Transportation Driving Forward Introduction Tisha Austin Assistant Director

Transportation: Driving Forward

Introduction Tisha Austin Assistant Director of Transportation

Goals for this Session The goal of this session is to inform and update the LCPS Administrative Leadership Team about Transportation Division services and programs; to share areas where collaboration will benefit all concerned. 3

Agenda • Blackboard Mass Notification • Transportation Call Center • Dispatch • Special Needs • Transportation Requests • Kindergarten • Universal Arrival and Dismissal • Student Discipline • School Monitor • Here Comes the Bus 4

Transportation Outreach Ed Breslauer Outreach Coordinator

Black Board Mass Notification (BBMN)/Connect Ed • Transportation uses Mass Notification (Connect Ed successor) to communicate with student households and Transportation staff. • Messages are sent via: • voice, • text (if activated by recipient), and • email • Messages can be sent to student households countywide or at the individual bus level. • Includes general education, special needs, and Thomas Jefferson runs. • Shuttle runs, including those for the Academies of Loudoun, are not currently able to be messaged. 6

Black Board Mass Notification (BBMN)/Connect Ed (cont. ) • Types of messages Transportation sends to student households include, but are not limited to: • Notification of use of inclement weather stops, • Buses late on morning runs – sent by Transportation Dispatch, and • Bus stop changes/adjustments – includes new stops and removed stops for a bus. • If you have questions, please contact Ed Breslauer at ed. breslauer@lcps. org 7

The Call Center takes concern/inquiry calls from parents, citizens and LCPS staff. Transportation Call Center Information • Each of the 6 Transportation Areas has a staffed Call Center line. • Transportation Areas are: • East – telephone: 571 -252 -1774, • Ashburn – telephone: 571 -252 -1776, • Central – telephone: 571 -252 -1775, • South – telephone: 571 -252 -1777, • Brambleton – telephone: 571 -252 -1794, and • West – telephone: 540 -751 -2580 • COVID NOTE: Call Center lines are being staffed during the summer. • During school year the lines are staffed from 6: 30 a. m. to 5 p. m. on days students are in school. • COVID NOTE: Call Center lines are staffed 6: 30 a. m. to 5 p. m. Monday through Friday except on holidays. 8

Transportation Call Center Information (cont. ) • The public can find which Transportation Area they’re in on the following webpage by entering their school to get the Area and phone number. https: //www. lcps. org/Page/217563 • Also, on Transportation homepage TAB “Contacts: Questions and Concerns Resource”. • Call Center staff assist with basic questions such bus number, stop and time. If unable to assist, staff enters all calls with issues/questions into the Concern Registry for review and response. • If you have questions, please contact Ed Breslauer at ed. breslauer@lcps. org • Transportation homepage: https: //www. lcps. org/transportation 9

Dispatch Tammi Bell Dispatch Supervisor

Dispatch Operations • Operating hours: Monday through Friday, 5 AM to 6 PM. • Phone Number: 571 -252 -1700, option 7, then option 4. • After hour emergency contact number for Principals • Used when there is no parent home • Used when urgent student matter • Discipline • Health and Safety • Bus accident. With or without injuries. 11

Special Needs Su Carlson Transportation Supervisor

Transportation Requests • General Education: 3 days • Special Needs: 7 -10 days • Accurate and complete transportation request • Equipment needs • Emergency contact information • Approved guardians that can meet student other than primary guardians listed in Phoenix. 13

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) • Transportation is available to be an active participant on the IEP team if appropriate-please contact the Lead Driver for your school. • Please do not use “Door-To-Door” in the IEP. 14

Training • Transportation is currently in the process of training all staff (both regular ed and SPED)in relational MANDT. • Bus teams have received VCU Autism Center for Excellence. • Bus teams are available to participate in student specific training. 15

Kindergarten Tags and Bus Loop Parking Connie Wacker Operations Coordinator

Kindergarten Tags • New color blue for 2020/21 school year. • Attached to backpack in visible location • Parents are to upload a photograph of their kindergarten student • Kindergarten students need to load first • Information video: https: //vimeo. com/351485288/e 43898 c 6 cb 17

Bus Loop Parking • Bus lanes are for buses • • No other vehicles or equipment in the loop Not for parent traffic Impedes traffic flow Hazard for buses and students 18

Arrival and Dismissal Su Carlson Transportation Supervisor

Universal Dismissal and Arrival • Parking lots • Bus loop • Danger zone • Bus release • Unique circumstances • School bus passes • Bus passes suspended during physical distancing requirements 20

Student Discipline Tisha Austin Assistant Director of Transportation

Student Discipline • Bus driver or attendant complete a discipline referral and submits it to their Lead Driver. • Lead Driver inputs the incident into Phoenix. • School Administrator will address the incident with the student • Lead Driver will communicate with the Bus Driver or attendant of the outcome. 22

Technology Jeanmaire Ciaci Operations Specialist

School Monitor • The Transportation Division is committed to providing authorized users at each school the ability to view the status of buses assigned to their school. • School Monitor allows you to view the buses in real-time. • Use to plan • Answer parent questions Submit names of staff who will utilize School Monitor to Jeanmaire. Ciaci@lcps. org 24

Here Comes the Bus • Here Comes the Bus is an app for your phone/tablet or web-based application. • Parents will receive a notification when the bus is nearing the stop location. • Parents can use one account to view multiple children’s information. • More information can be found at LCPS. org/Here. Comes. The. Bus 25

Thank you!