Nicki Haynes: K-2 Counselor
Ella Watson: 3-5 Counselor
Alanna Williams: School Social Worker
Maegan Frye: Student Support Coach

For arrival and dismissal:
To allow traffic to flow smoothly, all cars must turn right onto campus from James Blvd. Cars must also turn right to exit.

For the safety of everyone:
Bike riders must dismount and walk their bikes to the rack once they are in front of the school. 

Buses enter the horseshoe drive in front of the school at arrival and dismissal times. Please do not block this drive with vehicles during these windows.

For any safety or driving concerns regarding First Student buses (buses numbered 200 and above), please contact 423-498-5555 or visit www.firstfeedback.com

Buses are expected to arrive within 10 minutes of their scheduled time. Please have students at their stops and ready to board the bus 10 minutes prior to the scheduled arrival time. The bus schedule can not allow more time to wait for tardy students or for students to exit personal vehicles. For more information, please see the rules of conduct in the Transportation Policy Manual

Hamilton County Schools transports more than 20,000 students to and from school each day. There are 251 daily bus routes covering 23,000 miles each day and 4.0 million miles annually. Our mission is to provide safe and efficient transportation to and from school daily.

Bicycle Riding Certification

At Thrasher, students in grades 3 – 5 have been permitted to ride to and from school without an adult. This year, we have seen a pattern of unsafe riding. It seems to us that student bike riders are simply unaware of safety practices. Starting now, students will have to pass a short bicycle safety quiz to earn a bicycle parking permit. Permits are free. Once students pass the quiz, please print the certificate or take a screen shot of it. Send certification to Mrs. Johnston to receive a bicycle parking permit. Permits will not expire.

Instead of creating our own quiz, we worked with the Illinois Department of Transportation which already had developed a safety review for students. They were kind enough to share their work with us and give us some guidance in these practices.

Child bicycles at Thrasher without permits will be locked until the rider passes the safety quiz or a parent retrieves the bicycle.

Click here for the Bicycle Certification Quiz.

Here is a study guide:

1. Walk bicycles when on Thrasher property to be safe around cars, buses, and walkers.
2.  Bicycle riders tend to cause the accidents between bicycles and cars.
   1. Thrasher prefers bicycles use sidewalks.
   2. If you ride on the road, ride on the right side of the road (as a car would do).
   3. An important skill to master is the ability to look behind you when riding. You should be able to look over your shoulder to see if a car is coming without swerving or wobbling.
3. When bicycle riders use a street or road, they must follow the same rules as car drivers.
   1. Bicycle youth riders are allowed to use the street when their parents are confident in their ability to ride safely.
   2. If you are riding on the street and are passing parked cars, stay in the street lane and stary far enough from cars to avoid doors opening unexpectedly.
   3. When cars or bicycles come to an intersection, right of way laws are important to understand.
      1. Vehicles arriving at intersections first have the right of way for leaving the intersection first.
      2. If two or more vehicles arrive at an intersection at the same time, vehicles going straight have right of way over people turning.
      3. If two or more vehicles arrive at an intersection at the same time, vehicles turning right have right of way over people turning left.
4. If someone is blocking your path on a sidewalk, you should stop or slow down, let the person know that you are there, and announce your plan to pass safely.
5. Helmets are required in Tennessee for people 15 years of age and younger. A policeman can cite a parent with a $500 ticket if a child is not wearing a helmet properly while bike riding.
   1. Helmets should be level on the head (not tilted back) so that the forehead (and frontal lobe) is protected.
   2. The helmet strap should be snug under the chin.
6. When riding at night, lights and reflectors are required.
7. Tires should be inflated for safety. You can check tire inflation by squeezing the tire. If it is squeezable, the tire is probably not safe for bicycling.
8. Bicycle riders should understand these hand signals.

– 1 = Right turn
– 2 = Left turn
– 3 = Stop
– 4 = not a real hand signal
-5 = right turn