The Bus Ride:

Reliable, safe and comfortable student transportation is dependent upon the active participation and cooperation between students, parents/caregivers, school staff, and school bus drivers and bus aides.

• All buses have the School Bus Conduct Expectations, Voice Level Charts, and Danger Zone Pictures posted.
• Bus drivers will make every effort to keep younger students near the front of the bus.
• Several buses are equipped with high quality digital cameras.
• Please report unkind or unsafe behavior.
• Bus drivers are required to complete a School Bus Conduct Report for conduct violations.

Location of Bus Stops:

Every effort is made to establish bus stops in neighborhoods based on the factors of safety, efficiency, and shortest over-all ride times. Bus stops are located at corners or near intersections whenever possible and are usually central to where students are coming from. We are not able to position bus stops so that all parents or daycare providers are able to see the stop from their home. It is the responsibility of the parent, guardian, or caretaker to ensure that their child arrives safely at the bus stop.

• Look at the transportation information provided by your child's school to find out your child's school bus pick up/drop off location.
• Secure the bus tag provided by the school on the outside of the child's backpack. (Thin plastic zip ties work well). Once the student is comfortable with bus transportation, please keep the bus tag inside the child's backpack throughout the school year.
• Bus tags must include: child's name, emergency contact number, pick up/drop off addresses, route numbers and school name.
• Before the first day of school, prepare your child by practicing how to walk to and from the pick up/drop off location and when and where to wait for the school bus.
• Always wait for the bus in a safe place, away from the curb, street, and traffic.

Pick up Procedure:

All children must be at the bus stop location five (5) minutes prior to the scheduled pick-up time. It is imperative that your child be ready on time and be dressed appropriately for the weather. Buses must operate on a definite schedule in order to provide consistent service and arrive to school on time. If the bus is required to wait for each child on the route, the bus will be late for school.

• Wait until the bus reaches a complete stop before attempting to approach the bus. School buses are large, heavy vehicles that cannot stop quickly. Be extra cautious around them and stay outside the School Bus Danger Zone that extends 10 feet around the bus.
• Never cross the road until the bus driver has signaled it is safe to cross and look in both directions before crossing.
• Walk at least 10 steps away from the front of the bus so the driver can see you.
• Never cross the street behind the school bus.

Unloading Procedure:

• No child will be permitted to leave a bus at a point other than the school or designated bus stop.
• Walk at least 10 steps away from the front of the bus so the bus driver can see you.
• Never cross the road until the bus driver has signaled it is safe to cross and look in both directions before crossing.
• Never cross the street behind the school bus.
• Move onto the side walk or driveway out of traffic. Stay Out of the Danger Zone.

Daycare/Change in Student Pick Up/Take Home:

If your child needs transportation to or from any location other than your home, you must fill out the transportation request form available from the school office. Students are allowed a primary and one secondary location for the pick up/drop off. Please complete your transportation request form and send it to Cloquet Transit Company. If your child has a rotating schedule between primary and secondary pick up/drop off, the monthly or weekly schedule must be submitted to Cloquet Transit Company prior to transporting. The transportation department is unable to transport a child to any location other than legal residence without written permission to do so. School bus drivers do not have authority to make changes to routes or student pick up/drop off locations.

My child needs to occasionally ride home to another location:

Your child may get off at an alternate and currently established bus stop. You will need to send a written note with your child, signed and dated by a parent or guardian. This note is good for one day and must include information on where we should bring your child. The note must be signed by a school administrator and given to the bus driver on the day they are riding.

Winter Weather:

The Cloquet School Distric and Cloquet Transit Company will monitor National Weather Service broadcasts for winter weather-related factors: ice, snowfall, visibility, predicted temperature and predicted wind chill. School closings will be based on the well-being and safety of the students and the ability to safely operate buses during unfavorable weather. In the event school is cancelled due to severe weather, the school district will contact families through its mass notification system as early as possible. School closings may also be found on local TV and radio affiliates. Links and more information can be found HERE.

Buses may run late during inclement weather conditions such as snow, ice, or circumstances beyond our control. When students are waiting for the school bus to arrive on cold mornings, we ask that they remain at the bus stop rather than waiting inside their homes to avoid delays. These 30 second delays waiting at the school bus stop for a student to load can add up quickly if it happens at stop after stop; this means students near the end of the route may have an extended wait time and prolonged exposure to the weather. We appreciate and depend on parent cooperation in preventing loading delays, to ensure all students can be picked up promptly and safely.

• It is important parents and caregivers dress children properly (winter coat, hat, mittens, snow pants, boots) for the weather conditions.
• Running for the bus on wet, icy, or snow covered driveways, sidewalks, or roads can be dangerous.
• At the bus stop discourage children from climbing or standing on snow banks; playing on snow banks makes a child susceptible to slipping and falling into the street.