Parent Information
Inclement Weather
The decision to cancel school due to inclement weather will be made by 5:30 a.m. The intent to close schools will be announced on local radio and television stations. There may be times when schools in the outlying areas such as Poison Spider, Alcova, Red Creek, Powder River, Willow Creek, and Midwest Schools are closed while schools in town are not. Weather broadcasts often announce ‘no unnecessary travel’. Buses will not travel on roads that are closed or designated "no unnecessary travel’ The parent / guardian always has the right to make the decision to not send his / her child(ren) to school. KTWO radio on 1030 AM has live announcers and is the best station in which to tune for school closure information. A new alert system, ALERT NOW, is scheduled to be put in place by the end of November. When in place, parents/guardians will be notified by telephone if school is being canceled for the day due to inclement weather conditions.
Dressing for Inclement Weather
All students should dress appropriately for the weather. Natrona County School District buses are well maintained; however, breakdowns and accidents do occur. If a bus should break down or be involved in an accident the students may be stranded on the bus until another bus can be brought to the scene to transfer the students. When a bus loses power the interior of the bus will cool very quickly.
High Wind Warnings
When wind speeds exceed 50 miles per hour, Natrona County School District # 1 buses will not travel on Wyoming Boulevard from 21st Street in East Casper to Eagle on the west side of town. Buses will cross Wyoming Blvd. at Poplar and Casper Mountain Road in order to transport students to and from the south side of Wyoming Blvd.
Cigarette Lighters/Open Flames
Students are not permitted to possess cigarette lighters, matches, or open flames on any bus. Students have used cigarette lighters to burn and melt the seat covers on the buses. An open flame on a bus is potentially very dangerous. Any student found to be using a lighter or any other open flame on a school bus may be suspended from bus riding privileges for two years from the date of incident and be charged with arson. Students may be reinstated to ride again after one year provided the student attends a ‘Fire Starter’ course taught by a professional from the Casper Fire Department. A letter signed by the fire professional must then be sent to the Transportation Director.
Skate Boards and Roller Blades
Skate boards, roller blades, roller skates, bicycles, and skis are not permitted on NCSD # 1 buses. Students are not permitted to ride any District bus when in possession of skate boards, roller blades, roller skates and other large recreational equipment. Students with large musical instruments may not be permitted to ride a bus if, due to a large number of students on the bus, there is not room to safely transport the instrument.
Transportation and Schools of Choice
Natrona County School District # 1 is a district of choice. Students and parents have the right to choose which school best suits the needs of his / her child(ren)
The NCSD # 1 Transportation Department makes every attempt to provide transportation for students to all schools; however, exceptions do arise due to school start times, distance from assigned bus stops to the requested school, and the inability to adjust existing routes.
The NCSD # 1 Transportation Department transports more than 7,000 students per day utilizing 100 bus drivers and bus assistants. Every effort is taken to meet the needs of our students and parents within the existing policies, regulations, and laws.
Bus Registration Forms
Every bus student will be given a Bus Registration form that must be completed and returned to the driver within two days of its issuance.
The carbon backed Bus Registration has three pages: The Gold copy goes to Transportation; the Yellow or middle copy goes to the school; and the white copy is retained by the bus driver. After two days the child is not permitted to ride a bus until the completed registration form is returned. This is for your child's safety. We need to know who is riding the bus in case of an emergency.
First Days of School / New Students
Almost weekly the Transportation Office receives a radio call from a driver seeking assistance with a child riding a bus who does not know his / her address, last name, or school he / she attends.
We ask that parents of younger students or a student new to a school have a card with the following information for the morning and afternoon bus drivers: Student’s name, parent or guardian’s name, telephone number, address, school the child attends, and one or two backup or emergency telephone numbers. We make every attempt possible to locate the child’s parent or guardian. The law does not permit us to transport a child to the Transportation Office to wait for contact from the parent or guardian. Our last resort is that we must contact the Police Department or Sheriff’s Office. Most often the child is then transported to the Youth Crisis Center. Please help us help you keep this from occurring.
Eligible / Ineligible School Bus Riders
A Natrona County School District # 1 student will be provided transportation to his / her school of choice under the following criteria:
Pre-School Students: State law prohibits the transportation of pre-school students. This includes field trips.
Kindergarten - 6th Grade: A student whose registered address is outside ( 1 1/2 ) one and one half miles (straight line) from his / her school of choice will be eligible. The bus stop for elementary students will be the nearest elementary school. School of Choice busing is school to school, elementary school to elementary school.
Middle / Junior High: A student whose registered address is ( 2 1/2 ) miles from his / her school of choice will be eligible to ride a bus. Bus stops for junior high school students will be middle or junior high school to middle / junior high school with exceptions for students living in outlying areas such as: Bar Nunn, Homa Hills, Red Buttes, Oregon Trail area, Paradise Valley, North Casper, Hat Six Road, Cole Creek Road, the Old Glenrock Highway, Garden Creek Road, Vista West, Zero and Poison Spider Roads, Alcova and the Alcova Highway and Highway 20 / 26 from Powder River.
High School: A student whose registered address is ( 2 1/2 ) miles from his / her school of choice will be eligible to ride a bus. Bus stops for high school students will be at the high schools with exceptions for students living in outlying areas such as: Bar Nunn, Homa Hills, Red Buttes, Oregon Trail area, Paradise Valley, North Casper, Hat Six Road, Cole Creek Road, the Old Glenrock Highway, Garden Creek Road, Vista West, Zero and Poison Spider Roads, Alcova and the Alcova Highway and Highway 20 / 26 from Powder River.
Transportation is, elementary school to elementary school, middle / junior high school to middle / junior high school and senior high school to senior high school. Elementary students are not permitted to get on or off the bus at a junior high or senior school. Junior and senior high school students are not permitted to get on or off a bus at an elementary school. Junior high school students are not permitted to get on or off a bus at a senior high school and likewise for senior high students. Students violating this policy will receive a citation for getting on or off the bus at a bus stop other than his / her own.
Day Care / Baby Sitter
Transportation to or from your ‘everyday’ Day Care provider or Baby Sitter is permitted. The parent or guardian must complete a Day Care Transportation sheet and provide a copy for the school and for the bus driver. Forms are available in all school officesVideo Cameras
Video cameras have been installed in many of our school buses to help provide for student security and safety. The cameras have helped reduce student bullying, vandalism, and fighting. The cameras have also helped the Transportation Department confirm overcrowding on buses. Parents are welcome and encouraged to view the video tape from the bus of his / her child(ren). The video tapes cannot be checked out and are reviewed with the Transportation Supervisor in the Transportation Office. The video tapes are on a continuous loop and tape over previously recorded material every six to eight hours.
Bus Stops
Bus stops at NCSD # 1 facilities or schools are supervised by school district personnel. Bus stops outside of school district property are not supervised by NCSD # 1 personnel and are not under school district jurisdiction.
Friends Riding the Bus
We understand that at times during the year a friend may want to ride home from school on the bus with a bus student. There must be a signed note from each child’s parent giving permission. This note then must be signed by a principal or assistant principal. Without the notes the friend will not be permitted on the bus.
Transporting Delivery
Transporting wheel chairs, musical instruments and other items without the student on the bus is prohibited.
Bus Citations
Bus citations are earned by bus students not following bus rules and for unsafe behavior. When a student has been given a bus citation he / she will not be permitted to ride a bus the following morning unless the citation has been signed by a parent or guardian. Signing the citation does not indicate you, as the parent or guardian, agree with the citation, only that you have seen the citation.
Bus Misconduct (Citation) Appeals
Students earning a third citation are suspended from bus riding privileges or ten ( 10 ) school days. Students earning a fourth citation are suspended for the remainder of the school year. The parents and student may appeal the third or fourth suspension to the Transportation Committee. Such an appeal shall be in writing and addressed to the Transportation Committee, 970 N. Glenn Road, Casper, WY 82601.
BUS RIDING IS A PRIVILEGE, NOT A RIGHT.
Parent Parking
Parents parking in a bus loading zone even if ”it’s only for a minute” creates a dangerous situation for the students and causes traffic backups. Handicapped bus zones are for buses transporting handicapped students
Flashing Red Lights
A school bus will turn on the yellow flashing lights prior to turning on the red lights. It is against the law and can be a fine of up to $750 for running through the school bus red lights.
