KENORA – UPDATE – The Northwestern Ontario Student Services Consortium is working closely with Member School Boards, the Northwestern Health Unit, our bus operator partners, and the Ministry of Education to mitigate health risks associated with COVID-19 on school transportation vehicles to the extent possible. Please visit www.nwobus.ca/return-to-school-transportation-covid-19/ for information about steps that we are taking to ensure students continue to arrive at school safely, on time, and ready to learn during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
To support the return to school 5 days a week school buses will operate at regular capacity in accordance with the Ministry of Education Guide to Reopening Ontario’s Schools. Assigned seating will be used on all school buses. Priority will be given to seating students with others from the same household, students from the same classroom, and students in the same grade/school.
Bus Registration
If your child rode the bus at the end of in-school instruction last year (before March Break) they will be automatically registered for bussing in the upcoming year, unless we have contacted you over the summer about a change to eligibility associated with their grade level. All returning grade 12 students must re-register for bussing.
If your child was not previously a bus student, you must register separately from the school board survey that you may have already completed by going to www.nwobus.ca/transportation-request-form. Registration is subject to eligibility conditions as outlined in the NWOSSC Transportation Policy. New registrations received after Monday, August 17th may not be processed in time for your child to ride the bus on the first day of school due to the amount of time needed to finalize bus routing and seating assignments.
Opting Out of Bussing
If your child is a bus student but you do not intend to use bus service at the beginning of the school year, we ask that you notify us and opt-out of transportation. You can do this by completing your School Board’s return to school survey before Monday, August 17th or by emailing us at bussing@nwobus.ca . If you opt-out now you may register your child for bussing at a later date, however, please note that it may take longer than normal to process new registrations due to enhanced safety protocols.
Bus Information
Your child’s bus number, stop location, and pick up/drop off times will be available through the NWOSSC Parent Portal by the last week of August. If you haven’t already done so, you will need to sign up for the Parent Portal using your child’s Ontario Education Number (OEN) which can be found on their report card. Families will be notified by email, as well as through our text message alert system when this information is available.
Our office remains closed to the public, but you can contact us by telephone, email or by going to www.nwobus.ca/contact-us/
Dan Ridgway
General Manager
Northwestern Ontario Student Services Consortium
