Let’s be honest, when you were a kid, was there really anything better than finding out school's cancelled? Be it rain, snow, or a water main break, the reason for a school cancellation mattered not — only that you got to stay home. Few things can compare to the bliss children feel when they know there’s no school tomorrow.

Yet as a parent, finding out that school has been canceled can really mess with your day. Suddenly, you have to find a babysitter for your son or daughter. And if you rely on your school’s hot lunch program, you need to make sure your child has a nutritious meal for the day.

While you can’t stop Mother Nature, you can have up-to-date information about school cancellations so you have time to plan ahead.

One of the most important decisions you make as a parent is choosing great schools for your children. You want your son or daughter to learn about math, science, music, and art but you also want your child to grow socially and to learn about how the world works.

Today’s parents have a lot of choices when it comes to how their children are educated — traditional public schools, a variety of private and religious schools, home schools and publicly-funded charter schools.

Most people are familiar with and understand that the primary difference between private and public schools is how they are funded. Unlike private schools that require you to pay tuition for your child’s education, public schools are entirely funded through federal, state, and local taxes.

Charter schools are an entirely different breed of school. In fact, they are actually independently-run public schools that operate according to their own guidelines, while still meeting certain state and federal standards.

No one wants to hear that their child is acting aggressively toward other children. If your child steps over the line more than once, you may wonder how to tell if he or she is a bully.

We talked earlier about the types of bullying. But what is bullying, and how do you know if your child is involved?

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, bullying is undesired, aggressive behavior among students that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to repeat. Children who bully, and who are bullied, may suffer the consequences throughout life.

Bullies have existed since the dawn of humanity and they aren’t going away any time soon. However, as a parent in 2016, it’s important to understand the different types of bullying and the warning signs that your child may be a victim.

When you were growing up, bullies did things like give “Indian” burns, wet willies and swirlies, or knock your books out of your hands. Yet like everything else in this world, bullying has evolved. That’s not to say it’s better or worse than it was years ago — it’s just different.

The government recognizes that school buses carry precious cargo. That’s why certain school bus safety laws were implemented to protect your children. In some states, school buses are even equipped with auto-sensing cameras that photograph motorists who violate school bus traffic laws.

New Jersey traffic rules for bus stops

School bus operations are regulated at the state level, which is why the laws and traffic rules for bus stops vary across the country.

What may be legal in one state may be illegal in another, and vice versa. For example, in Alaska, vehicles must stop for a school bus that is loading or unloading passengers. However, vehicles are not required to stop if they are on the opposite side of a divided highway.

Being a millennial mom or dad is a tough job, especially when your children would rather stare at a glowing screen than study, play outside, or socialize with friends. Kids these days, right? However, modern technology also provides many benefits to busy parents.

For example, cell phones enable parents to stay in touch with their children from anywhere at any time. So, doesn’t it make sense that as a parent, I should also be able to track my bus online or from my phone? After all, that yellow vehicle is responsible for safely transporting your child every school day.

When our customers ask us, “What is the best part of working at SafeStop?” The answer is of course, our people! Every month we spotlight one of our awesome employees. These spotlights will highlight their experiences, accomplishments at SafeStop, and fun facts about what makes them great!

This month, we're featuring Stephen Rosling, Project Manager of Routing Services, who has been with SafeStop for about a year.

The conversation around whether or not schools should use uniforms evokes passionate arguments from both sides. Those against uniforms claim they are unconstitutional and stifle freedom of expression. Proponents of uniforms claim they reduce violence and gang activity.

For many years, only private schools required students to wear uniforms. Today, a large percentage of public schools have also implemented a school uniform policy. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), from 1999–2000 to 2013–14, the percentage of public schools requiring students to wear uniforms increased from 12 to 20 percent. The general view is that uniforms are a sign of order and students in private schools have more discipline.

When you ride in a motor vehicle, minutes feel like, well, minutes. However, when kids, especially young children, ride in a car or bus, a short period of time can feel like forever. And a bored child can quickly turn into a rowdy and disruptive child.

In addition to saving the bus driver from daily headaches, school bus games provide entertainment and safety for all passengers on board. Games designed for school buses keep children in their seats and happily distracted for the duration of their journey to and from school.