Guidelines for Transportation Services
Transportation:
School Bus transportation is provided to children residing in the City within the limitations established by state statute and policies of the Haverhill School Committee. Students are eligible riders by bus as follows:
● Kindergarten: All students, except those living in immediate proximity to the school, as determined by the Superintendent.
● Grades 1 – 3: Students living more than one mile from school.
● Grades 4 – 6: Students living more than one and one-half miles from school.
● Grades 7 -12: Students living more than two miles from school. Transportation will be provided to Special Education students in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 766 of the Acts of 1972.
School buses are considered an extension of the school. Students are expected to remain at their bus stops in an orderly fashion and to exhibit good behavior while riding the school bus to and from school, and while on field trips. Riding on a school bus is a privilege, not a right. Children may not bring friends on the bus. Violations of any rules while riding the school bus are subject to the same consequences as if the student were on campus and may include the loss of the bus privileges.
Early elementary student pickup and departure is within one-to-two blocks of home whenever possible. Bus riders must be met at the bus stop by a person as named on the emergency contact list provided to the child’s school. If someone else will be meeting the child, he/she must have a signed and dated note to be given to the bus driver, and said note shall be verified by the principal of the child’s school, and the bus driver shall request identification to HPS PREK-8 STUDENT HANDBOOK 2025-2026 66 verify the identity of the pickup person, if the pickup person is an adult. The bus driver cannot leave until all students are picked up. Any a.m. kindergarten child not met by anyone at the bus stop will be returned to the child’s school. The transportation department and principal will attempt to contact the student’s emergency contact on file. Any all day, morning or afternoon kindergarten child not met by anyone at the bus stop and parents or emergency contact on file cannot be reached the child will be taken to the Parent Resource and Registration Center at Burnham, 45 Fountain Street, where the child will be supervised by transportation department personnel. If the child’s parents or registered emergency contact on file is not reached by 5:00 p.m., the police will be contacted.
Any questions or concerns regarding a school bus arriving late to drop off a child at home or regarding a child not getting off a bus at an expected time should be brought to the attention of the Supervisor of Transportation. The office of the Supervisor of Transportation is located at the Parent Resource and Registration Center at Burnham and may be reached during and after the normal school hours at (978) 420-1921.
