Thursday, September 3, 2020
Dear Hopkins Families,
The purpose of this letter is to let you know about changes to busing for the 2020-2021 school year. Please read this letter carefully for information on what to expect so your student will have a safe school bus experience.
Students must be registered and approved to ride school buses.
- Families who have registered to ride the bus will receive a postcard (by email and/or through the mail) with a bus assignment and their assigned in-person learning group.
- In-person learning group schedule for the Hybrid Models: Elementary Group A: Monday & Tuesday. Elementary Group B: Wednesday & Thursday. Secondary: A Day is Monday; B Day is Tuesday; C Day is Wednesday; D Day is Thursday.
- Only registered and approved riders will be allowed to ride the bus on their assigned in-person learning days.
Parents are required to perform a self-health screening for their children before school each day.
- The self-assessment health screening includes a check of the following symptoms: cough, fever, chills, muscle aches, headaches, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell.
- If your student has these symptoms, please keep them at home.
At the bus stop
- Students and families should maintain a six-foot distance around each other while waiting at a bus stop.
- Students should line up single file and maintain six-foot distancing while getting on and off the bus.
Hygiene and safety on school buses
- Students should wash their hands before arriving at the school bus stop.
- Face masks must be worn while boarding and riding a school bus per the Minnesota State Executive Order 20-81.
- Disposable masks will be available if a student loses or forgets their mask. Students will not be allowed on the school bus if they refuse to wear a mask.
- Buses will have hand sanitizer or sanitizer wipes available.
Additional safety precautions
- Buses will be run at 50% capacity, and students will be spaced apart as much as possible.
- Students will be placed in assigned seats at all grade levels.
- Buses will be sanitized with EPA-approved cleaning products at the end of each morning and afternoon route by our bus contractors. High-contact areas such as handrails and the tops of seats will be sanitized by bus drivers between routes.
- Roof ventilation hatches and bus windows will be partially opened to provide fresh air circulation when possible.
Safety precautions when arriving at and departing from school
- Students should avoid gathering at the front doors, entrances, hallways, and locker spaces and go directly to their classrooms.
Thank you for your partnership as we work together to keep our students safe.