Special transportation may be provided for students who are unable to walk to school or ride a regular bus, as certified by
an Educational Planning/ Instructional Support Services Program [ISSP] Team and a qualified physician and approved by the
Department of Education.
Students with special needs may be eligible if:
- They have physical disabilities that prevent them from accessing the regular school bus.
- They have been identified as having behavioural disorders, developmental disabilities, or pervasive developmental disorders such as autism and are unable to walk to school or, for safety reasons, cannot access the regular school bus.
Special transportation is approved for a minimum of four weeks and is provided two times a day (to school and from school),
unless special circumstances are approved through the Department of Education.
Travel by regular school bus with a student assistant or by board-owned special needs bus are the first options considered
for transportation of students with special needs. If a board-owned regular or special needs school bus are not options,
transportation for a student with special needs may be contracted by Nova Central School District.
Contracted transportation may include private buses or passenger vehicles. Special transportation is provided in a way which
both benefits the student and maximizes transportation efficiencies.
An application for special transportation is usually initiated by an Individual Support Services Planning (ISSP) Team or
an Educational Planning Team, on behalf of the parent/guardian. Parents/guardians are required to complete a Consent for
Release of Information form and to have a qualified physician complete a medical certificate. The completed application package,
including consent form and medical certificate, is forwarded to the Senior Education Officer (SEO) – Student Support Services
at the district office for review and possible recommendation to the Department of Education.
When providing special transportation, Nova Central School District is responsible for arranging the pick up of students at
a designated location and dropping them off at the same location. The parents/ guardians are expected to have the child in
a designated place on time and to supervise them at that location until they are picked up. They are also expected to
assist the child in boarding and be available to assist them to get out of the vehicle when he/she returns home.
Parents/guardians should also notify the driver in advance if the child will not be attending school and provide the
driver with any appropriate information regarding the care and supervision of their child while enroute.
Special transportation providers are responsible for the safe transport of students with special needs to
and from school. They are expected to work cooperatively with school staff and parents/guardians and to assist
with getting the student in or out of the vehicle, where appropriate. Special transportation providers are expected
to establish an emergency plan in consultation with school staff and parents to notify the school administrator or
parents/guardians if they experience vehicle or other problems.
|
|
|
Parents
Staff Resources
News Room
