GREEN COVE SPRINGS – With the start of school less than one month away, the Clay County Schools District announced students should be registered for bus transportation by Friday, July 15.

To be ensured a spot on the bus route, students must have an up-to-date home address in their Synergy System, according to district’s policy. Certain addresses are not acceptable to be included in the bus routes.

Terri Dennis, Chief of Staff for the School District, said that the fast-approaching deadline is necessary for the Transportation Department to design and consolidate routes if needed.

“(The deadline) allows our Transportation Department to look at designing routes for the upcoming school year. By knowing our ridership ahead of time, we can consolidate routes if we need to,” Dennis said. “We also have the opening of a new school this year, Spring Park Elementary, which means we are adding more routes. We’re adding another school, which means we’re adding more routes. This is why we have the July 15 deadline, so we can get everything together with the (department) to start crafting potential routes before the start of school.”

To register for transportation, parents and guardians should complete a survey on the district’s Facebook page, One Clay, or at its website, www.myoneclay.net. If there are multiple students, each child is required to a separate form. The survey includes a “submit another response” option to streamline the registration process for families with multiple children.

Parents and guardians can contact the school’s Facebook page or call (904) 336-0014 for any questions or concerns.

Dennis said it’s important to meet the deadline, which will facilitate the department in planning the bus routes. 

The transportation department wants to accommodate ridership based on the distance criteria established by the district. Elementary students living one-and-a-half miles from the school and secondary students living two miles away will have greater priorities. Dennis said it doesn’t matter if a child will only use the bus in the morning, afternoon or on certain days of the week. The district wants an accurate account of students who will require transportation.

Dennis encouraged parents and guardians to complete the survey even if unsure about their child’s transportation needs to ensure they are better prepared.

Families of students with exceptional student education who already have transportation included in their Individualized Education Program are also encouraged to register. The first day of classes will be on Aug. 10. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for Spring Park Elementary. Also, the new cafeteria at Keystone Heights Elementary is set to open.

While the school district is finalizing bus routes and schedules, Dennis said delays are common during the first few weeks of school. Changes in bus stop locations, pickup times, and other unplanned service disruptions, such as weather-related issues, can contribute to these delays. 

Dennis said the district’s enthusiasm for transporting students to school safely and on time while requesting families to remain patient during the first few weeks of the school year as logistical challenges arise.