Transportation and Parking Lot Procedures

The bus routes and stops are determined by the bus company, Kottke’s Bus Company, Inc., in coordination with the school, and are created by using the following guiding principles:

1. Community-based bus stops:  Publicly accessible places where families can safely wait with their kids in the morning and wait for them in the afternoon, and where the bus can easily access and maneuver. We also require permission from the establishment for use of their parking lot twice each day.
2. Maximum 50 minute average ride (assuming good weather and normal traffic).  This implies shorter distances and fewer stops.
3. Generally stop within the Anoka Hennepin school district boundaries and no stops further than 1.5 miles outside the Anoka Hennepin school district boundaries.

A preliminary set of stops is communicated to families by June 1 of the preceding year and families are required to choose the stop that they will be using for the following school year using the Busing Contract Form for that year.   Families have until July 1 to sign up for a bus stop. Routes are then adjusted based on numbers and a final bus stop listing is presented to parents before the next school year begins.

Parents who have concerns about the bus stop should contact the school directly and may not move or create stops, nor pressure drivers or the bus company to move stops.  Once the school year begins routes and stops will only be adjusted at the discretion of the administration for the following reasons:

• Safety and traffic concerns regarding the location of a stop
• Stops that are not being utilized by families
• Elimination of a stop by the parties who own the property on which the stop is located.
• Other qualifying circumstances as determined by the school and Kottke’s Bus Company Inc.

DaVinci Families can access the Interactive Bus Stop Map by logging in to Silent Dismissal.

Any changes to bus stops after the year has begun will need to go through the office using this form.

Please complete and submit to the office for any bus changes that are different from current settings.  After approval, the form will go to the bus driver.

Please give DaVinci Academy notice that you are doing so, and change your preferences on the Silent Dismissal system.

Additionally, if you change your bus stop preference please let DaVinci Academy and the bus driver know as well.  That information should be up to date on Silent Dismissal at all times.  Here is the form to download and submit to the office.

Please also factor an additional 10-20 minutes into bus times during the first 3 weeks of school. It is normal and expected for buses to be running late for the first few weeks as drivers learn their routes and students, families, and the school settles into a routine. Families are advised to arrive at their stops at the normally scheduled time and asked to wait the additional 15-20 minutes if needed. Arriving late may cause you to miss the bus if it is on schedule.

If a bus is running extremely late, DaVinci Academy will alert parents via email, text, or phone call through our automated system as soon as possible. Parents should make sure their contact information and preferences are current using the Infinite Campus Parent Portal in order to receive these important messages. That link can be found on our website at www.davincicharterschool.org.

DaVinci Academy’s main office opens at 7:15 a.m. and some bus routes begin earlier. If parents are concerned that their bus is running late, or that they missed their bus before the main office is open, they may call Kottke’s dispatch office directly at 763-755-3100 Option 1.

Parents then have the option of either catching the bus at a later stop along the route, or picking up their child at the school. Any student remaining on the bus at the end of the route will be brought back to the school to wait for pick-up. All students must be picked up immediately upon school drop off or they will be placed into the after school program and parents will be charged the DaVinci Den daily rate. Parents may contact the Kottke’s dispatch office directly if they missed their child’s stop (763-755-3100 opt. 1). Calling the school’s main office is also appropriate (763-754-6577); however, the office closes daily at 4:30 p.m.

**Parents who routinely miss their child’s afternoon drop-off may lose busing privileges for the remainder of the school year.

If students miss their morning bus, their parents are responsible for transporting them to school. The bus will not loop back to pick up students who missed the bus. Students arriving late to school because they missed the bus will be recorded as having an unexcused tardy.

Consequences are progressive and may include suspension of bus privileges.

Rules at the Bus Stop
● Get to your bus stop five to ten minutes before your scheduled pick up time. The school bus driver will not wait for late students.
● Respect the property of others while waiting at your bus stop.
● Keep your hands, arms, legs and belongings to yourself.
● Use appropriate language.
● Stay away from the street, road or highway when waiting for the bus.
● Wait until the bus stops before approaching the bus.
● After getting off the bus, move away from the bus.
● If you must cross the street, always cross in front of the bus where the driver can see you. Wait for the driver to signal to you before crossing the street.
● No fighting, harassment, bullying, intimidation or horseplay.
● No use of alcohol, tobacco or drugs.

Rules on the Bus
● Immediately follow the directions of the driver.
● Sit in your seat facing forward.
● Talk quietly and use appropriate language.
● Keep all parts of your body inside the bus.
● Keep your hands, arms, legs and belongings to yourself.
● No fighting, harassment, bullying, intimidation or horseplay.
● Do not throw any objects.
● No eating, drinking, or use of alcohol, tobacco, or drugs.
● Students are not allowed to take pictures or videos while riding the bus or waiting at the bus stop.
● Do not bring weapons or dangerous objects on the school bus.
● Do not damage the school bus.

Consequences
Consequences for school bus/bus stop misconduct will apply to all regular routes and field trips. Depending on the nature of the offense, consequences such as suspension or expulsion from
the bus or from school may result from school bus/bus stop misconduct.

Vandalism/Bus Damage
Students damaging school buses will be responsible for the damages. Failure to pay such damages (or make arrangements to pay) within two weeks may result in the loss of bus
privileges until damages are paid.

*Refer to policy 709 Student Transportation Safety Policy for more information.