Dear Parents/Guardians:
Learning to drive and becoming a licensed driver is a privilege that many teens eagerly anticipate. I am looking forward to being part of this process along with you. My goal is not only for your child to become a licensed driver but also a competent, confident, and safe driver.
Classroom instruction will take place on Wednesday-Friday (May 24th-26th) and Tuesday & Wednesday (May 30th & 31st) from 9:00 am-4:00 pm at LaMoure High School in Room 223. This will meet the mandatory 30 hours of classroom training. A lunch break from noon-1:00 pm will be given to the students each day. Students will be expected to bring either a personal or school-issued laptop computer for online lessons and tests.
Upon completion of classroom instruction, the student will be expected to complete six hours of behind the wheel training along with six hours of in-car observation. Behind the wheel instruction will begin on Thursday, June 1st. Sign up for driving time will take place during classroom instruction. A driver’s permit is necessary (before the end of June) to fulfill the behind the wheel requirements.
A person needs to be 14 years old to take the knowledge test to obtain a permit. The knowledge test can be taken at any drivers license office location or at home with the online testing program at www.KnowToDrive.com/nd. For more information about testing locations, instructions, requirements, and resources, go to www.dot.nd.gov.
When the classroom and behind the wheel requirements are fulfilled, a Student Completion Certificate will be issued. If the student demonstrates above average competence, responsibility, and maturity, a road test waiver can be awarded at my discretion. This allows your child to obtain a license without taking the road test if the instructional permit has been held for 12 months or if the age of 16 has been reached, whichever comes first. If your teen is seriously interested in the road test waiver, I strongly recommend that he or she has completed a minimum of 50 hours of supervised driving in both rural and urban areas. For more details on parent’s supervised driving, go to https://www.dot.nd.gov/divisions/safety/teens-parents.htm.
To enroll your child in drivers education, contact me by calling or texting at (701) 770-8079 or by e-mail at matt.trapp@k12.nd.us. The enrollment deadline is Friday, May 12th. A course fee of $125 (for LaMoure School District students) or $150 (for non-school district students) can be paid with the LaMoure School business manager, Sheila Bierman. The Student Completion Certificate and class credit will not be awarded until all fees are paid in full. If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Matt Trapp