4 June, 2012
In accordance with the Student Transportation Policy of the Hopkinton Public Schools/Hopkinton School Committee:
- A student receives free transportation if he/she is enrolled in grades K-6 and lives two (2) miles or more from the school he/she attends.
- All other students in grades K-12 have the option to purchase a bus pass through the Fee-Based Busing Program. This option is available on a space-available basis.
- If your student(s) will be in grades K-6 and you live within two (2) miles of their school, a notice including a transportation application will be mailed to your home shortly.
- Payments for the Fee-Based Busing Program are to be received (or postmarked) by Friday, June 15, 2012. The cost for a bus pass for the 2012-13 school year is $210 per student with a family cap of $420. Bus routes will be designed immediately after the June 15 deadline.
- After June 15, 2012, the cost for a bus passes increases to $260 with a family cap of $520. Those making payments after June 15, 2012 cannot be guaranteed a seat on the bus or a nearby bus stop. No new bus stops will be established to accommodate students whose payments are not received by the June 15, 2012 deadline.
- Available seats will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis determined by the bus routes and the capacity of the vehicle. Students who are not entitled to town paid (free) bus service, and cannot be accommodated in the Fee-based Busing Program, will be placed on a waiting list based on the order in which the application form and payment were received.
Payment Options
- On-line payments may be made via a secure on-line payment center provided by UniBank. A link is located on the Hopkinton Public Schools website under Transportation. Payments made directly from a checking account are free. Payments by credit/ debit card are assessed a fee by Unibank. Only Discover and MasterCard are accepted by Unibank. Visa cards are not accepted. To pay on-line, you will need your child’s five-digit ID number. This number appears on all report cards and progress reports. If you cannot locate this number, it can be obtained by contacting your child’s school.
- Payments made by mail should be made via check or money order made payable to “Hopkinton Public Schools”. Please do not send cash. Payments must be accompanied by a completed 2012-13 Bus Transportation Application and should be sent to: Hopkinton Public Schools, Transportation, 89 Hayden Rowe Street, Hopkinton, MA 01748.
- Please note that installment payments are not allowed. The bus fee will not be prorated for one-way trips, nor will it be prorated for occasional use. Refunds and late purchase amounts are determined based on the schedule at the end of this letter.
- The School Committee continues to offer a Financial Assistance program which provides full and partial waivers of most school fees including the bus fee. Details of this program can be found on our website www.hopkinton.k12.ma.us. This confidential waiver form is easy to complete and should be sent along with your Bus Transportation Application. If you have difficulty locating the application on the website please call or email us and a paper copy will be mailed to you. Free and Reduced Lunch applications are no longer used to determine free bus pass eligibility.
- Daycare transportation procedures and requirements are being sent via Listserv separately, and can be found on the district website under Transportation.
- Bus passes will be mailed to your place of residence starting the first week of August. All students will be required to present their bus pass to the bus driver beginning with the first day of school. Please note: No bus passes will be available for pick-up at the Transportation Office during the summer months through September 14, 2012, as staff must follow a process of determining space availability before a pass can be printed.
- The two (2) mile limit for determining the bus fee for grades K-6 is determined using a Geographic Information System (GIS) provided by the Massachusetts Highway Department. These distances are based on the distance from your home address to your child’s school. Distances from childcare locations are not relevant. If you have any questions about distances, please contact us.
- Replacement bus passes can be purchased for a $5.00 fee at the Transportation office
Other Information
Questions regarding transportation should be directed to Mary Ann Fitzpatrick on 508-417-9381 or emailed to: transportation@hopkinton.k12.ma.us.
Purchase Refund Schedule
Bus passes purchased in September through December sell for 100% of the total cost and are eligible for a 50% refund.
Bus passes purchased in January through March sell for 75% of the total cost and are eligible for a 50% refund.
Bus passes purchased in April through the end of the school year are sold at 50% off and are not eligible for any refunds.
The additional $50.00 fee assessed after June 15, 2012, is not refundable.
Ralph O. Dumas
Director of Finance
