Community Bus Safety Facts |
Resources |
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CCSD Transportation Office: 914-238-7200 x1006
Chappaqua Bus Company: 914-238-4404 |
Chappaqua Central School District General Transportation Information
The School District and Chappaqua Bus Company, Inc. work closely to provide safe and efficient pupil transportation. Please review the following transportation information. You may need to refer to this information during the school year, so please keep it handy. If you have a problem concerning transportation, contact the School District’s Transportation office: 914-238-7200 x1006.
FLASHING RED LIGHTS MEAN STOP: For the safety of our school children, New York State law requires all vehicles to stop for a stopped school bus when the large red lights on top of the bus are flashing. Flashing red lights mean that the bus is picking up or discharging students. Drivers are always required to stop for flashing red lights, even on divided highways and on school grounds, and must stop whether they are approaching a school bus from the front or the rear.
BUS PASSES: Students must ride to and from school on the same bus route, and board and leave from the same bus stop each day. Parents must request, in writing to the school office, that their child be allowed to ride a different bus route or get on and off at a different bus stop. Upon receipt of the parent’s note, the school will issue a bus pass, which is to be handed to the bus driver.
BUS SCHEDULES: Students should arrive at their bus stop five minutes before the bus arrival time. After the first few days of school, pick up times for each stop should be well established. Please keep in mind that adverse weather conditions, traffic problems, or occasional mechanical problems can delay the buses. If the bus is unduly late (more than ten minutes), please feel free to call the Chappaqua Bus Company at 238-4404.
A route card displayed in the front window of each bus indicates the route being covered by that particular bus. Please remind students to remember the route number for their bus so they will know which bus to take home from school. There can be as many as twenty buses at a school at dismissal time, so it is important to remember the route number. If you are a newcomer to Chappaqua and have difficulty finding the appropriate bus stop, please call the Chappaqua Bus Company.
BUS STOPS: Careful consideration is given to the location of bus stops. A post card indicating your child’s bus stop location and pick up time is mailed by the School District in August. Parents are urged to ensure adequate supervision of bus stops, particularly at the elementary school level. In particular, the School District strongly encourages elementary school parents whose children share a bus stop to coordinate with each other to ensure that at least one adult caregiver is present when students are picked up and dropped off. If you must leave your child unattended for the morning pick up, please make sure that your child has an “emergency plan” in the event that he or she should miss the bus.
Please be aware: for your child’s safety, the bus driver must have eye contact with a parent or adult caregiver before dropping off a kindergartner.
CARRY ON ITEMS: No insects or animals are permitted on the bus. Musical instruments are allowed, providing they can be contained on a lap or under the seat. All other items must be small enough to be secured inside a backpack.
EMERGENCY DISMISSAL: Review with your child what procedures to follow in case of emergency/early dismissal. These include where to look for the house key and/or whose house to go to if parents are not home.
LOST & FOUND: Label all lunch boxes, books, sweaters, rain gear, hats, etc. The bus company keeps a lost-and-found box for items that are not labeled. However, drivers follow through on all labeled items, even to the extent of delivering “lost lunches” to the schools on the morning that they are lost.
SNOW DAYS AND “MAIN ROADS” SCHEDULE: There may be a few days when schools will be closed due to heavy snow or other unusual hazards brought on by weather conditions. When it becomes necessary to close the schools, announcements will be made on the school district website www.ccsd.ws and the following radio and television stations in the morning before school opens.
AM Stations WFAS (1230) and WLNA (1420)
FM Stations WFAS (103.9), WHUD (100.7) and WZZN (106.3)
TV Stations NCCTV (Channels 75/77/78), Westchester News (Channel 12) and Verizon Ch. 45/46/47
Radio and television stations are notified immediately when the decision to close school is made, and they report the news promptly and as often as possible. PLEASE DO NOT PHONE THE RADIO AND TV STATIONS, THE SCHOOLS, OR THE BUS COMPANY. When heavy snow accumulations force a curtailment in bus schedules, but schools are still open, some buses may run on a “Main Roads” schedule only. This schedule should be kept for reference.
Early Closings: The onset of a potentially heavy storm or other emergencies may require the early closings of schools. Announcements of early closings will be made on the district website- www.ccsd.ws, radio, Westchester News Ch. 12 and on the NCCTV channels 75/77/78.
SCHOOL HOURS
Horace Greeley High School starts at 7:40 am. First dismissal at 2:35 pm, second dismissal at 3:45 pm.
Robert E. Bell starts at 7:55 am. First dismissal at 2:30 pm, second dismissal (Mon./Wed. only) at 3:15 pm.
Seven Bridges starts at 7:55 am. First dismissal at 2:30 pm, second dismissal (Mon./Wed. only) at 3:15 pm.
Douglas G. Grafflin starts at 8:50 am. Dismissal at 3:20 pm.
Roaring Brook starts at 8:50 am. Dismissal at 3:20 pm.
Westorchard starts at 8:50 am. Dismissal at 3:20 pm.
TRANSPORTATION FOR OUT-OF-DISTRICT SCHOOLS: Chappaqua Bus Company will furnish transportation to all Private and Parochial schools. Students will receive notification of the bus pick up time before the start of school. Most Private and Parochial students will be shuttled into Bell School on the Bell School Buses where they will then transfer out. There are no late activity buses for students attending out of district schools. If Chappaqua Schools are closed, or are operating on a delay due to inclement weather, no bus service will be provided for Private or Parochial Schools outside the Chappaqua School District.
Requests for transportation to non-public schools must be made each year. Parents should submit written requests to the Transportation Office, Chappaqua Central School District, P.O. Box 21, Chappaqua, NY 10514, no later than April 1 of the current year to request transportation for the coming year.
TRANSPORTATION FOR TEMPORARILY HANDICAPPED STUDENTS: If a student is on crutches or has an injury or condition that makes it difficult to ride the regular bus, special transportation can be arranged provided:
The Chappaqua Central School District and Chappaqua Bus Company, Inc. work together to transport approximately 4200 children to and from school safely each day. In New York State, approximately 90% of all school bus accident fatalities occur when children are getting on and off the bus. In the Chappaqua schools, we teach our children important bus safety rules during fall and spring Bus Safety Weeks.
CHAPPAQUA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
BUS SAFETY RULES
Please make sure that you, your child, and any household caregivers are familiar with the following bus safety rules:
WAITING FOR THE BUS: Children should get to their bus stop five minutes before the bus is due. At the bus stop, avoid horseplay and stay away from the street, and out of the Danger Zone, until the bus is stopped and the driver signals that it is safe to board.
CLOTHING AND BAGS: Children should wear backpacks on both shoulders, so that hands are free. Do not wear loosely fitting or baggy clothing and be sure that nothing hangs from jackets or backpacks (such as drawstrings, key chains, long straps, etc.) If anything gets caught in the bus door or on the handrail, it could be fatal.
BOARDING: Use the handrail when boarding the bus, then quickly sit down and buckle the seat belt.
LEAVING THE BUS: When the driver indicates that it is safe to leave the bus, after exiting move away from the bus out of the Danger Zone. Never attempt to return to the bus after exiting, or to pick up a dropped item, unless instructed by the driver. Again, please be aware that the bus driver must have eye contact with a parent or adult caregiver before dropping off a kindergartener.
PROPER CROSSING PROCEDURES: Before exiting the bus, tell the driver that you will be crossing the street. Walk along the curb heading forward until you are more than 10 feet past the front of the bus and can see the bus driver’s face. Make contact with the bus driver and wait for the driver’s signal before crossing. Upon receiving the driver’s signal, proceed to cross, checking both ways for traffic. If clear, cross quickly. If not, return to the curb and wait for the driver’s instructions.
THUMBS-UP SIGNAL: After exiting and moving away from the bus, all students from first grade through high school should give the driver a “thumbs-up” signal that it is safe for the bus to proceed. For kindergarteners, the parent or caregiver at the bus stop should give the signal. The driver will return the signal before moving the bus.
PROPER BEHAVIOR: Keep all parts of the body (head, hands, feet, etc.) inside the bus. Do not eat, drink or smoke on the bus. Follow the bus driver’s instructions. Be courteous to the driver and fellow passengers. Do not yell, use foul language or throw objects. Keep the aisles clear at all times. Stay seated until the bus comes to a complete stop at its final destination.
DISCIPLINE PROCEDURES: The School District has adopted disciplinary procedures to support the enforcement of the District’s bus safety rules. Please make sure that your children understand that misbehavior on the school bus presents a serious safety hazard. Bus drivers have been instructed to enforce the safety rules and to report any student who does not cooperate. The building principal will follow up on these reports, and parents will receive a copy. A student who causes a serious problem, or who has been reported on three occasions during the school year, will lose the privilege of riding the bus for a period to be determined by the building principal and the bus company. Good bus riding habits ensure a safe and happy bus environment.
Elementary school parents and caregivers should periodically review the bus safety video, “Protecting Your Child”, which is distributed by the School District. The video must be returned to the School District when your youngest child finishes fourth grade.
SCHOOL BUS SAFETY IS A TEAM EFFORT, NOTHING IS MORE PRECIOUS THAN A CHILD’S LIFE!
FLASHING RED LIGHTS MEAN STOP: For the safety of our school children, New York State law requires all vehicles to stop for a stopped school bus when the large red lights on top of the bus are flashing. Flashing red lights mean that the bus is picking up or discharging students. Drivers are always required to stop for flashing red lights, even on divided highways and on school grounds, and must stop whether they are approaching a school bus from the front or the rear.
BUS PASSES: Students must ride to and from school on the same bus route, and board and leave from the same bus stop each day. Parents must request, in writing to the school office, that their child be allowed to ride a different bus route or get on and off at a different bus stop. Upon receipt of the parent’s note, the school will issue a bus pass, which is to be handed to the bus driver.
BUS SCHEDULES: Students should arrive at their bus stop five minutes before the bus arrival time. After the first few days of school, pick up times for each stop should be well established. Please keep in mind that adverse weather conditions, traffic problems, or occasional mechanical problems can delay the buses. If the bus is unduly late (more than ten minutes), please feel free to call the Chappaqua Bus Company at 238-4404.
A route card displayed in the front window of each bus indicates the route being covered by that particular bus. Please remind students to remember the route number for their bus so they will know which bus to take home from school. There can be as many as twenty buses at a school at dismissal time, so it is important to remember the route number. If you are a newcomer to Chappaqua and have difficulty finding the appropriate bus stop, please call the Chappaqua Bus Company.
BUS STOPS: Careful consideration is given to the location of bus stops. A post card indicating your child’s bus stop location and pick up time is mailed by the School District in August. Parents are urged to ensure adequate supervision of bus stops, particularly at the elementary school level. In particular, the School District strongly encourages elementary school parents whose children share a bus stop to coordinate with each other to ensure that at least one adult caregiver is present when students are picked up and dropped off. If you must leave your child unattended for the morning pick up, please make sure that your child has an “emergency plan” in the event that he or she should miss the bus.
Please be aware: for your child’s safety, the bus driver must have eye contact with a parent or adult caregiver before dropping off a kindergartner.
CARRY ON ITEMS: No insects or animals are permitted on the bus. Musical instruments are allowed, providing they can be contained on a lap or under the seat. All other items must be small enough to be secured inside a backpack.
EMERGENCY DISMISSAL: Review with your child what procedures to follow in case of emergency/early dismissal. These include where to look for the house key and/or whose house to go to if parents are not home.
LOST & FOUND: Label all lunch boxes, books, sweaters, rain gear, hats, etc. The bus company keeps a lost-and-found box for items that are not labeled. However, drivers follow through on all labeled items, even to the extent of delivering “lost lunches” to the schools on the morning that they are lost.
SNOW DAYS AND “MAIN ROADS” SCHEDULE: There may be a few days when schools will be closed due to heavy snow or other unusual hazards brought on by weather conditions. When it becomes necessary to close the schools, announcements will be made on the school district website www.ccsd.ws and the following radio and television stations in the morning before school opens.
AM Stations WFAS (1230) and WLNA (1420)
FM Stations WFAS (103.9), WHUD (100.7) and WZZN (106.3)
TV Stations NCCTV (Channels 75/77/78), Westchester News (Channel 12) and Verizon Ch. 45/46/47
Radio and television stations are notified immediately when the decision to close school is made, and they report the news promptly and as often as possible. PLEASE DO NOT PHONE THE RADIO AND TV STATIONS, THE SCHOOLS, OR THE BUS COMPANY. When heavy snow accumulations force a curtailment in bus schedules, but schools are still open, some buses may run on a “Main Roads” schedule only. This schedule should be kept for reference.
Early Closings: The onset of a potentially heavy storm or other emergencies may require the early closings of schools. Announcements of early closings will be made on the district website- www.ccsd.ws, radio, Westchester News Ch. 12 and on the NCCTV channels 75/77/78.
SCHOOL HOURS
Horace Greeley High School starts at 7:40 am. First dismissal at 2:35 pm, second dismissal at 3:45 pm.
Robert E. Bell starts at 7:55 am. First dismissal at 2:30 pm, second dismissal (Mon./Wed. only) at 3:15 pm.
Seven Bridges starts at 7:55 am. First dismissal at 2:30 pm, second dismissal (Mon./Wed. only) at 3:15 pm.
Douglas G. Grafflin starts at 8:50 am. Dismissal at 3:20 pm.
Roaring Brook starts at 8:50 am. Dismissal at 3:20 pm.
Westorchard starts at 8:50 am. Dismissal at 3:20 pm.
TRANSPORTATION FOR OUT-OF-DISTRICT SCHOOLS: Chappaqua Bus Company will furnish transportation to all Private and Parochial schools. Students will receive notification of the bus pick up time before the start of school. Most Private and Parochial students will be shuttled into Bell School on the Bell School Buses where they will then transfer out. There are no late activity buses for students attending out of district schools. If Chappaqua Schools are closed, or are operating on a delay due to inclement weather, no bus service will be provided for Private or Parochial Schools outside the Chappaqua School District.
Requests for transportation to non-public schools must be made each year. Parents should submit written requests to the Transportation Office, Chappaqua Central School District, P.O. Box 21, Chappaqua, NY 10514, no later than April 1 of the current year to request transportation for the coming year.
TRANSPORTATION FOR TEMPORARILY HANDICAPPED STUDENTS: If a student is on crutches or has an injury or condition that makes it difficult to ride the regular bus, special transportation can be arranged provided:
- A written request is submitted to the bus company by the attending physician stating the nature of the injury and approximate length of time special transportation will be required.
- The bus company is given the student’s name, grade, school, address, telephone number and date service should start. Parents will then be notified about pickup time and location for student.
The Chappaqua Central School District and Chappaqua Bus Company, Inc. work together to transport approximately 4200 children to and from school safely each day. In New York State, approximately 90% of all school bus accident fatalities occur when children are getting on and off the bus. In the Chappaqua schools, we teach our children important bus safety rules during fall and spring Bus Safety Weeks.
CHAPPAQUA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
BUS SAFETY RULES
Please make sure that you, your child, and any household caregivers are familiar with the following bus safety rules:
WAITING FOR THE BUS: Children should get to their bus stop five minutes before the bus is due. At the bus stop, avoid horseplay and stay away from the street, and out of the Danger Zone, until the bus is stopped and the driver signals that it is safe to board.
CLOTHING AND BAGS: Children should wear backpacks on both shoulders, so that hands are free. Do not wear loosely fitting or baggy clothing and be sure that nothing hangs from jackets or backpacks (such as drawstrings, key chains, long straps, etc.) If anything gets caught in the bus door or on the handrail, it could be fatal.
BOARDING: Use the handrail when boarding the bus, then quickly sit down and buckle the seat belt.
LEAVING THE BUS: When the driver indicates that it is safe to leave the bus, after exiting move away from the bus out of the Danger Zone. Never attempt to return to the bus after exiting, or to pick up a dropped item, unless instructed by the driver. Again, please be aware that the bus driver must have eye contact with a parent or adult caregiver before dropping off a kindergartener.
PROPER CROSSING PROCEDURES: Before exiting the bus, tell the driver that you will be crossing the street. Walk along the curb heading forward until you are more than 10 feet past the front of the bus and can see the bus driver’s face. Make contact with the bus driver and wait for the driver’s signal before crossing. Upon receiving the driver’s signal, proceed to cross, checking both ways for traffic. If clear, cross quickly. If not, return to the curb and wait for the driver’s instructions.
THUMBS-UP SIGNAL: After exiting and moving away from the bus, all students from first grade through high school should give the driver a “thumbs-up” signal that it is safe for the bus to proceed. For kindergarteners, the parent or caregiver at the bus stop should give the signal. The driver will return the signal before moving the bus.
PROPER BEHAVIOR: Keep all parts of the body (head, hands, feet, etc.) inside the bus. Do not eat, drink or smoke on the bus. Follow the bus driver’s instructions. Be courteous to the driver and fellow passengers. Do not yell, use foul language or throw objects. Keep the aisles clear at all times. Stay seated until the bus comes to a complete stop at its final destination.
DISCIPLINE PROCEDURES: The School District has adopted disciplinary procedures to support the enforcement of the District’s bus safety rules. Please make sure that your children understand that misbehavior on the school bus presents a serious safety hazard. Bus drivers have been instructed to enforce the safety rules and to report any student who does not cooperate. The building principal will follow up on these reports, and parents will receive a copy. A student who causes a serious problem, or who has been reported on three occasions during the school year, will lose the privilege of riding the bus for a period to be determined by the building principal and the bus company. Good bus riding habits ensure a safe and happy bus environment.
Elementary school parents and caregivers should periodically review the bus safety video, “Protecting Your Child”, which is distributed by the School District. The video must be returned to the School District when your youngest child finishes fourth grade.
SCHOOL BUS SAFETY IS A TEAM EFFORT, NOTHING IS MORE PRECIOUS THAN A CHILD’S LIFE!
