Student Afternoon Drop-Off Authorization

The Transportation Department is offering an online form to parents/guardians that will allow parents/guardians to designate 3 people to pick up students from the bus stop. These 3 people will only be allowed to pick up the specific student from the bus stop.  Contacts who can check students in and out of school are designated in a different place.  For student check-in/out information, contact your child’s school.

We request that parents/guardians of all kindergarten through fifth grade students need to complete this form. 

o    Parents/guardians of kindergarten, first grade, and second grade students need to complete the form with 1 to 3 contact names and phone numbers of people who can pick their student up at the bus stop in the afternoon.

o    Parents/guardians of third, fourth, and fifth grade students need to decide if their student can walk home without an adult in the afternoon. If the parent/guardian of the third, fourth, or fifth grader, selects “NO” on this question.  The parent/guardian will need to designate 1 to 3 contacts who will pick the student up at the bus stop.

The link to the Transportation Student Afternoon Drop-Off Authorization form is below.

Georgia Department of Family & Children's Services (DFCS) guidelines state that no child under the age of eight (8) years old should be left home alone without a parent or guardian to supervise them.

**ALL CHILDREN EIGHT (8) YEARS OLD & UNDER (GRADES K-2) MUST BE RELEASED TO A PARENT/GUARDIAN/DESIGNEE AUTHORIZED BY THE CHILD’S PARENT/GUARDIAN WHEN DROPPED OFF AT THE BUS STOP IN THE AFTERNOON.**

Please ensure that the individuations noted on the form will need to have a valid photo ID to show to the bus driver so that your child may be released to him/her.

If your child is in 3rd, 4th, or 5th Grade and is at least nine (9) years old, and you do NOT want the bus driver to leave your child at his/her designated bus stop without a parent/guardian present, you will need to complete the form at the link below?

Georgia’s DFCS Guidelines for Leaving a Child Without Adult

 Supervision: www.dfcs.dhr.georgia.gov

· Children eight (8) years old or younger should never be left alone, even for short periods of time.

· Children between the ages of nine (9) and twelve (12) years old, based on level of maturity, can be left home alone for brief periods of time.

· Children thirteen (13) and older can generally be left as babysitters, with the exception of children in foster care. However, it is not recommended that 13-year-olds baby sit infants, small children or children requiring special attention due to medical conditions.

Forsyth County Schools Transportation Expectations for Student Drop Off:

· The parent\guardian or designee should be at the assigned bus stop location five (5) minutes prior to the scheduled drop off time.
· The parent\guardian or designee should be physically present and visible at the bus stop so proper identification may be made by the bus driver. Please note that at times, a photo ID may be required.
· If the parent\guardian or designee of any child eight (8) years old or younger is not at the bus stop or if we do not have this signed permission form, the child will be returned to school.
· All requests for a waiver from any requirements contained in this Bus Stop Release Form must be submitted to the principal or their designee of the child’s school. Extenuating circumstances will be considered on a case by case basis.

Under normal circumstances, please allow three (3) school/business days for all bus-related transportation changes and requests to be reviewed, processed, and finalized by your child’s school and the FCS Transportation Department.

Thank you!