Keep in mind that bus routes may take substantially longer during the first weeks of school, as we are running new routes and limiting the number of students on each bus. Students should plan to be at their assigned bus stop 10 minutes before their scheduled pick up. As students become more familiar with the bus-riding process, the route timing will change, becoming more consistent and efficient. Students will still need to be at the bus stop 5-10 minutes early as weather and traffic can affect the timing of the route.
It is important for parents to know that Hawthorn schools follow a detailed dismissal schedule to ensure that each child reaches their destination safely and comfortably. Classrooms are dismissed in separate waves, and staff carefully check bus passes as students are escorted to the bus. At the beginning of the year, buses may not leave the school grounds until 20 or 25 minutes after the final bell. As students become more comfortable with the dismissal routine, this time shortens substantially.