Bus App: Stopfinder

Williamson County Schools uses the bus app, Stopfinder. The app allows parents to have the most accurate information about your student’s bus schedule. Parents can easily view the stop location on the map, add another parent or caregiver to the account, and receive push notifications. Stopfinder will also allow communication directly with the WCS Transportation Department.

Families will receive an email invitation from Stopfinder to the email address currently on file with the district. Parents must first activate the subscription prior to downloading the free app. Refer to the Stopfinder Parent Guide to establish alert zones to know when the bus is close to your bus stop.

School Rezoning

The school board approved school zones for two new schools opening in August 2023, rezoning in the Nolensville area, and for new developments not yet under construction. 

The affected schools are Heritage ES, Longview, and Thompson’s Station ES; Heritage and Thompson’s Station Middle Schools for the Wilkes Lane site.  College Grove, Creekside, and Trinity for the Cox Road site.  Nolensville to Sunset ES and Mill Creek Middle to Sunset Middle in the Nolensville area.

Grandfathering after a school rezoning is not automatic.  The online out of zone request portal for the 2023-24 school year opens on February 1, 2023.  Deadline to apply is April 15.  Parents need to submit one application for each child.  Please note that out of zone students are not eligible for bus service.

Current School Zones

The Williamson County School Board establishes school zones for the district. School zones may change when a building becomes over its student capacity or when the district opens new schools. Due to rapid growth in Williamson County, we can only guarantee school zones for one year. Please note that you must reside in Williamson County to attend Williamson County Schools.

Information about your zoned school is available through Infofinder. To view the details about your address, enter your street address with the street type abbreviated. For example: enter Rd. for Road or St. for Street and leave the zip code field blank. Select search to view the zoned school and bus stop information.

To request your student(s) to attend a school they are not zoned for, please complete our Out of Zone online application for consideration and processing. Follow the instructions listed to create an account and complete the application request. All correspondence regarding the request status will occur through email once you register and submit the information. For all requests except those related to residential moves and programs of study, the deadline to apply is April 15, 2022. Denied requests may be appealed to the Zoning Appeals Committee. Contact the Planning & Zoning Department for more information at 615-472-4000.

Transportation Phone Number:  615-472-4950

Jeff Fuller, Transportation Director

• State law changed for the 2022-23 school year requiring a lottery if the number of open zone applications exceed the available spots. 
• A parent will submit an application to attend an open zoned school and will receive a confirmation email with randomly assigned order number of the submitted application. 
• The zoned and out of zone school principals will review the request.
• The application is then sent to the Planning and Zoning Department.
• The Planning and Zoning Department approves the request to enter the lottery, regardless of the number of applications received.
• The parent receives an email stating that the application has entered the lottery.
• The School Board voted to change the deadline to April 15, 2022, at the February 21 School Board meeting. After the deadline to apply, if the number of applications exceeds the number of spots available at a particular school, the lottery option will take effect within 5 business days.

If a Lottery is Not Required

• A parent receives an email stating their child is now assigned a place in the requested open zoned school.
• A parent logs into the out of zone account to accept or reject the placement within 7 calendar days from the date of the email. 
• When the placement is accepted by the parent, the Planning and Zoning Department changes the student’s school path field in Skyward to the new school. 
• After 24 hours, the parent may contact the new school for enrollment information.

If a Lottery is Required 

• Out of zone software randomly assigns an order number to each application. 
• A student list is determined by order number. 
• A student wait list is created after the number of available places have been assigned. 
• A parent receives an email stating that their child is now assigned a placement in the requested open zoned school. 
• A parent logs into the out of zone account to accept or reject the placement within 7 calendar days from the date of the email. 
• Parents with students on the wait list receive an email of their wait list number. 
• When placement is accepted by the parent, the Planning and Zoning Department changes the student’s school path field in Skyward to the new school. 
• After 24 hours, the parent may contact the new school for enrollment information. 
• Rejected or expired placements go to the next student on the waiting list. 
• All placements will be made by August 4, 2022, at 5:00 pm CST and the wait list/lottery process will conclude for the 2022-23 school year.

1. Students shall obey the driver. The driver must be totally in charge. Students shall respond promptly to instructions given.
2. Each student will be seated in the seats which they are assigned, take their seats promptly upon entering the bus and stay in their seat while the bus is in motion. No windows or doors will be opened or closed except by permission of the bus driver.
3. Students will not be allowed to tease, scuffle, trip, hold, hit or use their hand, feet or body in any objectionable manner.
4. The use of electronic devices or other items in a manner that might interfere with the school bus communication equipment or the driver’s operation of the school bus is prohibited. This may include, but is not limited to, cell phones, audible radios, tape or compact disc players, mirrors, lasers, flash cameras or other reflective devices.
5. The use of alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco, eating, chewing gum or soda drinks on the bus is prohibited.
6. Students must observe classroom conduct. Ordinary conversation is permitted. Loud, boisterous, profane language and obscene gestures or indecent conduct will not be tolerated.
7. Students must keep the aisles clear of items such as musical instruments, books, backpacks, etc. If student must carry such items, they will NOT occupy another student seat nor extend above the seat back. Animals (alive or dead), oversized objects as well as glass containers are not permitted.
8. At no time will a student put hands, head or other body parts out the window.
9. Students must treat bus equipment as they would the furniture in their homes. Any damage to bus seats, windows, equipment, etc., will be charged to responsible student. 
10. Students must have a bus permit to ride any bus other than their assigned bus. Parents must send written notice in advance to school principal with appropriate information for child to ride a different bus. Principal or their designee will approve and issue a Bus Permit. Student will give bus permit to bus driver when they board the bus.
11. Students will not ask the driver to let them off at such places as a store, job, etc. All extra stops must be approved in writing by the school principal or designee or Transportation Department in advance.
12. Students are asked to use the handrail when getting on and off the school bus.
13. If students must cross the street or road to board the bus, they must wait for the driver’s signal. They must cross well in front of the bus.
14. Students are expected to do the following: 
    • Be at the stop 5 minutes before scheduled pickup time 
    • Never run to catch the bus 
    • While waiting for the bus, stay clear of the roadway and wait in an orderly line 
    • Never exit using the rear door unless in an emergency and directed by the bus driver.

Failure to follow the rules and regulations may result in the following disciplinary actions: 

• First Offense – Driver completes Bus Behavior Referral Form and submits to principal
• Second Offense – Principal notifies parent 2 Revised: July 15, 2020
• Third Offense – Suspension from school bus • Extreme or zero-tolerance offenses may bypass the above steps for immediate bus suspension.

Parents must assume responsibility for the behavior of their children while their children are riding the bus. If permission to ride the bus is revoked, the parent must provide transportation to and from school for the student until such time as reinstatement is made.