TSBVI Weekends Home - Program Handbook

Table of Contents

• Letter To Parents
• 2007-2008 Weekends Home School Closing Travel Dates
• TSBVI Responsibilities For Students Riding School Buses/Vans
• Parent Responsibilities For Students Riding School Buses/Vans
• Rules and Conduct Expectations for Students
• Schedule of pick up and drop off times
• Weekends Home Pick-Up and Drop-Off Directions

Letter to Parents from Bill Daugherty, TSBVI Superintendent

1. Snacks. We will provide snacks for each student for the Friday trip. We won't provide snacks for the Sunday trip and will expect parents to pack a convenient snack for their children.
2. Notification of Delays. We will notify you of any cancellation or significant delays of travel due to bad weather or any other unforeseen circumstances.
3. Medications. We will ensure that your child's medications are packed and transported for each trip.
4. Weekends We Run the Program. We will run the Weekends Home program every weekend, including the long weekends, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring Break. The Weekends Home routes will not run at the beginning or end of school.
5. Don't Send Money! We are not able to assume responsibility for any money sent with your child. Our staff is not allowed to accept money, and we strongly discourage parents from sending any money or valuables with the students' luggage.

Parent Responsibilities For Students Riding School Buses/Vans

1. Sticking To The Schedule You Have Chosen.We are not able to change the weekend home schedule assigned to your child except in emergency or critical situations. If you believe that you have an emergency or critical situation and would like to request a change in your child's schedule this must be done no later than 4:00pm of the day before travel will occur and you must call either:

   Garner Vogt
   Residential Director
   Comprehensive Residential B
   (512) 206-9115

   or

   Shelly Allen
   Residential Director
   Comprehensive Residential A
   (512) 206-9179.

   Also, if your child will not be returning on Sunday, as soon as possible, please notify:

   Anita Lewis
   Weekends Home Coordinator
   (512) 206-9231
   (512) 844-9362

2. Picking Up Your Child On Time. You must be at the designated pick-up point each Friday and Sunday to pick up or drop off your children. If you would like to arrange for someone other than yourself to pick up your child, you must submit a written statement to Mr. Vogt or Ms. Allen so staff will know that they have permission to release the student to the person you designate.
3. Checking In With a Staff Member Before Leaving the Drop-off Point. When you arrive at the drop-off point, please get out of your car with your child and make contact with a TSBVI staff member.
4. Medication. If your child came home with medication on Friday, then you must return the medication on Sunday. You must check with the TSBVI staff member who is the medication sponsor before leaving the drop-off point. If the medication is not returned, a TSBVI staff member at the drop-off point will notify the TSBVI Health Center and ask permission for the child to return on the bus or van without the medication. The staff member will then tell you whether your child may return without the medication.
5. Dropping Off Your Child On Time. You must be at the drop-off point on time. The bus or van will leave each stop promptly on schedule. The driver is not allowed to stop at any point other than the designated drop-off point without permission from the Weekends Home Coordinator. If you know that you will be late to the drop-off point, you may call the school and ask for permission to "catch up" with the bus or van at another designated point. We will try to work with you to make another stop, if it is safe and convenient for the bus to do so.

   If you miss the bus or van entirely, it is your responsibility to arrange for your child's transportation back to TSBVI. Garner Vogt and Shelly Allen will assist you with this, if necessary.

6. Children With Certain Medical or Health Conditions Will Not Be Allowed to Return on the Bus or Van. Any student experiencing a temperature above 100 degrees, diarrhea or vomiting will not be allowed to return on the bus or van.

   If, after observing any child, the staff member has observed any type of medical or health problem indicating that the child may not be healthy enough to return on the bus or van, the staff member may contact the TSBVI Health Center and describe the problem to the nurse on duty. The nurse will determine whether the student will be allowed to return on the bus or van. The staff member will inform you of the nurse's determination.

7. Snacks and Valuables. Since we will not provide snacks on Sunday, if you want your child to have a snack on the Sunday trip, you must provide the snack. Due to time constraints, the students may no longer buy snacks or other items at stores during the bus trips. Please plan ahead by providing snacks for them. Also, remember that we will not be responsible for any money or valuables you send back with your child.
8. Using the toilet and a change of clothes. Prior to boarding the bus for the return trip to TSBVI, please take your child to the toilet. Also, for those students that need it, please provide between one to three changes of clothes and at least three diapers/pull-ups, if appropriate. These actions will help preserve your child’s dignity and comfort in event of an accident on the return trip. Thanks for your help!
9. Required Reports of Child Neglect and Abuse. Texas State law requires all persons who have reason to believe that a child has been abused or neglected to make a report of abuse or neglect to a law enforcement authority such as a police department or the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services. Reporting abuse or neglect is required.

   Therefore, any TSBVI staff member who believes that a TSBVI student has been abused or neglected will make a report of such abuse or neglect to an appropriate authority.

   Types of conduct that may be reported include striking a child and driving a child while intoxicated.

10. Prohibition against Releasing Students to Persons Who Appear to be Under the Influence of Alcohol. TSBVI prohibits Weekends Home drivers and escorts from releasing any student to a person who appears to be either legally intoxicated or incapable of safely operating a vehicle because of alcohol use. At any time a driver or an escort believes that the person to whom the student is to be released is legally under the influence of alcohol or cannot safely operate a vehicle, the driver or escort will notify the local law enforcement authorities to come to the pick-up or drop-off location. The law enforcement authority will determine whether the student may be released to the person picking up the student.

Rules and Conduct Expectations for Students Who Ride TSBVI Buses and Vans

1. Respect Others' Rights. Students must respect the rights and privileges of other students and Weekends Home staff.
2. Respect Others' Property. Students must respect the property of others.
3. Cooperate with Staff. Students must cooperate with or assist the Weekends Home staff in maintaining safety, order, and discipline.
4. Remain Seated! Students are to remain seated and buckled in their seats as long as the vehicle is in route.
5. Batteries.Your child is likely to enjoy a smoother bus trip, if they carry enough batteries to power any electronic equipment that they use, such as CD and tape players. Spare or replacement batteries are often necessary, especially during the four-hour trips. Let us know how we can help. Thanks!
6. Headsets Required! All radios, CD players, etc. must be used with a headset unless Weekends Home staff has given permission otherwise.
7. SHH! Students must keep all noise levels as low as possible.
8. Quick Rest Stops. Students must cooperate to make each rest stop as quickly as possible. Due to an increase in the number of students riding and our lack of knowledge regarding all of their dietary restrictions, students will not be able to purchase snacks or drinks at rest stops.
9. Glass Prohibited. Students may not bring glass objects onto the vehicle unless they are stored in their luggage.
10. No Aerosols or Sprays. Students may not bring aerosols or sprays (such as perfumes, colognes, etc.) into the seating area of the vehicle.
11. No Hanging Out the Window. Students must not throw or hang anything out of the window of the vehicle.

The rules of the student code of conduct apply at all times on the Weekends Home vehicles.

Weekends Home Trip Schedule

Weekends Home Pick-Up and Drop-Off Directions