What basic information does my child need to know about his/her bus ride to school?
Your child should know his/her home address, phone number, the assigned bus (route) number, and the neighborhood location where he/she is to get on and off the bus.

If I want to talk to my child's bus driver, how do I contact him/her?
Call the Transportation Office at 785-339-4050 to leave a message and we will have the driver contact you.

Do I need to call Transportation if my child is not going to ride the bus to school because of illness, an appointment, etc.?
If your child is the only student at the bus stop, a call is very helpful. However, if your child boards the bus with other students at a group stop, a call is not necessary.

I work some days and am home other days. Can I have my child ride the neighborhood bus to school the day I am home and ride another bus to school from their sitter's address the days I work?
The A-W Board of Education's designated pick-up and drop-off policy applies to this situation. In a case like this, most parents choose to transport their child to school on the days they are home and have their child scheduled to ride from the sitter's address on the other days. The purpose of this policy is to insure the accountability of each student. If we had 5,000 students getting on and off at different stops each day, it would be virtually impossible to keep track of them.

The bus drives right past my every day yet my child has to walk down the block to board the bus. Why can't the bus stop at my house?
We try to place bus stops in central locations to best accommodate students and insure appropriate route lengths and times. Stopping at each student's hone is not feasible. There will be students who are picked up at their home addresses because there are no other students residing within a reasonable distance. School buses do not go into cu-de-sacs or dead-end streets as there is no way for them to safely turn around. At the beginning of the year, bus stops may be readjusted as we gain more knowledge of the children who are and are not riding the bus.

How long will the bus wait for my child at the bus stop?
Your child must be at the assigned bus stop when the bus arrives. We ask that students be at their stop 5 minutes prior to their assigned pick-up time. The driver is not required to wait or honk for students who are not at their stop. If the driver had to do this at every stop, it would be impossible for the bus to arrive at school on time.

What time will my child arrive home in the afternoon?
Your child's arrival time at home may vary depending upon how many students ride the bus home. You will notice after a few weeks of school that the return time will become somewhat more routine.

What should I do if the bus does not show up?
Pick-up time should not vary to any great extent on a normal basis. However, circumstances beyond our control could cause a bus to be late. Vehicle maintenance problems, weather, impassable roads, emergencies, or traffic delays are just a few of the things that may cause a bus to be late. If you have waited more than 15 minutes, please contact our office at 785-339-4050.

Are there items that children are not allowed to have on the bus?
Balloons, skateboards, any glass items, live animals (including bugs), toys, and large bulky items are not allowed on the bus for safety reasons as well as space consideration.

If your child has a large musical instrument to transport, please contact our office to verify that there is space on the bus for the instrument.

My child is going to go home with a friend after school. What do I need to do so he can ride his friend's bus home with him?
You need to write a note stating your child has permission to ride home with his friend. Be certain to include the date on the note. Your child then needs to take it to the school office to have it stamped or signed by school personnel. The note will be returned to your child so he can give it to the driver in the afternoon.