Please read through our Frequently Asked Questions & General Information section prior to contacting the school department.  

Frequently Asked Questions 

& 

General Information

Can I get a refund of my bus fee?

Refunds will be issued if a refund request is sent to businfo@grafton.k12.ma.us and is received prior to the first day of school. A processing fee of $25.00 per student will be deducted from the refund. Once school has started, no refunds will be issued. Late fees will not be refunded.

The bus drives right past my house. Why can't it stop at my house?

Bus stops are placed to allow the buses easy access and egress through neighborhoods while keeping safety a priority. In addition, adding bus stops causes further delays on our bus routes and extends the students' ride time. In the end, this means that bus routes would have to start earlier in the morning to arrive at school on time. Similarly, in the afternoon, it would mean students arrive home later.

I can't see my child's bus stop from my house. How can I get the bus stop moved closer?

Bus stops are placed at centralized locations that can be safely accessed by a significant number of students to minimize the time length and mileage of the run. If you have concerns about your child's safety, you are encouraged to accompany your child to the bus stop or arrange a neighborhood friend to walk with your child.

Why are students asked to arrive at the bus stop about 10-15 minutes before the bus pickup time?

We ask students to arrive at their assigned bus stop about 10-15 minutes prior to pick up time so that they are ready and waiting for the bus to arrive. This helps to ensure a faster loading time. It also ensures that they are there in case the time on their clock or watch differs slightly from the time for the driver.

Does the bus driver have the right to assign seats on the bus?

The bus driver may assign seats, as he/she feels necessary to maintain order and safety on the bus.

Who should I speak to about problems that occurred on my child's bus?

If there is an issue on the bus, please contact your child's school. If you have a concern about a bus driver, route or general questions, please send an email to businfo@grafton.k12.ma.us

A child is harassing or bullying my child while they are on the bus. What should I do?

Grafton Public Schools has a policy that specifically prohibits "bullying" at school, during school events and field trips, and on a school bus. The bus driver's main focus must be on operating the school bus safely. As a result, the majority of the driver's attention is focused on the road and traffic conditions, so he/she may not see or hear inappropriate behavior among the students on the bus when it occurs. Students who engage in bullying or harassing behavior are subject to disciplinary action. Please report any problems to your child's school principal or assistant principal so that appropriate steps may be taken.

Are there consequences if a student misbehaves on the bus?

Yes. Bus drivers report problems to the student's school. School administrators may deny students transportation services when a student's conduct represents a threat to the safe operation of the school bus, to the student, or to others on the bus.

The bus driver disciplined my child on the bus today. Does the driver have the right to do this?

The school bus driver is responsible for the safe operation of the bus. He/she should receive the same level of respect afforded to a classroom teacher, assistant or other school employee. When necessary, drivers or school monitors may correct a student. In most cases, that resolves the problem. If the misconduct continues, the driver may complete a "student disciplinary form" to notify the school of the event for further review and, if appropriate, disciplinary action.

What is a student disciplinary form?

A student disciplinary form is used to report a student who violates the safety rules on the bus that may cause harm to the student, to another student or to the public. This includes actions that distract the bus driver's attention from the roadway. If a student disciplinary form is completed for a student, the school staff members will contact the student's family if they need to speak to parents or guardians as part of the disciplinary steps taken to resolve the problem.

My child's bus frequently arrives later than the scheduled pickup time. What causes the delays?

Bus routes are planned to run on a closely set schedule. If your child's bus is running behind schedule, there could be uncontrollable factors that are affecting the pickup time. Sometimes there is inclement weather or traffic congestion that may cause related delays. Sometimes children are not ready and waiting at earlier bus stops, which can cause the bus to run behind schedule at all future stops. This is another reason why we ask all children to be ready and wait at their bus stops so we can minimize delays.

The bus didn't show up on time for my child. How long should he/she wait at the stop?

Your child should arrive at the stop about 10-15 minutes before the regular arrival time of the bus. If there is a substitute driver, the times may not be absolutely consistent with the regular times. If the bus is late, ask your child to remain at the stop. Buses break down, roads are blocked, drivers become ill or have emergencies, but there will always be a bus at every stop.

My child's bus arrives later/earlier than I want. Can the time be changed?

All Grafton Public School buses operate on a comprehensive schedule, completing 5 routes in the morning and again in the afternoon. This helps to ensure that the system operates safely and efficiently while working to deliver students to school on time. Because of the number of students needing transportation, and to ensure effective scheduling, the overall bus schedules cannot be adjusted to accommodate an individual request.

My child missed the bus at school this afternoon. Can the bus come back?

At most schools, the drivers receive a signal from school staff when they can depart after a sufficient time has been allowed for students to exit the school to board the buses. Sometimes students are held up at school for unforeseen reasons and miss their school bus. Once buses depart school, they are not able to return to pick up any students who have missed their buses.

Can a family member or other adult board a school bus at the bus stop or at school?

The safety of children is always our priority. It is illegal for any unauthorized individual to stop or board a school bus. Please do not attempt to board a school bus along the route or at school.

Parents/guardians must designate one address (home or daycare) for transportation purposes; it will be the responsibility of the parents to ensure the child knows which residence they should be traveling to each day following school.

All students using school bus transportation in Grades 7-12 will be required to carry their bus pass on a daily basis, even if they are eligible for free busing. Not doing so may result in exclusion from the bus. In the event a student loses a bus pass, a duplicate pass may be obtained for a fee of $5 by sending an email to businfo@grafton.k12.ma.us; a student who allows another student to use his/her bus pass is subject to having their bus pass privileges revoked.

Free and Reduced students must complete a paper application for a bus pass:

Students who are authorized for free/reduced lunch for the 2022-2023 school year will have their bus transportation fees waived. If a student was authorized for free/reduced lunch for the 2021- 2022 school year, that authorization will continue through the first 30 school days of the new school year. Parents/guardians who were approved for free/reduced lunch for that student in the 2021- 2022 school year (and plan to reapply for the new school year) should list on their application that they are authorized for free/reduced lunch at the time of registration.

At the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, a new free/reduced lunch application will need to be completed and submitted to your child's school secretary within the first 30 days of school. If a student is not approved for free/reduced lunch for the 2022-2023 school year, or fails to reapply, the full bus transportation fee will be due upon demand or the student's seat on the bus will be forfeited. If the student is approved, no further action from the parent/guardian will be necessary. Please note: bus drivers, school administration and the Transportation Team will perform audits randomly throughout the school year to check ridership privilege eligibility and payment status.

Parents/Guardians of Grafton Public School students can obtain bus route information in late August. A notification will be sent via email to families and will also be available on the Grafton Public Schools’ Transportation page when the route and stop information is available. The district buses students to and from pre-established bus stops. Whenever possible, centralized neighborhood bus stops have been established. Making additional stops, even if the bus is passing your residence, will not be allowed. Do not request that the bus driver pick your student up in front of your residence if a centralized neighborhood bus stop has been indicated in the schedule. We receive many phone calls about this. Having centralized bus stop locations is equitable, safe and saves time. The Transportation Team has given AA Transportation strict instructions to maintain stop locations and notify the Transportation Team if changes are requested. If you feel there is an extraordinary safety circumstance that would justify a reevaluation of the bus stop location, a request must be submitted to mailto:businfo@grafton.k12.ma.us. All non-urgent issues will be evaluated and addressed in the order that they come in. Once the evaluation is complete, a communication will be sent as to the outcome. The school district may make modifications to bus assignments, routes and bus stops during the course of the year. These changes are made to improve efficiency or enhance safety. Parents and students will be notified in advance of the change start date.

Parents are responsible for children getting to and from the bus stops. If a student is repeatedly not visible to the driver and at their designated bus stop spot, the School Department will send a warning notification home with the student. If you feel a reevaluation of the bus stop is necessary, you must send an email to businfo@grafton.k12.ma.us.

Students are not automatically entitled to street to street or door to door pick up and your child may have to walk to a common bus stop. The safety responsibility for escorting a child to and from the bus stop shall rest with the parents/guardians of the child involved. This includes escorting the child where there are no sidewalks or the sidewalks are only on one side of the street, where the bus stop is on the opposite side of the street, where road construction is in progress and there are traffic or railway concerns.

Bus routes, drivers, and stops CAN change over the course of the year if we need to manage adding new students to bus routes during the year.

Students cannot carry on oversized objects that may block the aisle, cause a loss of passenger seat space, obstruct the driver's view or create a safety hazard. Objects will be permitted only if they can be held in the student's lap. The school district assumes responsibility for children once they are seated on the school bus until the children depart from the bus at the end of the school day.

Since school bus transportation is an extension of the school day, expectations for student behavior on the bus are the same as in the classroom. If a student engages in inappropriate behavior, the bus driver is expected to complete a "Student Disciplinary Form". These forms are sent to the student's school principal and the Transportation Office.

It is important for you to anticipate that the first 2-3 weeks of bus routes will take time to smooth out.