Rosamond School currently has access to three Special School Bus services, provided by the Mees Bus Company:
- Altona to Braybrook
- East Keilor to Braybrook
- Williamstown to Braybrook
A supervisor accompanies the students on each bus service to support the children being transported.
If parents/guardians/carers need to contact a specific bus at any stage, they should contact the Mees Bus company on 9450 300 and quote the student ID number (provided by Mees).
The DOE sees student travel as a collaborative arrangement involving all stakeholders that care for a student. Parents/guardians/carers must assist in minimising both the travel distance and duration for all students on a route by meeting the bus at centralised pick-up points. Logistically, this has allowed us to provide a streamlined and efficient service for our students.
The DOE requires parents/guardians/carers to talk to their child about appropriate behaviour during transit and help to manage inappropriate behaviour. Parents/guardians/carers should work closely with the school and bus transport operators. Note that it is the responsibility of parents/guardians/carers to manage the receipt, use and return of specialised travel equipment required during transit.
The DOE requires that all students be met by a parent/guardian/carer as they get off a Department-provided travel service. All students must be accompanied to and from the bus. Alternative arrangements may only be made with an agreement in writing between the school and the parents/guardians/carers. Students may return home without being met by an adult only when the school and parents/carers agree that the student has reached a suitable level of maturity.
Please note: The DOE may require parents/guardians/carers to seek alternative transport arrangements to protect the health or safety of any person or property.
Responsibilities of parents:
- Parents/carers are responsible for ensuring their children are escorted to and met from the bus each day unless otherwise agreed in advance in writing.
- Parents are expected to be at the bus stop five minutes before the drop-off and pick-up times.
- Parents are responsible for notifying the school immediately if their contact details change.
- Parents are expected to notify the school, preferably in writing, if their child is to be met at the bus stop by a person or persons other than those authorised to do so.
- The parents are responsible for ensuring a sick child is not put on the bus.
- During school hours, the parents must notify the school if their child will be absent on a particular day.
- Outside school hours, parents are asked to contact the bus company (PH: 9459 3000) when and if their child will be absent. Leave a message stating the child's name and the Mees student number.
- It is every parent’s duty to demonstrate active support for those responsible for transporting students to and from school.
We expect:
- To be notified by parents and/or a representative of the bus company as soon as they become aware that there is a problem. This enables us to take immediate action.
- That the bus company or crew will notify the school if it seems likely that either bus will be delayed.
- That parents will notify us of any requested change to their child’s busing arrangements.
- That parents will be waiting to collect their children at the agreed time and in the agreed place each afternoon, unless agreed otherwise, in advance, in writing.
We commit:
- To providing support to the bus supervisors and drivers, whose role we acknowledge to be one of great responsibility.
- To doing whatever must be done to ensure the bus is safe at all times, not only for our students, but for the driver and supervisor.
- To maintaining the excellent relationship which exists between our school and the bus crews and management of the Contracted Bus company(ies).