NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – Nassau County students who want to ride e-bikes or e-scooters to school this year will need to be certified first.
Nassau County School District Superintendent Dr. Kathy Burns explained the new e-bike policies during an interview on The Morning Show.
The rules require middle and high school students to complete an application and pass a safety course before receiving authorization to bring their electric bikes or scooters onto campus.
“They have an application that they have to complete, and they will have to take a safety course and be certified that they’ve completed that course before they get the authorization to ride their e-bikes on campus,” Burns said.
Students and families can begin the process by contacting either their school directly or the district office.
Burns confirmed that safety courses are available now, with enough time for students to complete certification before the first day of school.
The new policy applies to both e-bikes and e-scooters at the middle and high school level. Students who arrive on campus riding an e-bike without prior authorization will not be permitted to do so under the new rules.
The district’s rollout of the e-bike policy comes as electric micro-mobility devices have grown in popularity among school-age students — and as safety concerns have prompted school districts across the country to formalize policies around their use on school grounds.
Parents looking for more information can contact their child’s school or the Nassau County School District office. Additional details are also available at nassau.k12.fl.us or through the NCSD app.
New welding program
In addition to the new e-bike policy, Nassau County Schools is launching a welding program this year through its career and technical education department — a first for the district.
Burns announced the new program as part of a broader expansion of career and technical education offerings available to students across the county.
How to track your child’s bus
With the school year approaching, one of the top questions the district receives every year is about transportation — specifically, how families can find out where their child’s bus is and when it will arrive.
Burns said parents can get real-time bus tracking information by downloading the Nassau County School District app.
“Parents can follow that and know where their bus is and when it’s coming and if it’s going to be late,” Burns said. “First days of school, we always plan for delays.”
For families who prefer to use the district website, transportation information is also available at nassau.k12.fl.us by clicking on the transportation section.
Download the NCSD app
Beyond transportation, the NCSD app is the district’s primary tool for keeping families informed throughout the school year. Burns encouraged all parents to download the app and follow each of their children’s individual schools.
“You can find out information on what’s going on in the school, what’s coming up,” Burns said. “That is the best to do that.”
For parents who want to communicate directly with a teacher about concerns in the classroom, Burns recommended reaching out to the child’s school first.
“Contact your child’s school and follow up there so that they can have a face-to-face or a conversation over the telephone to address any concerns that they may have,” Burns said.
School threats
In the event of a school threat or emergency, Burns said the district moves quickly to notify families and works in close coordination with law enforcement.
“We have a message that goes out to everyone in the case of an emergency,” Burns said. “We also work closely with our law enforcement agencies so that we are on the same page and pushing out information in those events.”
Burns also addressed the natural instinct many parents have to rush to campus when something happens, urging families to resist that impulse and instead wait for official updates from the district.
“It’s best for them to get the updates from us and then so that they know the next steps,” Burns said.
It’s not too late to enroll
For families who have recently moved to the area or have not yet registered their children, Burns said enrollment is still open.
“Families still can enroll in school,” Burns said.
Parents can enroll online at nassau.k12.fl.us/enroll or visit their child’s school campus in person to complete the process.