2010-11 TRANSPORTATION
PRE-REGISTRATION
Get ahead of the crowd and reserve your seat now for the 2010-2011 school year. ALL students (this includes returning students and new students) who plan to ride the bus next year are required to pre-register by Friday, May 7, 2010. Pre-registration is easy and available 24/7:

• Pre-register electronically by clicking HERE  OR
• Pre-register by phone at 515.633.4990 (En espanol at 515.633.4989) and follow the prompts

Bus service pre-registration is very important in order to establish routes and provide your student’s bus pass at school registration in August.  If you do not pre-register for bus services you may receive automated calls requesting pre-registration for each student in your household.  Once you have completed the bus service pre-registration, you will be removed from the automated call list. 

As a reminder, to qualify for transportation services, the student must meet the minimum following criteria:

• Attend a WDMCSD school or Sacred Heart School with the exception that Phenix Elementary does not provide student transportation services.
• Attend the school within the assigned school boundaries as determined by their primary residence.
• Live outside the 3/4 mile walk zone from assigned school.

For additional information regarding student transportation, you may contact the Transportation Department at 515.633.4902

ONLINE PAYMENT SYSTEM FOR BUS PASS FEES

PaySchools is a secure online payment processing system that allows parents to send payments for transportation fees by electronic check or credit card. It lets you pay for your child’s bus pass anytime, anywhere. Using PaySchools is easy and convenient. Just click on the PaySchools icon to get started.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have already been using PaySchools to make online payments for school lunch, you will not need to create a new profile/log-in.

If you are using PaySchools for the first time, please follow the prompts for new users during the check out process.
>> Download Information/Instructions for PaySchools Registration

For questions/concerns regarding the use of PaySchools to pay transportation fees, please contact Pam Hull at 515-633-4925 or hullp@wdmcs.org.

The Transportation Department strives to serve the needs of students and to provide safe, efficient transportation to school and school-related activities.

Free & Paid Transportation

Free Transportation

Grades K-8 - Transportation is provided free of charge to students living more than two miles from their assigned schools.

Grades 9-12 - Transportation is provided free of charge to students living more than three miles from Valley Southwoods Freshman High School or Valley High School.

Involuntary Transfers - Students involuntarily transferred to a school other than their designated attendance center are provided free transportation. The Transportation Department uses a mapping software and/or a "Nu-Metrics" measuring device to determine the free or paid status of a student’s residence.

Paid Transportation Outside Walk Zones
Students who do not qualify for free transportation, but live outside the walk zone for their assigned school are eligible for transportation for a fee. Each school has established walk zones where students have access to safe walkways to school. Transportation is not available for families who live inside the walk zone.

Free or Reduced Bus Pass
Any student who lives in the paid transportation area and qualifies for the free and reduced lunch program may also apply for free and reduced bus pass fees. The school secretary will handle all requests confidentially.

Voluntary Transfers
A voluntary transfer student may ride a district school bus if he/she meets the established critera (A voluntary transfer occurs when a parent or guardian requests the student attend a school other than his/her neighborhood school. The principal at the receiving school must approve the voluntary transfer, based on available space).

Transportation for Voluntary Transfer Students

1. The student must go to an existing bus stop within the attending school’s boundaries.

2. The bus must have space available for the student requesting the transportation. Students living inside the school boundary will have preference if the bus is approaching capacity.

3. Because school bus transportation is a service provided to voluntary transfer students, regular bus pass fees must be paid.

West Des Moines Community School District
Covering 36.6 square miles, district boundaries are rather irregular, but generally lie north of Warren and Madison County lines, south of Urbandale Avenue, east of the Dallas County line and west of 63rd Street.

Color-Coded Boundary Maps
District boundary maps are available online and are color-coded to reflect the nine elementary school attendance areas and the two junior high school attendance areas. All students living within the West Des Moines Community Schools attend Valley Southwoods for ninth grade and Valley High School for Grades 10-12.

Elementary Boundary Map

Junior High Boundary Map

Contact Information
Transportation Dept.
2102 Delavan Drive
West Des Moines, IA 50265
(515) 633-4902