Transportation

Department Overview

The Stillwater Central School District runs an average of 22 buses each day, traveling over 300,000 miles a year. Approximately 1,060 public school students and a variety of private and parochial students ride Stillwater buses daily. The image on the left is of our Director of Transportation, Tom Murphy.

Transportation Procedures for K-8 Students

Stillwater Central School District will provide transportation for all children in the safest manner, while keeping consistency and efficiency in mind. Transportation will only be provided to or from home, a babysitter, or day care, and only within the school district.

In order for the school district to schedule transportation to a babysitter, the information needs to be given to the Transportation Department by July 15 of any given school year. This will allow time to make the necessary adjustments to the bus runs.

Contact the Transportation Department at (518) 664-5661 with any questions or transportation changes during the school year.

Kindergarten Students

Transportation will be provided from home, babysitter, or day care, as long as the arrangements are consistent. The pick-up and drop-off points have to be the same morning and afternoon, as well as every day of the week. Parents or a responsible adult will be expected to be at the bus stop in the morning and afternoon. If at all possible, please do not bring younger siblings to the bus stop. For safety reasons, in the afternoon, the bus drivers have been instructed not to drop off a kindergarten child unless the parent is at the bus stop. Please reinforce with your child the importance of following the bus driver’s instructions at all times.

Private/Parochial Transportation Information

State law requires parents who are planning to send children to private or parochial schools for the 2025-26 school year to fill an application for special transportation by April 1, 2025.

Bus safety information

Stillwater bus drivers will not permit any unsafe behavior by anyone while on the school buses. The lives of the students and drivers are at stake, and no misconduct will be tolerated that jeopardizes safe travel to and from school.

Bus Behavior Rules

Stillwater bus drivers will not permit anyone to engage in any unsafe behavior while on the school buses. They have also been instructed when to issue “Bus Conduct Reports,” which are submitted to the Director of Transportation and may be used to disallow a student from riding the bus.

• Observe the same conduct as in the classroom. Loud and distracting noise interferes with the bus driver’s concentration. Speak quietly.
• Be courteous and refrain from using inappropriate language or profanity.
• Food and drink may not be consumed on the bus, unless specific permission is given.
• Throwing articles while inside the bus is prohibited. Keep objects to yourself, and help keep the bus clean.
• Board or leave a bus only after it has come to a complete stop. Pay attention to the bus driver.
• Tobacco, drugs, or alcohol are not allowed on the bus.
• Students will be held responsible for any damage they do to the bus or its equipment.
• Remain seated while the bus is in motion.
• No part of the body will be extended outside a bus window.
• The bus driver is authorized to assign seats. Cooperate with the driver.
• Articles that are determined by school officials to be potentially dangerous will not be allowed on the bus (i.e., glass, animals, baseball bats, and larger items).
• Quarreling, fighting, or rough play will not be tolerated.

Students are under the authority of the bus driver while being transported to and from school. The lives of the students and drivers are at stake, and no misconduct will be tolerated that jeopardizes safe travel to and from school. Any serious infraction of rules must be reported by the driver, in writing, promptly to the Director of Transportation, and appropriate actions will be taken. The responses to infractions of bus safety guidelines may include, but are not limited to:

• Verbal warning/conference with the driver on the bus after students exit.
• Written referral to the bus director. The bus driver may assign a seat at that point.
• Referral sent home to the parent.
• Upon a third warning, they will be suspended from riding their bus.
• Immediate suspension of bus privileges may result from throwing objects on the bus, endangering the safety of others, fighting or serious incidents of insubordination.

School Closings

Please make sure you are signed up for the district’s Emergency Phone Notification System so you will get automatic alerts in the event of school closings and early dismissals. Also, check local radio and TV stations and this website for closing information.