How does busing work at DaVinci Academy?
How is DaVinci Busing Different? DaVinci Academy does not offer door to door busing service to any families unless a child has an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) that reflects the need for special transportation. DaVinci Academy uses community bus stops to serve the students.
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:
- 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.
- Maximum 50 minute average ride (assuming good weather and normal traffic). This implies shorter distances and fewer stops.
- 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.
Can my child ride on a different bus than the one to which they are assigned, or ride home with a friend if they aren’t asssigned to a bus For liability reason children may not skip from bus to bus. We understand that emergencies do occur though and during a non-Pandemic school year families may fill out a form to make a temporary 1 day change to busing transportation.
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.
If we sign up for busing service at the beginning of the school year, may we drop the service later on in the year? Yes.
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.
What happens if I miss my child’s afternoon stop? If parents miss their child’s afternoon bus and have not signed the release that allows the student to remain at the stop to wait, the student will continue riding the bus through the end of the route while the bus company or the school contacts the parents.
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.
What happens if I am late to the morning stop? Because the bus will stop traffic flow at many of the stops it is not able to wait for a late child..
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.
Riding the school bus is a privilege, not a right. The school’s general student behavior rules are in effect for all students on school buses. Consequences for school bus/bus stop misconduct will be imposed by the school under adopted administrative discipline procedures.
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.
Carpooling
If you are interested in carpooling with another family we can get you connected. Just fill out this form and you will be able to share your information with other families who would like to carpool as well.
Drop Off and Pick Up in the Parking Lot
AM Drop Off Q & A
How do I drop off my child in the morning? The Jefferson entrance to the east parking lot is the route parents will use to drop off children in the morning.
Parents should enter the lot at Jefferson and follow the parking lot around north, then west, then south in order to be aligned with the yellow curb and the loading and unloading zone. The yellow curbing outside the east door is the loading and unloading zone and children should not be dropped anywhere besides this area for maximum safety and efficiency. Children should be ready to exit the vehicle when the car stops and parents should remain in their cars when using the “Drop and Go” lane. If you child needs extra time, or your help please use the “stop and kiss” parking spaces and children can use the sidewalk and cross at the crosswalk.
Can I use the Bunker Lake Blvd entrance to the parking lot? The Bunker Lake entrance is reserved for buses only in the mornings.
The only cars who may enter here are families who need a handicapped parking space. Otherwise, that Bunker driveway is used as an exit only lane for buses and cars.
How is the front bus lane used for cars when the lot gets busy?Staff will wave cars into the north lot when all of the buses have arrived in the morning.
The same rules apply for the front lot as for the east lot:
- Pull all the way to the end (Note the yellow highlighting on the map)
- Drop your child quickly without exiting the vehicle
- Go around the circle to exit onto Bunker Lake Boulevard
- We will wave the next set of cars in when that row clears
We will only use this option when all of the buses have been through the lot and when a staff member is present to direct traffic.
Why can’t I take a left out of the parking lot onto Jefferson?Cars who are lined up waiting to turn in to the parking lot create a visual barrier for cars exiting from the parking lot.
There are 2 reasons why taking a left out of the parking lot during busy times is discouraged.
- The ability to see north bound cars passing waiting parents in the turn lane is impossible. So, a left hand turn is just not safe.
- Cars who are waiting to safely turn left hold up traffic in the parking lot as cars line up in the left turn lane. Cars need to exit efficiently in order for the next set of cars to line up on the sidewalk to drop students. Left turning vehicles cause congestion and frustration for all.
Please don’t do it.
Instead, join the line to enter the front bus turn around drop off lane and you will be able to exit onto Bunker.
What if I want to park and walk my child in to the school? You can do that…
If you are parking please use the middle row of parking spots.
If you are not parking, please use the outside lane which will move faster because cars will not need to be waiting for parked cars to back out of spots.
Can I walk my child into the school from the parking lot? Yes, as long as you cross the loading and unloading zone at the crosswalk for safety.
There will be an administrator at each door who can help with unloading if a child needs it. We encourage parents to help their children become independent for this important transition into the school.
Mornings can be a stressful time of day for parents and students, so the more smoothly the drop off process goes, the happier all of our days begin. Please be conscientious of the others in car line with you and SHOW SPARK.
What time does school start? Children are on time for school when they are ready to learn by 8:00 AM.
Teachers are ready to start class at 8:00 a.m. so students need to be dropped off with enough time for them to get to their rooms and get settled. Regardless of whether a staff member lets your child in at the east door or not, if a child enters the school at 8:00 a.m. or later they will be asked to bring a tardy slip to their classroom teacher.
If your child(ren) plans to eat breakfast at school, please have them to school by 7:45 a.m. That will give them 10 minutes to eat and 5 minutes to get to class.
If your your child is arriving late, you need to sign them into the office.
Can I use the Bunker Lake Blvd entrance to the parking lot? The Bunker Lake entrance is reserved for buses only in the afternoons.
The only cars who may enter here are families who need a handicapped parking space or have an appointment with a teacher after school.
How do I pick up my child at 3:00 p.m.? Parents will line up along the yellow curb which is the loading zone.
Teachers will move down the line of waiting cars in order to enter family numbers into the Silent Dismissal system. Please make sure your family number is clearly displayed on your dashboard or mirror for the teachers to read. Your child’s name will then be displayed on the board in the classrooms and they will come out to get into your vehicle. Parents then pass waiting cars in the passing lane to exit the school while other cars move forward to allow more cars into the loading zone.
As with the morning drop off please:
- Patiently wait for your turn,
- Load your child from the curb side door only
- And SHOW SPARK.
What if I need to meet with a teacher after school or just want to pick up my child? Can I come in? Yes, parents can park and enter the school at the north door which will take them directly in to the office. From there parents may enter their Silent Dismissal number and wait outside the auditorium for children to come to the front.
Students will see their name displayed in their classroom and come to the front to meet you.
You will also need to make sure your Silent Dismissal preferences reflect a “Pick Up Only” setting which means that you will be picking up your child.