• Per CDC, masks are still required on all buses. Students are encouraged to wear their own mask. Drivers will have spare disposable masks if students don’t have one.
• If your child can’t wear a mask, please contact your school nurse. 
• Students must sanitize hands upon boarding. Sanitizer will be provided.
• All students will have assigned seats, and daily bus attendance will be taken.
• Unmasked students at bus stops should practice 6’ physical distancing.

• Students must register for transportation via the Google form.
• Registration will be open all year, and families may submit new requests as transportation needs change.
• Each student must be signed up by August 13 to be on the bus route for the first day of school.
• Families will receive a confirmation email with route and stop details for each student when their bus registration has been processed.
• Each student may have 1 primary bus stop. Students are also allowed up to 1 regularly scheduled alternate pickup / dropoff address. 
• Alternate addresses must be within the service area for your student's school of attendance. Please note automated call notifications are not currently available for alternate address stops.

• If you live close to your school, please check EWSD walking zones before registering. EWSD added Founders Rd Crossing guards last year, and walking zones expanded for Essex Middle School / Founders Memorial School this school year. Students who live in walking zones will not be eligible for yellow school bus transportation, but may still access public transportation.
• Green Mountain Transit public transportation is available to all students. Students utilizing GMT do not need to register for transportation. GMT requires masks, and is fare-free through 6/30/2022.
• Transportation is only provided to EES, FMS, and EMS within “Town” boundaries. 
• Transportation to Summit, Hiawatha, Thomas Fleming, and Albert D Lawton is only provided within “Village” boundaries.
• Transportation to Westford Elementary School is only provided within Westford town boundaries.
• Families may request transportation to an EWSD school outside of their geographic area from the Superintendent. Approval of requests will be at the sole discretion of the Superintendent, and may be based on factors such as proximity to an existing route serving the school, and available seating. If transportation to an EWSD School outside of their geographic area is granted, it will be only for one year. Families must annually request this exception.

• All of Essex Village is a walking zone for EHS/CTE students.
• Essex Town EHS/CTE students who are within ¾ walking distance of a GMT bus stop will not have yellow school bus service. 
• Essex High School students in Essex Town further than ¾ mile from public transportation may register for transportation on district-provided bus routes. 
• EHS students on VT 128 / Browns River Rd and Old Stage Rd are served by EHS Westford Routes
• EHS Westford routes may be modified depending on number and location of students registered, and driver availability. If there is to be a modification, registered families will be notified by Aug 16th.
• Essex High School students in Georgia and the Islands may register for transportation.

Kindergarten and First Grade students must have a parent or other person (authorized in writing) at the bus stop for both pickup and dropoff. If no one is at the stop for afternoon drop-off, students will be returned to school with a staff member, and parents will be called to pick them up. Families may authorize additional people via transportation@ewsd.org email. Families may choose to authorize older family members riding the same bus.

• Students should be ready at the bus stop 5 minutes before the scheduled time, and be prepared to wait up to 15 minutes past the scheduled stop time. Dress for the weather.
• EWSD will send an automated phone call to parents of registered riders if we anticipate the route will operate more than 15 minutes late. Please note we can only send this call to the primary route designated for the student, we do not have the capability to send this call to an alternate stop which is on a different bus route from the primary route.
• Times change due to traffic, weather, students riding or not riding, etc.
• Wait off the traveled portion of the road, in a spot where the bus can see you. The bus will not stop or wait if they can’t see you.
• Having an illuminated cell phone, blinker, reflective clothing, or flashlight helps the driver see you in low-light conditions. Don’t shine the light right at the bus/driver.
• The first 2 weeks of school, bus stop times will vary more than usual as students and drivers settle into a routine.
• Links for EWSD bus behavior guidelines, student parent handbook, and more bus stop safety tips.