Admissions

Bus Information

August 1, 2012

Dear Falmouth Academy Parents,

As a service, Falmouth Academy provides bus transportation for off-Cape, mid-Cape, and Vineyard students.

Our primary objective is to link the safest possible pick up/drop off points in such a way that no student must suffer an excessively long ride. The routes and times change from year-to-year in order to service effectively and fairly the largest number of people at the lowest possible cost. FA does not offer door-to-door service so that it can meet those goals.

We recognize the difficulty many of our families face to commute to Falmouth Academy, and we operate our bus service at a loss in order to support that sacrifice. We are often able to help families arrange car pools, and some of our students from Falmouth use the Falmouth public school buses.

All Falmouth Academy buses leave Falmouth Academy Monday through Thursday afternoons at 4:30 p.m. On Friday afternoons they leave at 2:30 p.m. Besides Fridays, there are several other days during the school year when buses need to leave at 2:30 p.m. These dates are posted on the school calendar. Please note them!

The Falmouth buses: Falmouth residents may ride the public school morning buses to Falmouth High School and shuttle to FA on a special public school bus. The number of this bus will be available in August and parents may call the Superintendent’s Office (508-548-0151) for this information. In the afternoon, the shuttle picks up students and delivers them to the Lawrence School where they pick up their neighborhood bus. The Falmouth Enterprise Back-to-School supplement lists the public school bus routes and pick-up times.

Since there is no formal supervision of students on any day on which the buses leave at 2:30 p.m., such as on days with faculty meetings or dances, we would like Falmouth parents to make sure their child is aware of the Falmouth bus system, even if a student normally gets picked up by car on other school days. Students really cannot linger on campus much later than 2:30 p.m. unless they are playing in or watching an athletic event. Except in these cases, parents should arrange to have their child leave campus soon after the close of school at 2:30 p.m. We offer no adult supervision on these afternoons.
All of the following routes will be operated by Cape Destinations. Rita Haulman is the primary contact person at Cape Destinations and can be reached at (508) 432-3400 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

The Marion/Mattapoisett bus will operate mornings and afternoon this year. The bus will pick up Mattapoisett students at Railroad Avenue at about 7:00 a.m., and then proceed down Route 6 to the Cumberland Farms at the intersection of Route 105 and Route 6 with a pick up of Marion students at about 7:10 a.m.

The Plymouth bus will run as it did last year, arriving at school by 7:45 a.m. The bus leaves exit 11, Kingston/Duxbury at 6:30 a.m. and stops at various points on Route 3 according to this tentative schedule:

6:30 a.m. Exit 11, Kingston/Duxbury
6:40 a.m. Exit 10, Kingston
6:50 a.m. Exit 5, Plymouth Totem Pole
7:00 a.m. Exit 3, Plymouth
7:20 a.m. Buzzards Bay rotary
7:25 a.m. Bourne rotary

The Woods Hole shuttle bus meets the Vineyard and Woods Hole students at the Woods Hole Ferry Terminal and arrives at Falmouth Academy about 8:00 a.m. The Woods Hole departure time depends on the timely arrival of the Vineyard ferry. Even though the shuttle is designed for Martha’s Vineyard students, Woods Hole students may ride the shuttle at the regular fee if there is room.

The mid-Cape bus will run as it did last year arriving at school by 7:45 a.m. The bus leaves Exit 6 in Barnstable at 6:50 a.m. in the morning and stops at various points in the mid-Cape according to this tentative schedule:

6:50 a.m. Exit 6 Burger King on Route 132
6:57 a.m. Marstons Mills Olde Barnstable Golf Course on Route 149
7:06 a.m. Sandwich Newtown Road Ridge Club Golf Course
7:15 a.m. Mashpee Mobil Gas Station

In general: Falmouth Academy buses support the program of the school. This is why they leave Falmouth Academy at 4:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 2:30 p.m. on Fridays. These times enable students to use the library and computer room and to participate in sports and other after-school programs. Students who have other obligations after school must make their own after-school transportation arrangements.

Bus passes are available for students and guests if there is room on the bus. Tickets for individual rides may be purchased from Mrs. Joyner in the business office. We instituted this service at the suggestion of some parents, to encourage students to make friends in various regions served by the school.

Falmouth Academy designs bus routes to make them as affordable and as convenient as possible. Sometimes it takes a few days to get all the pick-up/drop-off times and stops coordinated. But our drivers are experienced and can be very helpful. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call me at school.

Sincerely,

Michael J. Earley
Assistant Headmaster
Director of Admissions