Transportation (Busing)

Pupil Transportation

If your student needs transportation to and/or from school, please contact Tami Moore, School District of Ladysmith Busing Coordinator either by phone; 715-532-5464 EXT. 11000, or by email; tmoore@sdlwi.org. She will set up busing for your student and contact you with the bus number and pick up/drop off times. If you have questions regarding new transportation, you may contact Tami Moore at the number listed above.

The Department of Public Instruction pays pupil transportation aid on student riders to their perspective schools. The statute provide that aid is paid for students who actually have ridden the BUS AT LEAST ONCE from their residence or daycare provider/caregiver, etc. to their respective schools during the school year.

Under Section 121.54(2) Wisconsin Statutes, a pupil attending a public elementary or secondary school, including K4 and Kindergarten, is entitled to transportation by the public school district in which the pupil resides if the pupil resides two or more miles from the nearest public school the pupil is entitled to attend.

School districts may also elect to provide transportation for pupils who are not required by law to be transported. If a school district elects to provide such transportation to some, but not all such pupils, the law requires reasonable uniformity in the minimum distance that pupils attending public and private schools will be transported.

Bus Rider Permits Slip

If your student needs a Bus Rider Permit Slip to ride a different bus home (one time deal), you MUST contact the school office of where your student resides. Office staff will fill out a Bus Rider Permit Slip for the student to give to the bus driver, with the following information: Date, Student Name, Bus#, Name and Address (of where your student will be dropped off) and your name and relationship to student OR you may send a note with your student.

Permanent Bus Change

If you want to make a permanent bus change, you must call Tami Moore at 715-532-5464 (ext. 11000) or email tmoore@sdlwi.org giving her the following information: Your Name, Phone Number, Student Name, Grade, School They Attend, The New Address and does the student need to be Picked up and/or Dropped Off. Please note that a 24 HOUR NOTICE is needed for these changes unless it is an emergency. 

In order for the School District of Ladysmith to efficiently and effectively run the student transportation system please be aware of and understand the following:

Certain adjustments requested for your student’s bus transportation can NOT be implemented. Examples of such adjustments are:

• Student needs to be picked up/dropped off at Grandma’s/daycare/caregivers, etc. today because of a doctor/business appointment.
• Student needs to be picked up/dropped off Monday and Wednesday at the daycare/caregivers, but Tuesday and Thursday they need to be picked up/dropped off at home just for this week.
• Mom/Dad/Guardian is home sick for the day, so child needs to be picked up/dropped off at home rather than daycare/caregivers.

The parent/guardian will be responsible for transporting the student to and/or from school for temporary adjustments resulting from a change in your schedule. Other circumstances not covered in the examples listed above will be made on a case-by-case basis.

School Bus Safety

General Rules

Students should ALWAYS walk 10 feet in front of the bus, NEVER, behind the bus.

Students should ALWAYS be at least 5 giant steps (about 10 feet) away from the side of the bus while waiting for the bus or immediately after disembarking.

If a student drops something, he or she should tell the bus driver and NEVER try to pick it up. Student should NEVER run to catch the bus.

Getting on the Bus

• Students should board the bus using the handrail.
• Students should move toward the rear quickly without crowding or pushing.
• Students should sit down quickly.
• If students have to cross the road to get onto the school bus:
• They should stay on the side of the road, away from traffic, until the bus stops and the driver signals to cross.
• When the driver signals that it is safe to cross, students should first check for traffic. Many students are killed or injured by motorists illegally passing a stopped school bus. So students and drivers must check for traffic in both directions- look left-right-left.
• As the students cross in front of the school bus, they should watch the driver. If the students can see the driver, the driver can see the students.

Getting off the Bus

• Students should stay seated until the bus stops.
• Students should not push or play on the way off the bus.
• Students should use the handrails to avoid falls.
• They should watch the straps, drawstrings, and clothing so it doesn’t get caught in the handrail or door.
• Students should glance back toward the rear of the bus before they stop off the bus.
• -By glancing to the rear of the bus, they can make sure no one is passing on the right.
• Students should immediately move 10 feet away from the bus.
• Once off the bus, students should go directly home.

If student have to cross the road to get home:

• They should stay on the side of the road, away from traffic and 10 feet ahead of the bus where they can see the driver’s face.
• When the driver signals that it is safe to cross, students should cross to the outside edge of the bus and check both ways for traffic.
• If it is clear, they should cross quickly.
• If it is not clear, they should return to the curb.
• Once off the bus, students should go directly home.

Rules for Bus Riders

Each year the RULES FOR BUS RIDERS (below) is posted and discussed with the students in each bus:

• Follow directions the first time they are given.
• Stay in your seat.
• Keep all parts of your body to yourself and in the bus.
• No loud noise, pushing, fighting, or throwing objects.
• No eating, drinking, alcohol, tobacco or other drug use.
• Profanity will not be tolerated.

Emergency Evacuation Practice

Each year an EMERGENCY EVACUATION PRACTICE is performed by each bus. The evacuation drill is performed from the front door of the bus. This drill is done in a school parking lot out of the way of traffic, and usually is done in the month of October. Each bus driver will designate at least one helper who will exit the bus first and lead the group a safe distance away from the bus in a timely manner. Which at this time, the driver will check and make sure the bus is empty and then will join the students, advises of improvements to be made or tells of a job well done, then immediately dismisses them for class, or has them load to take them home.