We understand that parents might wish for a bus stop to be closer to their home for convenience and peace of mind. However, bus stops are determined based on a combination of factors, including safety, legal requirements, and efficiency.

Safety is our foremost concern. We avoid placing stops in locations with potential hazards, such as sharp curves or hills, that may limit visibility for other drivers or the bus driver.

Legally, there are certain regulations we must abide by regarding the spacing and location of bus stops.

From an efficiency perspective, we aim to design routes that serve the maximum number of students with the fewest stops in order to ensure timely arrival at school.

Nevertheless, if you believe your current bus stop presents a safety risk or a significant inconvenience, you can submit a request for a bus stop review. The Transportation Department uses criteria developed by the Office of the Superintendent for Public Instruction (OSPI) to assess these requests. Please refer to the 'Request a bus stop' section on our website for detailed instructions on the evaluation process.

In the state of Washington, public school transportation funding covers students who live at certain distances from their assigned school. For regular education elementary school students, this distance is more than one mile; for middle school students, it's more than 1.5 miles; and for high school students, it's more than 2 miles.

If your child lives within these boundaries, they are considered within walking distance and are expected to walk to school. The district provides Safe Walking Route maps to assist you in determining the safest paths for your child to take to and from school.

Please note, students wishing to attend a school outside their designated residential service area are responsible for arranging their own transportation.

We understand that each family's situation is unique. If walking poses a particular hardship or safety concern, please reach out to the Transportation Department to discuss possible alternatives.

On early release days, which typically fall on Wednesdays, the release times are adjusted to allow students to leave school earlier than on regular school days. Please subtract one hour from your regular drop-off times to determine the time you should expect your child to arrive home. Here's a brief overview:

• Secondary schools (North Kitsap High School, Kingston High School, and Poulsbo Middle School) release students at 1:25 PM. However, Kingston Middle School releases students a bit later, at 1:35 PM.
• All elementary schools release students at 2:50 PM.

Please keep these times in mind when planning for early release days.

There are a few reasons we advise students to arrive at the bus stop at least five minutes before the scheduled pickup time. First, many factors, such as traffic conditions, weather, and route substitutions, can affect the exact arrival time of the bus. Arriving early helps ensure that your child doesn't miss the bus due to these minor fluctuations in timing. Secondly, being at the stop early promotes safety by allowing your child to wait away from the road rather than rushing to meet a bus that's already arrived. Lastly, maintaining a prompt schedule is critical to getting all students to school on time. Buses cannot wait for late students without delaying the entire route. Your cooperation helps keep our transportation service efficient and timely.

It's not uncommon for students to accidentally leave personal items, like coats, lunchboxes, or musical instruments, on the bus. When this happens, the bus driver will try to return the item to the student. If the item is not claimed within a day or two, it will be taken to the school. If you need to retrieve a left item immediately, please call the Transportation Department. We will arrange a way for you to collect the item from the bus depot or school. We strongly encourage students to mark their belongings with their name and contact information to facilitate the return of lost items.

For the sake of maintaining a timely schedule for all students, our buses must adhere strictly to their schedules and cannot wait for late arrivals. We ask that students arrive at their bus stop at least 5 minutes before their scheduled pick-up time. If a student is late and the bus has already departed, it is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to transport the student to school. For safety reasons, once the bus has moved away from the stop, it cannot stop again to pick up late-arriving students. Therefore, it is crucial to be punctual to ensure that your child does not miss the bus.

No, for safety and accountability reasons, students can only board or exit the bus at their assigned bus stop or their school. This is in accordance with WAC 392-145-060, a state law that emphasizes the need for students to use their designated school bus stops. If your child needs to board or alight from a different stop, you must provide a signed note indicating the alternate bus stop location. This note must be approved by the school administrators before being given to the bus driver.

To ensure the safety and accurate accounting of all students, we strongly recommend that students only ride their assigned bus. However, we understand that certain situations may require your child to ride a different bus, perhaps to a friend's or relative's house. In these instances, your child will need a signed note from a parent or guardian explaining the change. This note must be given to the school office in the morning so it can be approved and a bus pass issued. Please note that such changes are only permitted if there is enough space on the requested bus. We cannot accommodate requests that would cause a bus to be overcrowded.

School buses are among the safest modes of transportation, but it's important for students to follow these guidelines to ensure their safety:

1. Before the bus arrives: Get to the bus stop five minutes early and maintain a safe distance of at least 10 feet (or five giant steps) from the road.

2. Boarding the bus: Wait until the bus completely stops, the door opens, and the driver says it's safe before boarding. Always use the handrails.

3. While on the bus: Always sit properly in the seat, facing forward. Do not distract the driver or shout. Keep aisles clear of backpacks and other objects.

4. Exiting the bus: Wait for the bus to stop completely before getting up from your seat. Use the handrails when exiting.

5. Crossing the street: If you have to cross the street in front of the bus, make eye contact with the driver and wait for their signal. Always look left-right-left before crossing, and never cross behind the bus.

6. Emergency procedures: Learn and understand the bus's emergency procedures, including how to exit through emergency doors and windows.

7. General conduct: Respect the driver and fellow students. Don't throw objects or stick body parts out of the windows. Keep your belongings secured and avoid eating or drinking on the bus.

By following these guidelines, students can help make every bus journey safe and enjoyable.

The "danger zone" is the area extending ten feet (or ten giant steps) in every direction from the school bus. This area is particularly dangerous because it's difficult for the bus driver to see students in this zone, especially close to the bus wheels.

If a student needs to cross the street, they should:

1. Make eye contact with the driver to ensure they are seen.
2. Wait for the driver to signal when it's safe to cross.
3. Always look left, then right, then left again before crossing.
4. Always cross in front of the bus, never behind it.

Staying outside of the "danger zone" and following these crossing guidelines greatly improves student safety.

School buses are considered the safest form of ground transportation, far safer than the family car, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Students are about 70 times more likely to get to school safely when taking a bus instead of traveling by car. This is because school buses are designed for safety, with features like flashing red lights, cross-view mirrors, and high seat backs, plus they are also the most regulated vehicles on the road.

The 97% pass rate refers to the annual safety inspection results of North Kitsap School District's buses conducted by the Washington State Patrol (WSP). 97% of our school buses passed these inspections, a significant achievement that underscores our commitment to the safety of our students. This high rate means that almost all buses met or exceeded the strict safety standards set by the state, a testament to the hard work and diligence of our maintenance staff.

The safety of our students is our priority. Therefore, during adverse weather conditions, a team of our staff begins evaluating road conditions as early as 3 a.m. Based on these assessments, we make decisions about school closures or delays, which in turn affect bus operations. If weather conditions deteriorate during the school day, we also have procedures in place to ensure students are returned home safely. Updates regarding school delays or closures due to weather are communicated through various channels to keep parents and guardians informed.

North Kitsap School District ensures that all its bus drivers meet the rigorous standards set by Washington law. Each driver undergoes and must pass an authorization training class and examination that includes both classroom learning and behind-the-wheel training. This comprehensive process tests their driving skills and judgment in various situations.

Furthermore, our drivers are trained to manage potential emergencies and maintain student discipline. They all hold a current First Aid card as well as a commercial driver's license. Each driver is at least 21 years old and has successfully passed an FBI and Washington State Patrol criminal background check and a pre-employment drug test.

For ongoing professional development, drivers participate in continuous in-service training and attend safety awareness and training sessions each year. This keeps them up-to-date with regulations and best practices, ensuring your child's safety during transportation.

If you enjoy working with children and are looking for a job with similar vacation schedules as the school year, becoming a school bus driver might be the perfect fit for you! The North Kitsap School District Transportation Department offers comprehensive training to meet all the necessary requirements.

Aspiring drivers must be at least 21 years old and be ready to pass an FBI and Washington State Patrol criminal background check and a pre-employment drug test. A commercial driver's license and a First Aid card will be necessary but can be obtained during the training process.

Interested? Please reach out to us at (360) 396-3007 for more information. We're looking forward to welcoming you to our team!

The North Kitsap School District Transportation Department is here to assist with all your transportation-related needs and concerns. For any issues, requests, or queries, please contact our office via email at nktrans@nkschools.org, or give us a call at (360) 396-3099. Our dedicated staff is eager to provide the best possible transportation service for our students, and we appreciate your feedback and cooperation.