Transportation

NEW TIME! Arrival Begins at  8:15  a.m.

• Parents should not arrive earlier than 8:10 am, as there is very limited space in our parking lot for a line to form. For parent drop-off, it is essential that parents stay in their vehicles to ensure arrival proceeds safely and efficiently. AAECS faculty will open the door to assist students out and escort students to the building.
  
  

• Walkers: Walkers should follow the sidewalks to the rear entrance of the building where our staff is stationed for parent drop-off, and check in on SDM to call your child to the rear exit of the building. If your SDM app is set to "Car Line", your child will report to the front of the building, resulting in a delay to arrive at the back.
  
  

• Parent Drop-Off: All cars must enter through the parent drop-off line via Church Street through Hickory Street behind the school. Our staff is stationed there to welcome and assist students from their vehicles and guide them into the building. Dropping off by pulling to the curb on 6th, Church or Union Streets is very dangerous and strictly prohibited.

Late Arrival Time,  after 8:30 a.m.

• The school day begins at 8:30 am. Students arriving after 8:30 am are considered tardy. Students are not penalized for lateness if parents were in the drop-off line by 8:30 or for buses or daycares that arrive late.

• Students arriving after 11:00 am are marked as a half-day absence. Parents who need to pick their child up early from school should set an exception of "Leaving Early" in the SDM app on the day of the early dismissal. 

• Parents arriving late can use our School Dismissal Manager app to notify us of their arrival and indicate the reason. A staff member will greet them at the door to escort the student in without the parent having to park or leave their car.

Early Pick-Up

• Parents are encouraged to use the SDM app to submit early pick up, which automatically notify both the office and the child's teacher. All early pick-ups must be scheduled before 2:30 pm, to clear the lot for dismissal.

NEW TIME! Dismissal Begins at 3:00 p.m.

• Dismissal begins at 3:00 pm. Parents are NOT to arrive earlier than 2:50 pm. Our lot will be full very quickly, and parents will be redirected to leave and return when the line is moving. All parents picking up their child from school must indicate this in our School Dismissal Manager app. Parents will check in once on site and students will be brought to their vehicle.​

Buses are provided by the students’ resident district and must be requested by the parent at the end of the prior year or the start of enrollment for new students via the Act 372 form. Each spring, this form is sent home for all students to complete, regardless if parents are requesting transportation or not. The completed forms are then sent to each district to arrange transportation.

Bus Safety and Discipline

It is the responsibility of all bus drivers to obey all traffic laws and regulations. Of particular concern is ensuring that all school buses, loaded or unloaded, stop at all railroad crossings designated by appropriate signs, signals, or markers. The Arts Academy Elementary Charter School requests that any violations of traffic laws and regulations by a bus driver be reported to the Chief Executive Officer and/or Principal.

Bus Conduct Rules

Riding the school bus is a privilege. Safety is our shared goal. Any conduct on the part of a student which distracts the driver and reduces the safety level, will be addressed and may result in temporary suspension from the bus. The driver is in charge of the bus and students and has the authority to discipline students for less-than-serious infractions. The bus driver can assign seats if necessary. For serious infractions, the driver will immediately report the incident to the proper school administrator who will determine the consequence which may include a temporary or permanent suspension from the bus. The following rules must be followed by all students:

• No eating or drinking is permitted on the bus.

• No horseplay, excessive noise or vulgar language is permitted.

• Students must be seated, facing the front at all times until the destination is reached and the bus has come to a complete stop.

• Papers and other materials are to be kept off the floor. 

• Students may not block the aisle or emergency floor with any property.

• Students may neither extend arms or heads out of the bus windows, nor throw any objects inside or out of the bus.

• Students may not open or close windows unless given permission by the driver.

• Students are to be at the bus stop 5-10 minutes early and are to behave properly while waiting.

• Students may not carry any objects on the bus (instruments, sports bags, backpacks, etc.) that cannot be held on their lap.

• Other rules deemed reasonable by the driver.

Video/Audio Surveillance: Allentown Buses Only

The use of a video/audio recording is intended to assist the administration, contractors, and drivers in observing behavior, preventing violation of bus rules, school rules, regulations, district policies and Pennsylvania law, and utilizing and/or dispensing such surveillance when required for disciplinary, civil and/or criminal matters.

Video/Audio recorders may be placed on any and all buses or schools. All students are subject to being videotaped on the school bus or at school at any time.

The video/audio media are intended for use with respect to issues relating to safety and behavior on the bus and at school. Video/audio media are not intended for general viewing by a student, employee, parent/guardian, or public and shall not be made available for general viewing purposes.

Refer to Policy #810.2

Vigilancia de Video/Audio

El uso de una grabación de vídeo/audio está destinado a ayudar a la administración, los contratistas y los conductores en la observación del comportamiento, la prevención de la violación de las reglas del autobús, los reglamentos escolares, reglamentos, políticas del distrito y la ley de Pennsylvania, y la utilización y/o distribución de este tipo de vigilancia cuando sea necesario para asuntos disciplinarios, civiles y/o penales.

Vídeo/grabadores de audio se pueden colocar en cualquier autobús escolar o escuela. Todos los estudiantes están sujetos a ser grabado por video en el autobús escolar o en la escuela en cualquier momento.

Los medios de comunicación de vídeo/audio están diseñados para uso con respecto a las cuestiones relativas a la seguridad y el comportamiento en el autobús y en la escuela. Vídeo/archivos de audio no estarán destinados para la visualización en general por el estudiante, empleado, padre/tutor, o del público y no será disponible para la visualización general.