Bus routes are ready for our families to review ahead of the first day of school, Wednesday, August 14. Sherman ISD would like to take this opportunity to highlight some important information regarding school bus transportation to ensure a smooth and safe start to the school year. We are committed to ensuring the safety and comfort of all students during their transportation to and from school.

Know the Bus Number & Bus Stop. If your child will be riding the bus to and from school, please make sure you and your child are aware of their assigned bus number and bus stop location. To find this information, please utilize the district's Find Your Bus tool at www.shermanisd.net/findyourbus. It is essential that both you and your child are familiar with these details.

Discuss & Practice with Younger Children. For families with younger children, we recommend taking the time to familiarize them with their bus stop and the surrounding area. Walk them to the stop and discuss the route they will take home. Make sure they understand how to recognize the stop and their surroundings. Familiarity with the route will help your child feel confident about their journey.

Create an After-School Bus Plan. Our bus drivers report that many students are unsure of where to go when they get off the bus, especially when things are out of the ordinary. It is crucial that parents sit down with their bus-riding student(s) and create a plan for after-school drop-off that addresses the following scenarios:

• Arrival at the Bus Stop: If no one is present to receive them when the bus arrives at their stop, your child should know what steps to take. This might include contacting a parent or another designated adult, or following an agreed-upon procedure. All Head Start, Pre-K and Special Education students are required to have a parent or guardian receive them at their bus stop. It is strongly recommended that kindergarten through 2nd grade students have someone receive them, even if it’s an older sibling at the same school. Older students may feel more comfortable having an adult receive them at their stop.

• Home Alone: In the event that your child arrives home and finds no one there, it is important for them to know how to proceed. This could involve checking in with a trusted neighbor, staying in a safe place, or calling a designated emergency contact.

• Unusual Situations: Discuss what actions to take if your student encounters something unexpected or out of the ordinary. This could involve contacting a parent or guardian immediately or reaching out to local authorities if necessary. 

A clear plan will not only help your child feel secure and prepared, but will also prevent further delays to routes when bus drivers attempt to contact a parent/guardian or make repeated attempts at drop-off. This should be discussed before a student gets on a school bus.

Anticipate Delays. Please note that on the first day of school, as well as for the initial few days, there might be delays in bus arrival times. These delays could range from 30-45 minutes on the first day and 15-30 minutes for subsequent days. We appreciate your understanding as we work to ensure the safety and proper routing of all students.

Download the App. To help alleviate any concerns about bus arrival times, we encourage you to utilize the "Here Comes The Bus" app (Apple) (Android). This app allows you to track the real-time location of your child's school bus on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. With this app, you can have peace of mind knowing when to send your children to the bus stop and when they have arrived.

Communicate with the Campus. If your child does not ride the bus in the morning on the first day of school, please communicate with the campus if they are riding in the afternoon, and on which bus. After school, if your child's bus arrives, but your child is not on it, we kindly ask you to contact your student's campus to verify whether your child was placed on the correct bus. Campus staff will collaborate with the transportation department to promptly locate your student. To ensure smooth operations, we request that you refrain from directly contacting the transportation department during route times.

We look forward to welcoming our students back to school on August 14!