What do I do if the bus is late the first few days?

The first three days of school can mean a longer ride as students and drivers get in the new routine. In the morning, keep your cell phone close as our Transportation Department will use calls, texts and app alerts to contact you concerning an especially late bus.

In the afternoon, elementary routes can take a bit longer than usual as our newest students learn how to ride the bus. Please remember Kindergartners will only be dropped at a stop where there is an adult or sibling to pick them up. Please allow for the extra time students will need to find their bus number and get on board, as well as the extra time our drivers and teachers take to make sure all riders are unloaded at the correct stop.

Should you become concerned, and neighbors haven’t seen the bus yet, it is best to make your first phone call to your school office and let staff get in touch with our Transportation team. Dispatchers are in constant communication with our drivers and our GPS system can tell staff where your bus is on its route.

Usually by Day 4 (Thursday, Aug. 22), routes are running close to on-time as students are used to their stops.

What do I do if I need to make a change for the first day of school?

Parents and schools must submit bus changes for the first day of routes, Monday, Aug. 19, 2023, no later than Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. This is to allow sufficient time for rosters to be updated. These rosters are an important tool for our drivers, especially as they meet students at the beginning of the school year. We appreciate your cooperation in providing information by Aug. 2 to help us build this important layer of safety for our students. Please see our Transportation page for reminders on the change procedure.

I live less than a mile from school, but still need my child to ride the bus. What do I do?

Please note that transportation for less than a mile is limited and not guaranteed due to bus capacity limits. Any parents living less than a mile who would like their child to be considered for bus service must first submit a completed Less Than a Mile form to the office no later than Aug. 2, 2024. You must submit a request even if you had this service the previous school year. All requests will be processed in the order received until the buses are at capacity. Requests after August might take several days to process for service. Submitting a request does not guarantee that your child has a seat on the bus. Please wait for confirmation from our transportation department before putting your child on the bus.

Dardenne Elementary School

Parent Portal and Annual Paperwork

Important Dates and Where to Find Them

DES Supply List

Required Immunizations and Health Information

School Meals and Free-and-Reduced Paperwork

Transportation and What to Do If the Bus is Late

The Best Ways to Keep Up With FZSD