2015-2016 TRANSPORTATION GUIDE 9600 Forest Road Bethesda, MD 20814 Tel Direct: (301) 896-0329 Tel: (301) 530-8260 ext. 241, 264 Fax : (301) 564-5779 Email: rochambus@rochambeau.org
GENERAL INFORMATION Bus stop location choices are dictated primarily by safety concerns for the students when getting on and off the bus which means factoring street sizes, sidewalks, traffic, number and age of the students and duration of the route. The Transportation Department tries to accommodate every family s request when offering stop locations but doesn t necessarily offer a door to door service. For safety reasons, Petite Section students are not accepted on our buses that do not have monitors, but they are accepted on the shuttles between our campuses and the Bethesda Country Day School (BCD School) as monitors are on board. Audio and Video surveillance, GPS Tracking are used on the buses. It is strictly prohibited to use a school bus without prior information to the Transportation Department either by Enrolling in the Yearly Transportation Service Purchasing an Occasional Bus ticket Emailing the Department at rochambus@rochambeau.org Students must respect the Transportation Rules to be allowed to take the bus. The Lycée may change at any time any bus line, or bus stop. IMPORTANT DATES July 10, 2015: Deadline for application requests for Transportation allowing bus riding as of the first day of school, August 31, 2015. Applications received after July 10th will be honored based on remaining availability and will allow bus riding only as of September 14, 2015. July 20, 2015: Bus lines, times and stop locations sent to families. August 31, 2015 (Monday): First day of school September 7, 2015: Labor Day September 14, 2015: First bus day for students whose families requested Transportation service after July 10, 2015. September 25, 2015: Deadline for submitting a written cancellation of Transportation service (to rochambus@rochambeau.org) allowing for full transportation fees reimbursement (minus the paid down payment per child). September 30, 2015: As of this date, transportation fees for cancellation of service or application for service will follow the rules applicable to tuition fees. 2
TRANSPORTATION SERVICES Every school day, we operate two types of service: 1. BUS: To and from school 2. SHUTTLES: Between our campuses (and the Bethesda Country Day School). 1. BUS: MORNING: From the students designated bus stop RETURN: - AFTERNOON: Departure from Forest Road at 3:40pm - EVENING: Departure from Forest Road at 5:40pm Students use the afternoon or the evening departure based on their schedules. 2. SHUTTLES: There are two types of shuttles: Shuttles organized strictly for inter campuses transportation, Bus lines which happen to stop at campuses Monitors onboard the shuttles to/from Bradley. Monitors onboard the shuttles from Rollingwood to Forest Road in the morning and afternoon. Bradley Rollingwood Forest Road Bradley Rollingwood Bradley 8:00 Rollingwood Forest Road 8:20 Bradley Rollingwood 8h00 3:15 15h15 8h20 3:30 15h30 8:30 8:45 8h30 3:40 8h45 4:00 15h40 5:40 16h00 6:00 8:00 8:30 17h40 18h00 3:00 3:20 8h00 8h30 8:30 15h00 9:00 15h20 8h30 8:00 8h00 3:15 15h15 5:10 17h10 8:25 8h25 3:35 15h35 5:30 17h30 8:00 8:10 3:40 5:40 9h00 8:20 8:25 4:00 6:00 Neither buses nor shuttles wait at their stops. We recommend that students and adults are at the bus stop 5 minutes early. If the required adult is not at the stop in the afternoon or in the evening when the bus arrives at its bus stop, for safety reasons, the student will stay in the bus and be driven back to Forest Road. 3
2015-2016 TRANSPORTATION FEES Transportation fees are established based on the distance (for a car) between Forest Road and the student s address listed in the Application for Transportation for morning pickup. The Transportation department assesses the distance and determines the zone applicable for pricing. ACOMPTE / enfant - $200 non remboursable mais déductible DOWNPAYMENT / child - $200 non refundable but deductible ALLER/RETOUR 1er enfant 2è enfant 3è enfant 4è enfant ROUND TRIP 1st child 2nd child 3rd child 4th child ZONE 1 Home < 1 mile from FRD $1,645 $1,315 $1,055 Free ZONE 2 1 mile < Home < 3 miles $1,740 $1,395 $1,115 Free ZONE 3 3 miles < Home < 5 miles $1,825 $1,460 $1,170 Free ZONE 4 5 miles < Home < 7 miles $1,980 $1,585 $1,265 Free ZONE 5 Home > 7 miles $2,045 $1,640 $1,310 Free RETOUR SEUL RETURN ONLY 1er enfant 1st child 2è enfant 2nd child 3è enfant 3rd child 4è enfant 4th child ZONE 1 Home < 1 mile from FRD $1,150 $920 $735 Free ZONE 2 1 mile < Home < 3 miles $1,220 $975 $780 Free ZONE 3 3 miles < Home < 5 miles $1,280 $1,025 $820 Free ZONE 4 5 miles < Home < 7 miles $1,385 $1,110 $885 Free ZONE 5 Home > 7 miles $1,430 $1,145 $915 Free NAVETTE - Tarif unique quelle que soit l'utilisation SHUTTLE - Fixed price regardless of usage $920 4
YEARLY ENROLLMENT PROCESS Transportation Application must be done via the Lycée website: www.rochambeau.org REMINDER: No application will be processed without the down payment (deductible, but non refundable) of $200. All families must use the Online Reenrollment and enrollment Modules of the Parent Portal to request Transportation service for 2015-16. Click here for link For any special concern or situation, please email the Transportation Department at: rochambus@rochambeau.org EXCEPTIONAL BUS USE & BUS CHANGES Any students (excluding Petite Section) may use the bus on an exceptional basis but ONLY AFTER WRITTEN NOTIFICATION to the Transportation Department. Procedure Even for students enrolled in Transportation, parents must notify the Transportation Department in writing of the exceptional use of a different bus line or a different stop: via email to rochambus@rochambeau.org By filling out an exceptional Bus Transportation Request Form located on the on the parent portal (click here for link) Please submit requests the day before or, at the latest by 11:00am for the afternoon or evening. The Transportation Department confirms receipt of the requests via email. Prices: Students already enrolled in Transportation: Free for any change in the same type of service ( ex: different shuttle for a shuttle student, different evening bus line for a student enrolled in Return only) $10 / leg way for a different type of service (ex: using the bus for a shuttle only student, morning bus for a Return only student ) Students not enrolled in Transportation: $10 / leg. A maximum of 20 tickets can be purchased each school year. 5
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION Parent Emergency If the adult has a last minute emergency preventing them to be at a stop when the bus arrives, they must call Transportation to make proper arrangements at (301) 896-0329 or (301) 530 8260 x 241 or x 264 or the child will be brought back to Forest Road. If a parent needs to change their child s bus arrangements at the last minute, they must call Transportation: (301) 896-0329 or (301) 530 8260 x 241 or x 264 Lycée Emergency: 2 hour delay, School closed, Early dismissal For weather related issues, the Lycée usually follows Montgomery County Public Schools decisions Parents are contacted via e2campus The Lycée posts information on its website www.rochambeau.org Bus time changes follow exactly the Lycée schedule If Clubs Rochambeau are canceled, the evening 5:40pm departure is canceled and all the students take the afternoon buses departing at 3:40pm from Forest Road. The Lycee parents may receive the Montgomery County Public Schools alerts by enrolling directly on their website on the «Montgomery County Public Schools Support and Resources for Parents» page: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/parents/support/ http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/emergency/alertmcps.aspx Transportation Emergency If a bus is delayed due to traffic or a mechanical problem, Transportation alerts the bus parents via e2campus with information we have at that time. A follow up message will be sent once the issue has been resolved and service has been restored. Parents may call Transportation for information: (301) 530-8260 ext. 241 or ext. 264 Student Medical Emergency If a student s medical condition requires special attention while traveling on the bus, parents must inform the School nurse who will then communicate to the Transportation Department the appropriate action plan. 6
ADVICE TO FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN The danger zone is defined as those areas 10 feet in front of, behind and on both sides of the school bus. They are deemed dangerous because they are hidden from the drivers direct view. If an adult has a last minute emergency preventing them from being at the stop when the bus arrives, they must call Transportation to make proper arrangements at (301) 896-0329 or (301) 530 8260 x 241 or x 264 or the child will be brought back to Forest Road. Choose clothing with buttons, zippers, Velcro over clothing with ribbons or ties as they may be caught in doors or seats... Choose hoods over hats... Choose shoes with Velcro versus laced shoes... Avoid backpacks with wheels as they are very heavy even empty. Place lunch boxes inside the backpacks or attach them to the backpacks as children need their 2 hands to get on and off the bus! 7
TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT RULES & REGULATION 8