Guilford school buses and vans will begin their regular 2012-2013 schedules on the first day of school, Thursday, August 30. There are no late buses. Bus route information has been mailed to parents for each child who attends the Guilford Public Schools. Information on Kindergarten mid-day runs was mailed separately. Parents are asked to keep the schedules mailed to them, as bus runs will not be published in the newspaper.

All drivers are reminded to slow down and practice extreme caution when driving past students waiting for buses and vans and when driving on or near school property. When a bus or van has amber lights flashing, it will be a signal to a driver that the bus or van will be coming to a full stop on the red flashing lights. The red flashing lights indicate that all traffic must come to a full stop from both directions.

Transportation Guidelines

• All times are approximate and may vary plus or minus 6 to 7 minutes. Students should be waiting at the designated stop 7 to 11 minutes prior to the scheduled pick up time to assure that they will be seen by the driver.

• During the first several weeks of school, routes and times may be adjusted to assure timely arrival at schools.

• Pick up and drop off locations are determined by the Board of Education based on safety conditions in consultation with the Student Transportation of America (STA) Safety Director and the Guilford Police Department.

• On occasion, buses will run late due to such things as mechanical breakdowns, inclement weather or driver shortage.

• Parents are responsible for the supervision of their children until they board the bus, after which the Board of Education assumes supervisory responsibility. In the afternoon, parents assume supervisory responsibility when students get off the bus.

• Morning and afternoon kindergarten students will be dropped off only if the driver can see an adult. If no adult is visible, the driver will radio the bus yard dispatcher who will call the home. If there is still no adult available, the student will be returned to the school.

• Pick-ups and drop offs of students at non-home addresses (day care, etc.) are available on a route and space-available basis.

Parents should direct questions or concerns to their respective school principal, STA Transit at (203) 453-9056 or to Nils Peterson, Transportation Coordinator at (203) 453-8206 (ext. 15).