Welcome to the Walking School Bus (WSB) and Pickup Hub (PHUB). Our mission is to provide a safe, active, and community-minded way for children to travel to and from school. By enrolling your child in this program, you agree to comply with the following Terms and Conditions.

1. Enrollment and Participation

• Registration: Children must be officially registered with the program before participating. Parents must provide up-to-date emergency contact information and disclose any relevant medical conditions.
• Age Ranges: The program is primarily designed for students from Kindergarten to Year 6.
• Changes in Attendance: If your child will not be joining the Walking School Bus on a scheduled day, parents must notify the Coordinator by the designated times before the operation of the bus via a pre-arranged WhatsApp group.

2. Timeliness and Attendance

• Morning Departure: The Walking School Bus operates on a strict schedule. The “bus” will depart the designated drop-off zone at the pre-arranged time. Volunteers cannot wait for late arrivals, and parents will be responsible for getting their child to school if they miss the departure.
• Afternoon Collection: For afternoon routes, children must proceed directly to the designated assembly point at school dismissal. If a parent is meeting the WSB at the afternoon pickup zone, they must be punctual.

3. Behavioral Expectations (The Student Code)

To ensure the safety of the entire group, participating children must agree to:

• Follow all instructions given by the volunteer “Drivers” and “Conductors” immediately.
• Remain within the walking group, stay on the footpath, and never run ahead or lag behind.
• Cross roads only at designated crossing points when instructed by a volunteer.
• Treat volunteers and other children with kindness and respect.

4. Parent/Guardian Responsibilities

• Safe Handoff: Parents/guardians are responsible for their child’s safety until they are handed over to the WSB volunteers at the morning drop-off zone, and immediately upon dismissal at the afternoon pickup zone.
• Weather Readiness: Parents must ensure children are dressed appropriately for the weather (e.g., raincoats, umbrellas, sunscreen, hats) and are wearing enclosed, comfortable walking shoes.
• Emergency Contact: Parents/Emergency Contacts must remain reachable by phone during the hours the WSB is operating.

5. Volunteer Qualifications and Verification

• Safety Screening: To ensure the absolute safety and protection of all participating children, all program administrators and volunteer “Drivers” or “Conductors” must hold a current, valid state-issued Working with Children Check (WWCC) or relevant statutory clearance.
• Compliance Registry: No volunteer will be permitted to supervise or accompany children on any Walking School Bus route until their clearance status and registration number have been formally verified and recorded in our central database.
• Program administrators and volunteers must upload their valid Working with Children Check (WWCC) or relevant statutory clearance directly through the Walking School Bus and Pickup Hub mobile app or web portal prior to commencing any supervision duties.

6. Health, Safety, and Medical Protocols

• Medical Conditions: Volunteers are trained in basic supervision but are not medical professionals. If your child requires an EpiPen, asthma inhaler, or other emergency medication, it must be provided in their school bag, and the Coordinator must be informed in writing.
• Extreme Weather: The WSB may be canceled in the event of extreme weather (e.g., torrential rain, lightning, or severe heatwaves). In the event of a cancellation, parents will be notified via pre-arranged WhatsApp group and will be responsible for alternative transport.

7. Service Reliability and Operational Limits

• Operational Goal: We aim for high reliability, targeting an operational availability of 98% to 99% over the school year.
• Unforeseen Disruptions: While we make every effort to ensure the Walking School Bus and Pickup Hub run precisely as scheduled every day, a 100% operational guarantee is not possible due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control. These include, but are not limited to:
  • Sudden or severe extreme weather events (e.g., flash flooding, lightning storms).
  • Sudden, unexpected shortages of volunteers or emergency illness.
  • Local emergency situations or localized safety hazards along the route.
  • Unforeseen IT and Communication Outages: Temporary technical disruptions to our scheduling system, volunteer coordination apps, or communication networks that prevent the safe administration and tracking of the route.
• Communication Protocol: In the rare event that the service cannot operate, coordinators will issue an alert via a pre-arranged WhatsApp group as early as possible. If a widespread IT or network outage prevents us from sending digital alerts, the service may be suspended by default for safety reasons. Parents must have a backup transport plan in place for these rare occasions.

8. Liability and Waiver

• Voluntary Participation: Participation in the Walking School Bus and Pickup Hub is entirely voluntary.
• Limitation of Liability: While every reasonable precaution and safety measure will be taken by the volunteers, The Walking School Bus and Pickup Hub platforms, its organisers, and volunteers accept no liability for any personal injury, loss, or damage to property that may occur during the operation of the program.
• Supervision Limits: The program’s responsibility for the child begins strictly when they check in with the volunteer at the designated drop-off zone and ends when they enter the school grounds (morning) or are checked out to an approved guardian at the pickup zone (afternoon).

9. Media and Privacy

• Data Privacy: Personal information collected during registration will only be used for the administration of the WSB program and will not be shared with third parties. Please check our Privacy Policy at https://gnhitsolutions.com.au/privacy-policy/
• Photography: From time to time, photos may be taken for community updates or school newsletters. By participating in this program, you consent to photos of your child being used for program or school newsletters. If you do not consent to photography, please notify your coordinator or administrator in writing.