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◆ Students and bus staff will be wearing masks.

Transportation to and from school will look a little different for many LCSD2 families this fall. Bus policies will be different than they have been in the past, and it’s possible that they may need to be adjusted again as the year progresses.

Beginning August 24th for high school Freshmen, and August 25th for all other students, all individuals riding a district bus will be required to wear a face covering while on the bus.

According to the LCSD2 Smart Start School Re-Opening Summary found on lcsd2.org, “Face coverings shall be worn during transportation when six feet of separation cannot be maintained.”

With the number of students typically transported throughout the day by bus, six feet of separation between individuals will not be possible, so everyone on every bus will be expected to wear a face mask while riding the bus.

“Families are going to be asked to provide a mask for their student,” said Ryan Lyman, LCSD2 Transportation Director. “The county health department has masks available for families who need them, and the school district will have masks available for students who aren’t able to acquire a mask. We will have extra masks on the bus for students who are unable to get a mask or who forget their mask. Other than that, it’s going to be normal on the bus.”

LCSD2 is also asking all parents and staff to perform a simple health screening each day before they leave their home. Guidelines for the screening can be found at lcsd2.org and include simple steps such as checking body temperature, evaluating respiratory health, and gauging general energy levels. This process should help prevent illness from spreading on the bus and at school.

Other points of interest for families include the fact that there will be hand sanitizer available for students as they enter the bus. Every bus will be thoroughly sanitized before each run, and students will be asked to sit with their siblings rather than mingle with friends on the bus.

If a student becomes ill while they are on the bus, their school will be notified, and parents will be contacted by the school and asked to retrieve their student from the school.

“The main thing is that we are using the governors most current order as our base,” said Lyman. “The tricky part is that it changes every 2 weeks. It makes it tricky for us and for students and parents.”
For complete guidelines on transportation and other back-to-school information, visit lcsd2.org.