transportation Update #3
With the approach of the first day of school here in Arlington on Tuesday, September 4, this update includes some additional information and resources related to Transportation Services to help families prepare for the start of the 2012-13 school year.
Many of the questions asked over the past weeks about Transportation Services have been addressed in earlier communications and updates. An extensive FAQ and all communications and earlier Transportation Updates are
available online in English and Spanish.
Student Bus Passes
All bus riders received a temporary bus pass with their transportation letter, and we have asked all riders to carry the pass and show it to the driver when they board the bus. But please be assured that NO CHILD will be left at a bus stop, even if a student has lost, misplaced or forgotten his or her bus pass. We recognize that the first few weeks of school will require all of us to work with students to help them learn the new transportation procedures. By September 24, all bus riders will receive a permanent bus pass that can be attached to backpacks, carried in a wallet or worn on a lanyard. In the meantime, bus drivers and school staff will work together to help and support our students.
Tips for Students Walking to School or the Bus Stop
Over the past few days, many school principals have shared safety tips with their families in back-to-school communications and at back-to-school events and orientations. Those tips are
posted online in English and Spanish, and families are encouraged to discuss these safety practices with their students and to reinforce safety all year long.
The
Arlington County website also includes added resources for families:
Local and Regional Public Safety Support
We are grateful for the support of Arlington County to encourage the community to exercise extra caution as the first day of school approaches. Through a variety of communication efforts, the County is emphasizing safety and informing people about extra steps being taken to keep children safe.
Also, our partners in the Arlington County Police Department, which provides all of our school crossing guards and resource officers, will be increasing enforcement efforts and helping with traffic and street crossings.
Appeal Process Update
As of Thursday, August 30, approximately 150 appeals have been processed, and staff is reaching out to inform those families about the decision. Because a number of new appeals were received in the past two or three days, the reviews and decisions for those requests most likely will not be completed until later next week. Transportation Services staff will continue to work to expedite these requests.
Change Requests
A large number of bus stop change requests have been received by the Transportation Services staff and are being processed. These requests include route changes for afternoon drop-offs and other adjustments. Those requests that have been processed and approved will be implemented starting Monday, September 10. Transportation Services will continue to process requests until all have been addressed. The Transportation Office will inform schools and parents after the requests are processed. Parents will be notified of the decision either by email or US mail.
A Final Word
Each year, the first day of school marks a milestone in the lives of children and their families. The "first day" represents the first step for our students in a year-long educational journey towards a brighter future. "First days" are also marked with proud parents (and sometimes grandparents and other extended family members) gathering memories during "first day" visits and recording their child's "first day" through pictures or videos.
This year, APS will welcome over 2,000 kindergarteners for their "first day," our largest kindergarten class in decades. So we ask everyone to be patient with the normal "first day" congestion that we experience at our schools every year as we welcome both returning and new students and families for the start of the 2013-13 school year.
