Transportation
School bus safety guidelines for students
Students need a note from their parent
to obtain a bus pass to ride on a bus other than their own. This
note should be brought to the main office before noon and the space availability
will determine if
permission can be given. While on the bus, students are expected to follow the
rules listed below:\
1. Observe classroom conduct.
2. Seatbelts are recommended for student safety.
3. Be courteous (do not use foul or abusive language).
4. Do not eat or drink on the bus.
5. Keep the bus clean.
6. Cooperate with the driver.
7. Do not smoke.
8. Do not damage bus or equipment.
9. Stay in your seat.
10. Keep head, hands and feet inside bus and out of the aisle.
11. Do not fight, push or shove.
12. Do not tamper with bus equipment.
13. Do not bring pets on the bus.
14. Do not bring flammable material on the bus.
15. The bus driver is authorized to assign seats and require students to wear
seatbelts.
16. No glass containers allowed.
17. Use of cell phones is NOT allowed. (Why?)
18. Students riding the late bus need a note from the staff member with whom
they remained after
school.
19. Electronic devices including, but not limited to, video games, CD, iPods,
radios will be allowed by bus
drivers as long as:
-
No sound on video games
-
Musical/MP3 players and game devices are used with headsets;
-
No conflicts or talk beyond quiet voices will be tolerated over these items;
-
These items are put away before getting on/off the bus;
-
Music/games with inappropriate language are not allowed;
-
Only “E for everyone” games are allowed on game devices. Students bring these items on
the bus at their own risk as school is not responsible for lost or broken video games, iPods,
radios or other electronic devices.
Reasons for not talking on, texting with, or otherwise using cell phones while on the school bus
1. Cell phone use--ringtones and loud
conversations--can be a major distraction to a bus driver.
2. Cell phone use may interfere with bus radios or on-board computers.
3. Many cell phones now have the ability to take pictures and videos, which can
inadvertently put the safety and privacy of our guarded students at risk if
these pictures are made public via social networking outlets (Facebook, Twitter,
MySpace, Blogs, etc.).
4. Cell phones can now also play downloaded music, which is prohibited on school
buses unless the student is using headphones. Bus drivers need to concentrate
when they are driving. Music being played aloud can interfere with the driver
hearing sirens from police, ambulance and fire safety vehicles.
5. Consistency is key when it comes to cell phone rules. The school bus is
viewed as an extension of the classroom--when on a bus students are asked to
abide by all rules governing the classroom. Since cell phones are not allowed in
the classroom, they are not allowed on the school bus.
6. If an accident does occur, premature phone calls or texts from students' cell
phones to parents can create unnecessary havoc (i.e., parents rushing to the
scene of a fender bender, parents vehicles blocking traffic, parents vehicles
interfering with emergency and police vehicles on the scene or getting to the
scene, etc.). Our bus drivers are trained every year to deal with on- and
off-road accidents.