Message from the Committee on COVID-19

As fellow parents of students in the IBT program at Allan A. Martin public school, we understand that this pandemic has been challenging and caused uncertainty. We would like to keep you informed of changes, policies and information related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

School Closures

When buses aren't running due to school closures, we do not pay full price for bus services. GGAM is a volunteer-led non-profit organization, and any funds remaining at the end of the school year are refunded to parents. However, as this has been a challenging year with lower ridership than usual, we do not anticipate a large refund this year.

Transition to In-School Learning

If you wish to transfer from distance to in-person learning, please contact us at contact@ggam.ca as soon as possible to be added to one of our bus routes.

Transition to Distance Learning

If you transition to distance learning and will no longer require the bus, we are unable to provide a refund for the remainder of the school year. However, the situation will be handled on a case-by-case basis and refunds may be provided if the spot on the bus is filled by another student.

Assigned Seating

To aid in physical distancing and to minimize contact between students, seating will be assigned by class cohort as assigned by the school. Buses will be loaded to full capacity, and windows will be opened when possible to increase ventilation. The seat behind the driver will remain empty.

The seating plan will remain in effect for the entire school year, as directed by the school board and Ontario ministry of health.

Masks Required

All students are required to wear a face mask at all times while on board the bus, unless a medical condition prevents the use of a mask. Students are required to be wearing masks before boarding and are not permitted to remove masks until fully disembarked from the bus. Students not wearing masks will not be allowed to board the bus.

COVID Self-Assessment

Prior to leaving home for the bus stop, all students are required to complete the Government of Ontario’s COVID self-assessment. If the self-assessment directs a student to stay at home and monitor health, or to get tested for COVID-19, they must not come to the bus stop and stay home.

Waiting at Bus Stops

Peel Public Health’s physical distancing guidelines must be followed at all times, and students are required to leave space between each other while waiting at the bus stop.

Additional Precautions and Sanitization

In accordance with Provincial and School Board requirements, our school bus service provider, First Student, will:

• Require drivers to complete a wellness check prior to each bus run

• Provide masks for drivers to be worn while on the bus

• Provide a face shield for driver use during loading and unloading, as required

• Provide hand-sanitizer for drivers and students as needed

• Sanitize buses twice per day, using a disinfectant spray

Notification of COVID-19 Infection

We ask parents/guardians to notify us in the event of suspected COVID-19 infection as soon as possible by email at contact@ggam.ca or by phone at 647-490-3155 (leave a message.)

When we receive notification (from a parent/guardian, the school, the school bus provider, or any other source) that a student on our bus routes is suspected of a COVID-19 infection, we will notify all bus riders of the infection by email and/or SMS. Where possible, we will also notify students seated in close proximity to the infected student. Note that we will not share the name or any other personal information. We will also work closely with the school to share information about suspected COVID-19 cases, which we will pass on to our riders.

Unwell Students

If a student is feeling unwell while on the bus, the driver will notify the school, bus provider and committee as soon as possible, who will contact the student’s parent/guardian. The bus driver will complete an incident form to capture the date and the names of students that traveled on that route for contact tracing requirements. The bus will also be sanitized before being put back on the road.

In the event that a student is feeling unwell during the school day, the student will not be permitted to ride the school bus. The school will also notify us and our bus service provider for contact tracing purposes.

Absent Students

If a student is required to isolate at home and will not be riding the bus, refunds will not be provided. The bus costs are fixed and we pay the same amount for the bus, regardless of the number of students riding, and as such we are unable to provide refunds.

Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at contact@ggam.ca .