What happens if my child leaves something (coat, lunchbox, musical instrument) on the bus?
Usually
the driver will attempt to return items left on the bus to the
student. If the item is unmarked, and no one claims it within a day or
two, the driver will take it to the school. If an item is needed
immediately, please call our office to arrange a way to pick it up.
Why do I have to be at the stop five minutes early?
There
are many factors that may affect the time a driver arrives at a given
stop. Traffic volume, traffic signals and ferry and bridge traffic have
the most impact in our district, but weather issues, drivers waiting
for dawdling students, or a substitute driving the route may also cause a
driver to be late for a stop. These
situations plus differences in clock times, have proven over the years
that arriving about 5 minutes early gives a student an adequate window
of time to ensure they catch the bus.
What time are students released on our early release day (Wednesdays)?
The secondary schools (NKHS/KHS/PMS) release at 1:35 PM, with the exception of KMS which releases at 1:45 PM. The
elementary schools release at 3:00 PM. Please adjust your
drop off times by fifty (50) minutes earlier to determine the time to
expect your child.
Why can't I have a bus stop closer to my house?
Depending
on where you live, and how close you are to the school or another bus
stop, the location of your house may, or may not qualify for an
additional bus stop. We evaluate bus stop requests using criteria
developed by the Office of the Superintendent for Public Instruction
(OSPI) that allows us to objectively determine whether a hazardous
walking condition exists that would require additional bus service. Please refer to the separate page listed on the left entitled "How do I request a new or different bus stop?" for detailed instructions on the evaluation process.
What does 97% mean?
This
is the percentage of North Kitsap School buses that passed annual
Washington State Patrol (WSP)inspections in 2017. During this
inspection process every vehicle that transports students is thoroughly
inspected by the WSP. All it takes to have a bus fail is to have one
light bulb out anywhere on the bus. To have such a high percentage of
buses pass is quite an accomplishment, and is due to the efforts of our
amazing shop staff.
How safe is school bus transportation?
According
to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), "school
buses are the safest motor vehicles on the highways." Children are
nearly eight times safer riding a school bus than riding with their own parents or peers.
Why is the bus yellow?
The
short answer is because it is a very safe color as it is highly
visible. In 1939 the color officially known as "National School Bus
Chrome" was adopted at a conference that set national school bus
construction standards for the first time. Recently the name of the color was changed to "National School Bus Glossy Yellow."
How hard is it to drive a school bus?
Aside
from rigorous and ongoing training in the operation of a school bus, as
well as knowledge of and adherance to all of the state and local rules
and regulations, a school bus driver must operate a vehicle that is 3
times longer and 5 times heavier than the largest SUVs. And they must
safely operate this vehicle while transporting about 2.5 times as many
students as the average classroom, and maintain student discipline while
doing it.
What happens if a bus gets hurt?
We put bandages on it, of course!