TRANSPORTATION
Higher Horizons offers bus transportation to and from
the center for those who live in the bus service areas.
Unfortunately, Higher Horizons does not provide transportation services for EHS children. Children are transported daily by parents. This supports ongoing staff and parent communication. Bus monitors accompany the
Head Start children to ensure their safety.
Bus Procedures
The following procedures have been developed by the
Transportation Department at Higher Horizons Day Care
Center, Inc. Parents/Guardians are expected to comply
with the following procedures.
- You must call Higher Horizons’ bus cancellation line no later than 6 a.m. if your child is not going to ride the bus one morning. Please call (703) 820-2457, extension 118 and leave a message. If you no longer need bus service, please notify your Family Service Advocate.
- If no one is at the bus stop to meet your child
in the afternoon, your child will be brought back
to Higher Horizons. At that time, you or your emergency
contact person must pick up your child by 4:30 p.m.
- Should the bus be unable to make its route or is running late, due to bad weather or other circumstances, you will be notified as soon as possible. Please check TV and radio announcements for notification of Higher Horizons Head Start school closings. Head Start is closed when Fairfax County Public School is closed.
- You must have your child ready to go at the time specified by the bus driver. Please allow a five minute grace period. (This means that the driver can arrive at your bus stop either five minutes early or five minutes late.) You should arrive at the bus stop five minutes early before your scheduled time and allow for a five minute delay. The driver will wait no more than two minutes for your child to board the bus.
- If your child misses the bus, you may bring the child to school and your child can return on the bus after school.
- Only parents or authorized person(s) who are on the emergency contact form will be allowed to pick up a child. No child will be release to an unauthorized person. The child will be returned back to the center and the parent or authorized person on the emergency contact form will be contacted to pick up the child at the center as soon as possible. An authorized person must be able to produce proper identification if requested and an authorized person must be at least 16 years old or older to pick up a child.
- Do not send sick children to school. Drivers will not accept sick children. The driver will inform the Health Services Manager of any child he/she suspects as being sick to follow up with that family.
- For safety reasons the following items are not allowed on the school bus: candy, gum, money, toys, loose jewelry, animals, weapons, glass containers, or food products.
- The following backpacks are not allowed on the school bus: oversized back packs, backpacks with wheels, luggage size backpacks. Big backpacks cannot be stored under the children’s seats properly therefore causing a safety violations. Only standard size backpacks will be allowed on the school bus. Parents should check children’s backpacks daily.
- All medications must be brought to the school by the parents and given to the Health Services Manager.
- Please give your driver a one week notification if you plan to move, go on vacation, or if for emergency purposes your child will be away from the program for any period of time.
- Bus Drivers’ cell phone numbers will not be given out to parents. If for any reason you need to get in contact with a driver, please leave a message with the Front Desk Receptionist. The Receptionist will forward your message to the drivers.
- Head Start students are picked up and delivered to their legal residence. If you request that your child be delivered to an address other than your residence, it will be necessary for the parent/guardian to come to Higher Horizons and complete a new request for bus service form which shall be approved or disapproved by the Transportation Manager.
- Get to know your Bus Driver/Bus Monitor and his/her schedule. Remember, bad weather, bus driver substitutes, and children’s absences DO cause pick up and drop off times to change.
- When you plan to pick up your child from Higher Horizons, please send a written note to your child’s teacher in the morning or call Higher Horizons at (703) 820-2457 as soon as possible.
- Repeated problems at pick-up or drop-off time may result in a conference with the Transportation Manager and could result in your child being denied transportation.
Classes may take field trips to a variety of places. Each student must have a signed parent/guardian permission slip to participate. Parents/guardians will be notified with trip details prior to the event date.
Bus Safety – Safe Loading and Unloading Procedures:
- When placing children on/off the bus, parents / caregivers must hold their child’s hand.
- Adults dropping off children on the school bus must be at least 16 years old or older.
- Children on the bus must stay in their seats with their seat belts secured until the bus has come to a complete stop.
- Children will only be released to their parents
or authorized person(s) listed on the Emergency
Contact form. An authorized person must be at least
16 years old or older to pick up a child.
- When crossing the street, parents or authorized person(s) must hold the child’s hand and escort them across the street.
The Bus Driver and Bus Monitor will provide bus evacuation drills at least three times a year to all students requiring transportation. Parents are encouraged to talk to your child about bus safety and safety drills to prepare them to some extent. Teachers will also be talking with the children during classes, but additional input from parents/guardian is reassuring to the child.
Pedestrian Safety
To ensure that your child remains safe when outdoors, read and follow these simple Pedestrian Safety tips.