Transportation Director Daniel McConnelee sent this important email to DCS parents and guardians on July 28, 2020. Please note the August 20 deadline for Child Care/Parent Transportation forms and how buses will be transporting students during the upcoming school year.
Dear Duanesburg Families,
Every area of our lives has been impacted by COVID-19. School bus transportation is no exception. Regardless of the circumstances, the goal of the Duanesburg Transportation Department remains unchanged. Our mission is to provide the Duanesburg community with safe, reliable and efficient transportation for your children. This year we are tasked with doing our part to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We will continue to keep our staff well-trained and our vehicles well-maintained.
Last year, we did not have any accidents and received a 100% DOT inspection rating. This year we will be implementing additional measures to keep everyone safe from COVID-19. Drivers and transportation staff will be wearing masks whenever students are on the bus. We will be disinfecting the buses twice per day, after the morning and afternoon runs. We will also be disinfecting frequently touched areas after each route.
We have shortened routes and lowered the capacity of the buses. Students will be assigned seats based on the morning pick up order to limit contact with other students. We limited seating to one student per bench or two students from the same household per bench.
Morning and afternoon routes will be set up so that students will ride the same route with the same students to the extent possible. If we do have a case of COVID-19 in the district, any bus that that person has recently ridden will be pulled out of service until it has been cleaned, disinfected, and cleared to return to service in consultation with the Department of Health.
HOW PARENTS/GUARDIANS CAN HELP
Though we will be able to transport all students who need to ride buses to and from school, we encourage parents who are able to do so to transport their children to school to decrease density. Students who are legally able to drive in and have a registered automobile will be allowed to park on school grounds.
If you plan to drive your children to school or if they will be driving themselves to school please fill out the Child Care/ Parent Transportation Form by August 20, 2020. You will find this form posted on our Forms and Publications webpage.
An accurate ridership count will allow us to create efficient routes and maximize space between students on the bus. If your situation changes and you can no longer transport your child to school, please contact the bus garage as soon as possible and allow up to 10 school days for the change. Lower bus capacities may mean that several changes need to be made to make a spot for your child on the bus.
NEW FOR THIS YEAR
Parents will need to fill out the Daily COVID -19 Heath survey prior to their child arriving at the bus stop. Students who are medically able will wear a face covering at all times while on the bus. If your child is picked up at a stop with other students, masks should be worn and social distance should be maintained as much as possible. If your child is medically unable to wear a mask, please contact the Transportation Director by August 20th. Additional space will need to be allotted to you child to maintain separation for other students. Alternate transportation requests (i.e. Bus note to friends house) will not be allowed During the Covid-19 pandemic. Seating is limited and assigned so will not be able to facilitate extra students on a day-to-day basis.
CHILD CARE
Please fill out the Child Care/ Parent Transportation form by August 20, 2020. The deadline for child care forms has been extended to allow parents to find child care based on the adjusted bell times at the elementary school.
As the start of school approaches we are keeping our fingers crossed that COVID-19 numbers remain low and that we have left enough flexibility in our plans to adapt to any new regulations. If all goes well, you will see the familiar yellow DUANESBURG CENTRAL SCHOOL buses transporting our students to school in September!
If you are interested in a position as a bus driver or monitor, please contact the bus garage at (518) 895-2511. Positions are currently available.
If you have any transportation related questions please email me at dmcconnelee@duanesburg.org or call (518) 895-2511.
Sincerely,
Dan McConnelee
Transportation Director