Three children were on board the school bus Monday morning that was hit by a car north of Hayward, according to Albert Lea School District officials.

No injuries were reported.

Steve Anderson, director of transportation and facilities for the district, described the crash, which took place near the corner of Freeborn County Road 26 and 235th Street north of Hayward, as minor, “almost a fender-bender.”

Anderson said it appeared the driver of the short Albert Lea Bus No. 313 pulled out in the intersection but did not see a car approaching. The car hit the bus on the front side.

The bus was still driveable after the incident.

He said in any instance when a bus is part of a crash, the driver calls the Albert Lea Police Department or Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office and then school officials begin notifying parents of students along the route to let them know the bus may be delayed.

Officials also made extra effort to contact parents of students who were actually on the bus in this crash to explain what happened. Anderson said one student had to take a letter home notifying his or her parent about the crash because the parent could not be reached by phone.

He added that he thought the Albert Lea Bus Co. acted appropriately after the crash and did a “good job” in investigating the incident.

A representative with the bus company, who answered the phone Tuesday morning, called the crash a “minor accident” that wasn’t considered newsworthy.