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:

1. 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.
2. Parents are expected to be at the bus stop five minutes before the drop-off and pick-up times.
3. Parents are responsible for notifying the school immediately if their contact details change.
4. 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.
5. The parents are responsible for ensuring a sick child is not put on the bus.
6. During school hours, the parents must notify the school if their child will be absent on a particular day.
7. 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.
8. It is every parent’s duty to demonstrate active support for those responsible for transporting students to and from school.

We expect:

1. 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.
2. That the bus company or crew will notify the school if it seems likely that either bus will be delayed.
3. That parents will notify us of any requested change to their child’s busing arrangements.
4. 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:

1. To providing support to the bus supervisors and drivers, whose role we acknowledge to be one of great responsibility.
2. 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.
3. To maintaining the excellent relationship which exists between our school and the bus crews and management of the Contracted Bus company(ies).