Calling all new bus riders!

All K–6 students taking the bus for the first time are invited to the Edmonton Expo Centre on Thursday, August 22 for the 16th annual First Riders event. This free event is a unique hands-on opportunity for you and your child to get familiar with riding the bus before the school year begins.

Grade 7 students new to Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) and families wanting a refresher are welcome too.

Afternoon sessions run every half hour, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Evening sessions run every half hour, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Please register by August 19 to save your spot.  

Yellow Bus Service to LaPerle School

Busing provided to Strategies students, Rosenthal and Stewart Greens students and students who live within LaPerle but further than 1km from the school. 

If you have any questions about the yellow bus service to LaPerle School check out the Yellow Bus Basics Video

If your child is not already receiving Yellow Bus service from Rosenthal or Stewart Greens you may apply here https://www.epsb.ca/schools/gettoschool/applyingforyellowbusservice/

INCLEMENT WEATHER

Cold temperatures, wind chill and snow can make getting to and from school challenging.

CLOSING SCHOOLS IN BAD WEATHER

Division schools do not close due to bad weather. Assume that schools are open unless you hear otherwise through the media or directly from the school.

Schools need to remain open even under the most severe weather conditions to provide a safe environment for students who choose to attend. It is up to you to decide whether or not to send your child to school on days with severe weather, but please inform the school if you choose to keep your child at home.

YELLOW BUS SERVICE IN BAD WEATHER

Yellow school buses may run later than usual, or not at all, on days when the weather is very bad. It's important to have alternate arrangements in place for getting your child to school in case the bus doesn't arrive. Don't leave your child unattended at the bus stop in severe weather for any period of time. Learn more about late and cancelled buses.

Traffic & Pedestrian Safety

PEDESTRIAN SAFETY

Please use the marked crosswalk and follow the directions of the Safety Patrols. Jay-walking and coming out between parked cars is very dangerous. Thank you for not making U-turns or turning around in neighbouring driveways in our school zone. 

Thank you for taking an extra few minutes to help keep everyone safe!

Jaywalking

Jaywalking is dangerous for you, and dangerous for your children.  Everyone believes they are going to do it “safely”… collisions with pedestrians in the City of Edmonton proves this to not to be true.  In 2012, there were 329 collisions involving pedestrians, with 9 fatalities.  In 2013 there have been 227 collisions involving pedestrians, and 7 fatalities so far. 

As well, jaywalking with our children teaches them bad habits that they will likely use when parents are not with them. Please do not park your vehicle across the street, and then just run across to the front doors because “it is faster”.  If you don’t feel comfortable dropping your children off at the front doors, please do the responsible thing and park your car and then cross the road at a crosswalk.  If you cross the road not at a crosswalk with your child, you can be issued a ticket for each person that you are responsible for.

City of Edmonton Bylaw 5590 - Section 59 (1) A pedestrian shall not cross, or attempt to cross, from one side of a roadway to another at any point other than within a crosswalk.

Fine: $250 per person 

U-Turn

This may be one of the most misunderstood laws in the country.  Where are U-Turns legal? Where are they not legal?  Section 30 of the Traffic Safety Act – Use of the Highway & Rules of the Road states that you cannot do a u-turn:

• on a roadway between intersections;
• at an alley intersection;
• at an intersection controlled by a traffic control signal (traffic lights); or,
• at a place where a sign prohibits making a U-turn.

Fine: $115

Illegal Parking

The parking areas directly in front of our schools are signed so as to create the safest area for students, school buses, and drivers.  Failure to follow the directions of the signs increases the jeopardy for all.  If you must escort your children to their room, please park away from the front, and walk them to the school. 

Some common Bylaw 5590 parking violations that will be strictly enforced are below:

Speeding

Speeding is the single most reported complaint by teachers, parents, and even non-parent members of the community.  The City of Edmonton has only one designated school zone which falls under the Provincial School Zone Legislation (HorseHillSchool) restricting speed to 30 km/h.  As such, in all other school areas, speed limits are as posted, or 50 km/h where not posted.  Caution should still be foremost on your mind when driving by, or near, a school zone.  Whether you are speeding or not; whether a child is “jaywalking” or not; if you are in a collision and/or strike a child… you are going to be late for wherever you were going.  Very late.  We all understand that people are on tight schedules these days.  “Time is money” they say.  Slowing down to travel through a school area will only add tenths of seconds to your travel. A collision investigation, especially where a person is severely injured, will add hours. A fine from a collision can be paid off quickly, however the guilt usually lasts considerably longer.