QUARRY BAY SCHOOL PARENTS’ AND TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION LIMITED 2016-2017 QBS PTA LTD SCHOOL BUS INFORMATION PACK Contact Details : QBS PTA LTD No.6 Hau Yuen Path, Braemar Hill, North Point, Hong Kong Tel/Fax No: (852) 28871004 / Email : [email protected] Contact Persons : Ms Mona Diwan &/ or Ms Dorothy Ho Dear Parents and Students, Welcome to the Quarry Bay School PTA Ltd Bus Service for the upcoming new academic year 2016-2017. To facilitate your bus application procedure please find the following information and documents: • Bus Fares 2016-2017; • Bus Rules for Bus Riders; & • Bus Route List. A Hard copy of the following documents will be sent home with the students, so please look out for them: • The Bus Application Form (for Current Years 1 to 5) ; & • Permission Slip to Walk Home from Bus Stop (for Current Year 5 & 6 only) CURRENT STUDENTS We anticipate most of our buses will be running at full capacity next year, and request you to submit your bus applications to the PTA Office on or before the Deadline Date of : 27th May 2016. Please note: most of the bus numbers and routes have been changed – so please check the bus route list prior to completing your application form. All applications will be processed on a first-come first-serve basis, so please send in your applications early to avoid disappointment. NEW – YEAR 1 STUDENTS The Bus Information pack is sent to you via email with all the Bus Application Forms. Please complete and submit your bus applications on or before the Deadline Date of : 30th May 2016 . The information submitted on the bus application forms is being collected in accordance with the Quarry Bay School PTA LTD Personal Information Collection Statement (“PICS”). A copy of the PICS can be found on the PTA Homepage of the Quarry Bay School website link: http://www.qbs.edu.hk/node/2783. We endeavor to make the journeys to and from school Happy and Safe for all our bus riders, whilst maintaining Discipline and Respect for one another! Late Applications : All applications received from students after the deadline dates are subject to an administration charge of $100.00. (The PTA Office will be closed during the summer break. All applications received post deadline date will be handled when school starts). Incomplete Applications : All incomplete applications will be returned to parents immediately. Payment Methods – 2 Options: 1) Full Year in Advance : there will be no administration charge applicable; or 2) 3 Cheques : Term 1 for current date, and Term 2 and Term 3 by post-dated cheques (as per dates specified on application form). There is a $100 administration fee applicable for this type of payment. All Cheques must be crossed and payable to: “QBS PTA LTD BUS”. [Student Name; Class Number; Bus Number; and Contact Number is to be specified on the reverse side of the cheque/s upon submission.] Reminders of Cheque Bank-in Dates : parents will be reminded via the weekly school newsletter – no personal reminders will be given. RETURNED/BOUNCED CHEQUES : All returned / bounced cheques are subject to $100 surcharge, and are to be replaced immediately. In the event of non-payment, the PTA will have the right to refuse the student to continue to avail the bus services. REFUNDS / WITHDRAWAL FROM THE BUS SERVICES: A written notification, one month in advance, is required by parents to successfully apply for refunds or withdrawal from the bus services. All refunds will be calculated in complete months (and will include the notification period of 1 month). • August - Back Charge (half month) : all mid-year withdrawal applications are subject to a back-charge of the half month School Bus Fees for August, and will be deducted from any refunds due. RECEIPTS : If you require receipts for your payments – please attach the same number of stamped and self-addressed envelopes with your bus applications, to facilitate mailing. BUS SERVICE RULES & POLICIES 2016-2017 To be observed by ALL Students Travelling on the School Buses In the interest of safety, security, and efficiency, parents and children are required to comply with the following rules. Please read, explain and discuss the rules with your child/ren. 1) EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENT BEHAVIOUR ON THE SCHOOL BUS Students must: a) Remain seated at all times throughout the journey; b) Seat belts must be kept on during the entire journey; c) Wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before unbuckling seatbelt and alighting; d) Be courteous and respectful to drivers, bus escorts and fellow students; e) Observe the Seating Plan and sit on the seat allocated by the Bus Escort; f) Do not eat or drink on the bus – a requirement by the bus company; g) Do not talk to the bus driver or distract him in any way; h) No Shouting or Talking Loudly – students are to use classroom voice on the bus; i) No Throwing of Items in the Bus; j) No Vandalism………. All damages to the property of any parties will be claimed by the student responsible; k) No Physical Fighting, Bullying, Friendly Banter, or Playing Pranks with or on other bus riders; l) We prefer that your child does not bring expensive electronic items and toys on the bus as we will not be held liable for any damage or loss of such items. m) Game Cards: No Swapping of Game Cards allowed on the bus. Students can view their game cards if they are in a folder only – to avoid dropping them in the bus. All loose game cards will be confiscated and handed over to the PTA Office for further action; n) Board their bus immediately after school and remain on the bus; Not allowed to get off the bus except with the permission of the Bus Escort – in emergency only; o) STRICTLY obey the Bus Escort at all times; The following behaviour is NOT ACCEPTABLE and will NOT be tolerated: p) Use of indecent or bad language; q) Use of obscene gestures or indescent touching of other students ; r) No Physical Fighting, Bullying, Friendly Banter, or Playing Pranks with or on other bus riders; [Any of the above inappropriate behaviour will be dealt with strictly and is subject to a Yellow or Red Card and will be brought to the attention of the PTA, Vice Principal & Principal, and can lead to suspension from the bus services for the student.] BUS SERVICE RULES & POLICIES 2016-2017 To be observed by ALL Students Travelling on the School Buses Continued ............. [Please Note: The Bus Provider, Bus Escort, or the PTA are not liable for any loss or damage of personal items on the bus.] 2) SAFETY RULES FOR PARENTS AND GUARDIANS Parents & Guardians must: a) An adult must accompany and supervise their child/ren at the bus stop in the morning and meet them at the stop in the afternoon daily. b) Parents and Guardians are responsible for the safety and conduct of their child/ren whilst waiting for their bus and after alighting from their bus, especially when in school uniform. The same applies for those Year 5 & 6 student who have obtained consent to walk home or to the bus stop alone. c) Students in Years 1–4 WILL STRICTLY NOT be allowed off the bus unless there is a parent or responsible adult to meet them at the bus – you will be required to walk up to the bus to collect your child. Students in Years 5 and 6 will be allowed off the bus unaccompanied – provided prior written permission/consent form (as attached) has been submitted to the PTA Coordinator. [Please note that verbal agreement with the Bus Escort is NOT ACCEPTABLE.] d) Any student/s who are not collected from their stop by an authorized adult will remain on the bus and be brought back to school at the end of the bus route. The parents will be contacted and will have to come to school to collect their child/ren, or for any other mutual arrangement. In either situation, the parents are liable to a minimum transportation charge of $100.00, plus the over-time pay for the Bus Escort (minimum $120.00). The payment will be at the discretion of the PTA. e) Parents should regularly remind their child/ren that the bus escort is the adult responsible for their safety and security in the bus, and all are obliged to listen and obey the instructions at all times during the journey, as well as behave respectfully. f) Parents will be responsible for any loss or damage on the bus caused by their child/ren. 3) ENFORCEMENT OF BUS RULES a) There will be 2 warnings given to students who do not follow the expectations for student behaviour on the school bus. Yellow &/or Red Cards will be issued depending on the seriousness of the incident, and the incident will be reported to the School Principal and Vice Principal, and will be dealt with accordingly, at the discretion of the PTA. b) If a third incident occurs the student will be suspended from using the bus service for a period of time (at the discretion of the PTA), without refund. BUS SERVICE RULES & POLICIES 2016-2017 To be observed by ALL Students Travelling on the School Buses Continued ............. c) If a RED CARD is issued: the student will be given a last chance or be suspended from using the bus service immediately after the incident, without following the above steps. The length of suspension will be determined by the PTA. Refund will not be applicable. d) The PTA reserves the right for the bus escort to allocate and change seat of any student/s, without notification, if the behaviour hinders either their safety or the safety of other bus riders travelling on the bus, especially if they are consistently not following the Bus Rules.