MANSFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

2007-2008 BUS TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY

To help parents and students with planning for the 2007-2008 school year, please review this Pay-N-Ride Transportation Policy Advisory:  Students in Grades K - 6 whose legal residence is 2.0 or more miles from their assigned school are eligible for transportation and there is no fee charged.   Students in Grades K - 6, whose legal residence is within 2.0 miles from their assigned school and all students in Grades 7 - 12 are offered transportation on a pay-n-ride basis and predicated upon space availability.   A list of streets that are less than 2.0 miles is posted at all schools.

PAY-N-RIDE:  The following are the current fees for Pay-N-Ride for the 2007-2008 school year:

If you sign up by Thursday, June 21, 2007, there will be a $20 discount per student:

Under Mass. General Laws, students who are eligible for free or reduced lunch are eligible for a fee waiver.  You must fill out a Transportation /Fee Waiver Application in order to apply for a fee waiver and attach proof of income, i.e., copy of payroll stub, income tax return, etc.  Transportation / Fee Waiver Applications are available upon request at our child’s school.

Kindergarten students must meet financial eligibility requirements for free or reduced lunch, even though they do not participate in the lunch program.

Pay-N-Ride applications and fees are due no later than THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2007.  The Pay-N-Ride fee is payable in advance and non-refundable.   The fee is not pro-rated once the student begins riding the bus.   Check or money orders should be made payable to Mansfield Public Schools and either mailed to Pay-N-Ride, Mansfield Public Schools, 2 Park Row, Mansfield, MA 02048, or sent to your school.  No cash can be accepted.

All bus students in Grades 3-12 are required to have a bus pass.  Bus students will be allowed to ride the bus during the first few days of school, until the bus passes are given out by their school.

LATE BUS FEE:

For high school and middle school students who do not wish to sign up for pay-n-ride, but wish to take the late school bus home, may purchase a Late Bus Pass for $85.00 which covers the entire school year, or purchase a pass per semester - $42.50 September-January; $42.50 February-June.  This fee is not prorated or refundable. The Late Bus Pass may be purchased anytime throughout the school year.

ALTERNATE ADDRESS REQUESTS:

State law assumes routing is planned in relation to the student’s home address.  We have adopted another State statute, which allows you to substitute an approved licensed daycare center 2.0 or more miles from home.  Students are transported to and from the same address each day of the week - we cannot transport to different addresses on different days of the week.  Please note that bus routing, even for kindergarten students, may not necessarily be door to door.  A copy of our Transportation Policies is available for review at the Principal’s office. 

LIFE THREATENING MEDICAL CONDITION:

It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to provide health information to school bus drivers.  If your child has a life threatening medical condition that the bus driver should be aware of, please use the form available on the school web-site entitled “Emergency Medical Information for Bus Drivers”.  Return completed form to your school or fax to Connolly Bus Co. at 508.261.7517. 

There shall be no eating or drinking on all school buses.  Eating on the school bus poses a risk of choking and potentially endangers students with food allergies.

ALL APPLICATIONS AND FEES ARE DUE BY THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2007.

We are under no obligation after the July 19^th deadline to provide bus transportation.