Transportation Matters

Dear Students and Parents:

We would like your help with a few school transportation issues that have been a concern over the past month.  The issues deal with crossing the street, picking up and dropping off students, busing, and a long term sewer realignment project that is about to begin.

  1. Crossing the Street:  Having met with York Region Transportation officials, a number of improvements have been made on 16th Avenue such as the installation of speed warning monitors.  Nonetheless, cross the street only when the crossing signal indicates that you may do so.  Do not run when crossing.  Please be patient and alert.
  2. Drop off and Pick Up:  We have received notification that Markham City Enforcement Officers will issue Penalty Notices to the owners of vehicles that remain parked in the Fire Routes in front of schools unless drivers stop briefly to either drop off or pick up a student.  Please synchronize your pick up so that there is no time lag.  Drivers should only use the one lane closest to the school for this purpose.  The outer lane should remain clear for cars to pass through.  Similarly, staff parking becomes blocked when drop offs occur inside the parking lots to the east and west of the school.  An alternative drop off area is behind both the main building and the North building.
  3. Sewer Realignment:  You may recall that a sewer works project occurred last winter to the east of the school.  The results of this have led to the need for a much larger project that will commence next week.  Several kilometers of sewer will be realigned starting with a portion of 16thAvenue to the east of the school.  This will last approximately five months and will be followed by a second phase to the west of the school.  As a result of this work, a portion of the sidewalk on the north side of 16th Avenue will be closed off
  4. Busing:  To ensure that students are as safe as possible on buses and that our bus drivers can focus on their driving, we ask students and parents to review the following key protocols.
  • Board the bus at the back of the main building of the school.  Once the bus departs at 2:40 p.m., it will not stop to pick-up students who have missed the bus as this compromises the safety of the passengers on that vehicle, surrounding vehicles, as well as those students who are trying to board.  If you are taking the YRT, please wait patiently in line to board the bus (no pushing or budding), and once you have boarded move to the back of the bus so that others may enter.
  • Remain properly seated at all times on the bus.  Wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before getting up to exit the bus.
  • Keep your voice down and speak respectfully.  If you wish to play music, please do so privately by using earphones.  Not doing so demonstrates disregard for your fellow student passengers and also compromises the bus driver’s ability to concentrate.
  • In general, behave safely, respect yourselves, your fellow passengers, and the bus driver who is the official supervisor on the bus, just as you would when you are in class at school.  Bus drivers will submit reports to the office when there has been a failure to do so.

Thank you for your patience in dealing with the revised bussing schedule that occurred for many bus routes several weeks ago.  If you as a parent or student experience any issue regarding transportation, please report it to the main office and we will work with you to address the matter.  On a final note, if you are a senior student who drives to school, please be sure that you display the school parking decal on your rear view mirror.  Visit the main office if you still do not have one; there is no cost.  The decals enable us to ensure that all vehicles parked on our school property belong to members of our community.

Thank you for your support and cooperation in working together to ensure the highest level of safety and consideration that we can have at St. Brother André.