Operations & Support Services: Transportation Service
Overview
Students in the Lawrence Public Schools are eligible for transportation if they:
- Are in grades K-6 and live more than two miles from school
- Attend high school at the Lawrence High School Campus and live on the north side of the Merrimack River.
The notice sent to families about children’s school assignments also indicates if a child is eligible for transportation. In late August, if a child is eligible, the family will receive a notice with the bus stop location, time of pick-up and drop-off and bus numbers.
Kindergarten and elementary school students who ride yellow buses are picked up and dropped off at a corner stop near home. Please note that bus drivers will drop off students, including kindergartners, at the bus stop even when the parent is not there.
On this page:
Special Transportation Situations
Lawrence Public Schools provides transportation service for students with disabilities in accordance with their Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Individual Accommodation Plan (IAP). Some students receive door-to-door service.
For students who may have medical or physical conditions that prevent them from walking to school or to the corner bus stop, the district may provide door-to-door medical transportation; however, these are rare cases. To be considered for this special service, a child’s doctor must complete a Request for Medical Transportation Form. This form is available from the transportation office. Please return the completed form to the transportation office so it may be forwarded to the Health Services Department, which will determine if a child’s medical condition meets eligibility guidelines established by the Lawrence Public Schools. Results letters for all inquiries will be sent in a timely fashion.
Private Transportation Services
Some families arrange to have their children driven to and from school by a private transportation service or individual. For safety reasons, the school will not release a student to anyone other than the custodial parent or guardian without the parent’s or guardian's written permission. When arranging private transportation for a child, parents or guardians should be sure to sign a release form available from the school the child attends. This form releases the Lawrence Public Schools from any liability if there is a problem with the private service.
Behavior on the Bus
The Lawrence Public Schools considers the school bus to be an extension of the classroom. That means the same standards of behavior on the school bus apply as do in school. For example, students should remain in their seats and they should not: hang out of windows, push or fight with other students, throw things, or try to distract the driver.
Students who violate school-based rules or the Discipline Code Book while on the bus may be disciplined, referred to school principal and/or denied transportation. Some school buses may be equipped with video cameras and the video tapes may be used as evidence in disciplining students who misbehave on the bus.
Contacts
|
Mr. Kevin Clement Transportation & Safety Manager Transportation Services Department 978-975-2777 |
Ms. Debbie Andino Transportation & Safety Clerk Transportation Services Department 978-975-2777 |
"Many of us here today are the embodiment of our parents' hopes and dreams; the reason they have sacrificed to provide us with the opportunity to pursue our own dreams unhindered by poverty, want or war," 2007 LHS valedictorian, Cam-Tu Huynh