FCPS: Taking Cello on Bus

[Anonymous]

Has anyone's child taken a cello on the schools bus or are they considered too big/a safety hazard?

[Anonymous]

No cellos or basses on buses. Those students do a shared rental at the school for practices at the school and they leave their instrument at home except for after school practices and concerts. The cost is reasonable (our DC's bass is $46/year) and there is help for those for whom it is not.

[Anonymous]

Depends on the school. I have kids at 2 elementaries. One allows it, the other does not

[Anonymous]

My child's best friend would get driven in on the days she needed the cello. I don't know if they were allowed to have the cello on the bus or not, but it was safer for the cello for them to drive in on those days.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your replies. I'll drive DS to school on days he needs the cello. I think it's only going to be one day per week.

[Anonymous]

Kiss and ride on cello day.

[Anonymous]

Don't take the cello on the bus unless you plan to pay for a damaged instrument.

[Anonymous]

You can get insurance with your rental, which you should do anyway because it is very easy to damage the bridge.

[Anonymous]

Langley allows you to store the cello.

[Anonymous]

My son has taken his cello on the bus for 2 years now. No problems whatsoever. When he started, we asked if he could use a school cello, but they don't allow that. We can't do kiss-n-ride because I have 3 kids at 3 different schools.

[Anonymous]

My guess the bus driver may have a say. They may ask the student to sit in the front of the bus so it's less hassle than carrying it (and knocking knees) to the back. Know that it the young kids that sit in the front of the bus, so your kiddo may not be sitting with his/her age group.

[Anonymous]

It all depends on how crowded that particular bus is. I think it's the driver's call. My youngest will start cello this year. The bus driver has the kids leave the cellos up front.

[Anonymous]

Keep in mind that if your kid continues with strings in middle school, they have to take the instrument back and forth every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind that if your kid continues with strings in middle school, they have to take the instrument back and forth every day.

Not for cellos and basses. Students rent a school cello/bass for the year and only have to bring their instrument for afterschool practices and concerts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son has taken his cello on the bus for 2 years now. No problems whatsoever. When he started, we asked if he could use a school cello, but they don't allow that. We can't do kiss-n-ride because I have 3 kids at 3 different schools.

But you'd only be picking the cello player up, and the other two could take their normal way home.