March 18, 2024
***IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING BUS REGISTRATION FOR SY 2024/2025***
Dear Parent/Guardian:
In order to reach as many families as possible, this letter is being sent to all Wellesley families with children enrolled in and/or entering the Wellesley Public Schools.
We are once again planning for transportation services for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year. The following paragraphs outline the various requirements and responsibilities for ridership. Please read this letter in its entirety, to be sure you understand the procedures and timelines.
Bus Stops
Children walk to a common stop designated in your neighborhood. While Wellesley Public Schools furnishes transportation for students, it does not relieve parents of the responsibility for supervision until such time as the student boards the bus in the morning or until after the student exits the bus at the end of the school day.
Once a student boards the bus, and only at that time, he or she becomes the responsibility of the school district. Such responsibility shall end when the student is transported to the regular bus stop at the close of the day and exits the bus. An adult must accompany their Kindergarten, Grade 1 and/or Grade2 student(s) to/from their regular bus stop (see Important Reminder paragraph below).
The number of buses required and, thus, the number of seats available are based upon demand. The bus routes and stops will be established based upon the addresses of participants. Every effort will be made to make stops convenient to parents and students, with student safety being the priority.
Important Reminder
The safety of our students is the foremost priority of the Transportation program. This includes at their bus stop, while riding the bus, and as students embark and disembark from the bus. For this reason, we require all Kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2 students to be discharged at their regular bus stop to a parent or caregiver who is known to the driver. Alternatively, a Kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2 student may be accompanied by an older sibling in Grade 4 or Grade 5. When that sibling is not on the bus on any given day, an adult known to us must be present at the stop to meet the younger student. If there is no one waiting at the stop to accompany the Kindergarten, Grade 1 or Grade 2 student, the student will remain on the bus and be transported back to his or her school. When Kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2 students begin riding the bus, families are strongly encouraged to have their student(s) begin riding on the AM side of the day, thereby assisting the bus driver in identifying the student, their bus stop and the adult(s) accompanying said student(s).
Eligibility
In accordance with State regulations and School Committee policy, free transportation will be provided for students in Kindergarten through Grade 6 residing more than 2 miles from their school. If there are any questions regarding bus eligibility based on your address, please see the Eligibility by Street listing found on the Transportation web page. Streets are listed in alphabetical order.
We will continue to offer fee-based transportation services to all other students (that is, students who live less than 2 miles from school or students in Grades 7 – 12). The fee will be $300.00 per student, with a family cap of $700.00. In other words, when there are more than two children in a family participating in a fee-based transportation program from the same address, the fee for the third child is $100.00 and any additional child thereafter is free.
High School Buses
We will continue to offer two High School morning bus options. The first morning High School buses will start at 6:40AM; the second buses will start at 7:40AM, as they do now. Please be sure to register your High School student for transportation by the deadline, in order to be able to take advantage of either the first or second bus runs. As long as your student is registered, he or she can take either bus to school.
Registration
Please make sure the home address in the online fee payment system is up-to- date, to ensure the correct bus route assignment. In order to participate in the program, parents/guardians must complete the registration process through the online fee payment system during open enrollment, and agree to the Bus Conduct Rules for Transportation. Please make sure all bus riders know and understand the Bus Conduct Rules. The deadline for online registration, with payment in full, is April 5, 2024. Requests for registration after the April 5, 2024 deadline may result in your child being placed on a waiting list and processed on a space available basis, in the order in which requests are received.
To register and pay online, go to the Wellesley Public Schools’ main web page and click on the “Fee Payment” link located on the top right side of the page. On the Welcome screen, enter your username and password. Scroll down to the middle of the webpage and click on on the photo of the yellow school bus to begin the registration process. Choose the first Activity listed: FY25 Bus Transportation.
If you have not already created an online payment account, click on the “SIGN IN/REGISTER” link on the top right side of the Welcome screen. Once there, click on the “Don’t have an account? Sign up Now” link at the bottom of the page. After the account is created and all students from the same household have been added to it, you will receive an email indicating the account has been approved. This process can take up to two business days.
A waiver process has been established for families that are eligible by income level or are currently receiving state assistance. Please refer to the Financial Assistance Information page of the Wellesley Public Schools’ website for specific information and instructions. Families requesting a waiver should apply before April 5, 2024. A seat will not be assigned until all necessary forms are completed, reviewed and approved.
Bus Routes
Bus route information will be emailed to all registered students on or about May 20, 2024. Once enrolled by the April 5, 2024 deadline, a bus seat is committed and assigned to your student(s). Bus routes will be emailed again in mid-August. Bus passes for Middle School and High School students will be mailed out at the same time, to the student’s home address. Elementary school students will receive only electronic bus routes, as elementary school students are not issued bus passes. If transportation plans change, fees are not refundable. Students who lose their riding privilege for any reason will not receive refunds.
Please be sure to make these arrangements for your child as you prepare for the upcoming school year.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Deane McGoldrick
Wellesley Public Schools
Transportation Director
781-446-6210, ext. 5614