Henrico Schools officials want to know if your student needs bus transportation

Henrico Schools officials will be surveying parents next week to learn how many of their students will need bus transportation in the coming school year.

The school system is conducting its annual pupil transportation planning, and officials hope to learn more about which students will need transportation in the morning and afternoon. They’ll send a two-question survey to parents and guardians Monday, July 26.

Those with multiple students in the school system will receive multiple emails and should complete separate surveys for each child. The surveys will not be sent to families who live in areas identified as within walking distance of their student’s school, according to school system officials.

The current federal order from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention remains in place, requiring that masks be worn on public transportation, which includes school buses. Currently, all bus passengers and operators, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear a mask over their nose and mouth. The order doesn’t stipulate physical distancing, however. To prioritize the safety of our students and staff, HCPS will continue to follow CDC, Virginia and federal laws, guidance and recommendations, to the maximum extent practicable.

While families are being asked to assist in the transportation planning process, bus transportation will be available to all students who need it, regardless of questionnaire completion, officials said.