tendent of Schools






Business Manager


August 26, 2008





Dear Parents,

As part of our ongoing efforts to improve communications and promote safety, the
administration of Region #10 has updated its comprehensive memo on transportation. We hope
that you will read it carefully and discuss its contents with your children. The memo contains
information on bus routes, transportation procedures and district policies related to our
transportation system. We have also included pertinent phone numbers in the event that you
need to reach us or the bus companies in an emergency.

Weve worked closely with our bus companies, administrators and staff to address topics that are
of interest to you and will help to ensure the safety of our children. It is important that we enlist
your help in working with the children to understand the importance of the rules and what they
can do to have a safe and comfortable ride to and from school.

We welcome you to the 2008-2009 school year in Region #10 and thank you for your
cooperation. If there are topics youd like addressed in future editions, please let us know
through the
www.region10ct.org
website or my email
superintendent@region10ct.org
.

Sincerely,



Alan Beitman
Superintendent of Schools



1

I.
Bus Contact Information


We use the services of two bus systems Sikorski Bus Company (Burlington and parts of
Harwinton) and All-Star Transportation (Harwinton)


Sikorski Bus Company


860-673-2149
227 Spielman Highway
Burlington, CT 06013


All-Star Transportation


860-489-3444
268 Technology Drive
Torrington, CT 06790



II.
School Contact Information

Harwinton Consolidated School

Lake Garda Elementary School
Maureen Dodd, Principal


Robert Choiniere, Principal
Megan Mazzei, Asst. Principal

Robert Garry, Asst. Principal
860-485-9029



860-673-2511

Office hours: 7:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Office hours: 7:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m.

Har-Bur Middle School


Lewis Mills High School

Ken Smith, Principal


Karissa Niehoff, Principal
Peter Bogen, Asst. Principal

Pam Lazaroski, Asst. Principal
Martha Rouleau, Asst. Principal

860-673-0423
860-673-6163



Office hours: 7:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m.

Office hours: 7:15 a.m. 4:15 p.m.


Central Office Business
860-673-2538 Ext. 4: 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.


III.
School Hours

Lewis Mills High School:
7:25 a.m. 2:00 p.m.
Har-Bur Middle School:
8:06 a.m. 2:48 p.m.
Harwinton Consolidated:
9:05 a.m. 3:35 p.m.
Lake Garda School :
9:05 a.m. 3:35 p.m.

AM Kindergarten:

9:05 a.m. 11:55 a.m.
PM Kindergarten:
12:45p.m. 3:35 p.m.
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IV.
Bus Transportation Procedures and Information


Please take a few moments to review this information with your child(ren). Safety must
be communicated to everyone involved in transporting students. You play an important
role in ensuring your childs safety.

1.
Safety Includes a Partnership Approach..
Parents are responsible for their children while they are waiting for the bus and after they
have exited the bus at their designated bus stop when returning home. It is the
responsibility of parents to be available at the return stop as necessary to meet their
children. Please review back-up plans with your child if you are not available at the pick-
up time. It is also the responsibility of the parent to ensure that the student is waiting at
his/her designated stop on time. Should a student miss the bus, the parent must find
alternate means of transporting the child to school. Under no circumstances should a
parent drive behind the bus and try to board their child at the next stop. The driver
is not expecting a child to be running along the side of the bus and a child could easily
slip under the wheels.

2.
Parents are not permitted to board the bus for any reason.

3.
Please be advised that bus pick-up times noted on our bus routes are estimated times and
are subject to change during the year due to bus route changes. This is especially true in
the first few weeks of school when timing and routing adjustments are being made.
There are new students, routes and drivers, and understandably there is an adjustment
period. Children should be at the bus stop 10 minutes before scheduled time of
arrival and wait 10 minutes after scheduled arrival time. We ask for your patience as
we work out the schedule!

4.
We strongly encourage you to use District provided transportation. In the event that you
need to drop-off or pick-up your child(ren) from school, please follow procedures
established at each building. It is important that you do not use the designated bus
lanes. In addition, driving past a bus with its lights flashing is illegal even in a parking
log. These activities are not only extremely hazardous, but also impair the flow of bus
traffic and causes delays.

V.
Emergency Procedures

If a child has not arrived at his/her destination at the end of the school day, call the
school, or if the school cannot be reached call:

Sikorski Bus Company 673-2149
All-Star Transportation - 489-3444

The following information will be needed:
1.
Childs Name and Address
2.
School and Grade
3.
Bus Route Number

**Know your childs bus route number to and from home it saves time!**

3
Please wait for the school or bus company to return your call. Your child may have
missed getting off at his/her bus stop and the driver is in the process of returning to that
stop at the end of the route.
If school is in session, the child may be returned to his/her school.

VI.
Scheduled Half Days

There are specific days designated for staff development, conferences or high school
exams requiring students to attend for a half day. The following are the scheduled times
for these days:


Lewis Mills High School (exams)
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Har-Bur Middle School

8:06 a.m. - 12:40 p.m.

Lake Garda School

9:05 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.

Harwinton Consolidated School
9:05 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.


AM Kindergarten


9:05 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.


PM Kindergarten

11:20 a.m. 1:15 p.m.

VII. Inclement Weather

We make every effort to announce late openings, cancellations and school closings as
early as possible.

Late Openings:
Late Openings are 90 minutes delay at each school with no AM kindergarten.
Early Closings:

The following schedule will be used for early closings due to inclement weather:



Lewis Mills High School

11:00 a.m. dismissal


Har-Bur Middle School

11:45 a.m. dismissal


Elementary schools

12:30 p.m. dismissal


(including AM Kindergarten)
There will be no PM Kindergarten on these early closing days due to inclement weather.

We will also make direct contact with you through our Instant Alert System in the event of
school closings, delays or early closings. To register for this service please go to our website
(
www.region10ct.org
) and click on Instant Alert.

Announcements of school closings, delays or early closings are also made on:

WTIC (1080 AM; 96.5 FM)
WDRC (1360 AM; 102.9 FM)
WRCH (100.5 FM)
WZMX (93.7FM)
WFSB Channel 3 TV
WTNH Channel 8 TV
WVIT Channel 30 TV
Or at our Website: www.region10ct.org

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VIII. Late Bus Information (middle and high school)

Regional School District #10 will again provide a late bus for high school and middle
school students on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. We expect to begin
this service 2-3 weeks after school begins. The scheduled departure time will be
approximately 4:30 p.m. from both schools. Two late buses (one for Burlington and
one for Harwinton) will drop off students at central scheduled drop-off points
throughout the towns (see attached stops with estimated arrival times). It is the
parents responsibility to meet students at these central drop off points on a timely
basis.

Please note that the late bus transportation is not required by law and is provided by the
Board of Education to help support extra-curricular activities. Such service could be
discontinued at any time.

IX.
Rules For The Conduct of Pupils On School Buses

1.
The driver is in full charge of the bus and of all pupils riding therein at all times while
pupils are being transported to and from school. The driver will abide by all rules and
regulations adopted by the school authorities for the conduct of pupils riding on the bus.

2.
Pupils must take a seat when they enter the bus and remain seated at all times while the
bus is in motion.

3.
Indecent or profane language, smoking, alcohol/drug use, weapons, bullying, rowdyism,
loud talking, card playing, or unnecessary conversation with the driver are expressly
prohibited.

4.
Harassing others or fighting by students on a school bus is strictly prohibited.

5.
The use of cell phones or portable DVD players is prohibited on all school buses.

6.
Pupils must not throw any object in or out of the bus.

7.
Pupils must not, at any time, extend their arms or head out of the bus window.

8.
Pupils must not open bus windows without permission from the driver.

9.
Pupils shall enter and leave the bus only at the front door except in cases of emergency.

10.
Pupils must be on time and,