Procedure No.

6605P

Adoption Date:

July 11, 1984

Revised:

June 8, 1999

 

MANAGEMENT SUPPORT STUDENT SAFETY WALKING TO SCHOOL AND RIDING BUSES

 

Student Conduct on Buses

Any misconduct by a student, which in the opinion of the bus driver or bus supervisor, is detrimental to the safe operation of the bus shall be sufficient cause for suspension of transportation privilege.

 

Rules of conduct for students riding buses:

  1. Your child's safety is our main concern. Students shall obey the driver and any aide assigned to the bus by the district. The driver is in full charge of the bus and passengers and shall be obeyed. If an aide is assigned to the bus by the district, he/she shall be responsible for the conduct of passengers. When transporting classes or teams, the teacher or coach shall be primarily responsible for the behavior of the students. Students shall obey both the driver and the teacher, coach or other staff member.
  2. Students shall be on time at bus stops. Procedure is to be at the stop five minutes early and wait in a safe and orderly manner.
  3. Students shall ride their regularly assigned bus at all times.
  4. A student shall be permitted to leave the bus only at his or her regular stop, unless written permission has been given by the school principal or other designated school official.
  5. Students shall stand away from the roadway curb when any bus is approaching or leaving a stop.
  6. Students going to and from their bus stops where there are no sidewalks shall walk on the left-hand side of the roadway facing oncoming traffic. Students shall go directly to their home after leaving the bus.
  7. Students must look both ways and wait for the drivers signal before crossing a roadway and always cross in front of the bus in full view of the driver.
  8. Students shall enter and leave the bus in an orderly fashion.
  9. Each pupil may be assigned a seat in which he/she will be seated at all times unless permission to change is given by the driver.
  10. Students are to remain in their seats while the bus is in motion. Students must sit facing the front of the bus and may talk in a low conversational level with those near them.
  11. Students shall not carry, or have in their possession, items that can cause injury to passengers on the bus. Such items include, but are not limited to, sticks, breakable containers, weapons or firearms, straps or pins protruding from clothing, large, bulky items which cannot be held or placed between legs, etc. Radios, other than Walkman size with ear phones, will not be allowed on the bus. Books, backpacks, and other personal belongings shall be kept out of the aisles.
  12. Students shall not be allowed to have animals on buses.
  13. No student shall open a window on the school bus without first receiving permission from the driver. No student shall at any time extend head, hands, or arms out of the window, whether the school bus is in motion or standing still.
  14. Students shall not sit in the driver's seat or to the immediate right or left of the driver.
  15. Students shall refrain from talking to the driver unless necessary.
  16. Students are to assist in keeping the bus clean. Eating or drinking or gum chewing on a school bus is not permissible except when specifically authorized and supervised by school district personnel.
  17. Any damage to a bus must be reported to the driver immediately. Students will reimburse the school district for damage to buses resulting from student misconduct and may be subject to loss of riding privileges and suspension.
  18. Fighting, excessive noise, boisterous behavior, vulgar or profane language or gestures will not be allowed.
  19. Smoking, chewing/spitting tobacco, and using any type of flame or sparking device on the school bus will not be allowed.
  20. When the bus stops at a railroad crossing, there will be absolutely no noise or talking.
  21. Students will not tamper with emergency doors or equipment.
  22. Students shall follow emergency exit drill procedures as prescribed by the driver.
  23. Student misconduct shall constitute sufficient reason for suspending transportation privileges.

 

Disciplinary Procedures

Principals shall assist the transportation department in correcting those students whose inappropriate behavior results in a bus-incident report or violates the rules. The principal shall provide supervision during bus arrival and departure times at his/her school and receive reports (written and oral) from the drivers. The principal shall insure that students comply with the specified regulations. Open lines of communication among school officials, bus drivers, and the transportation department are critical for consistency and accountability of student conduct.

When waiting for a bus, or going to and from a bus stop, students are responsible for conducting themselves according to the social and legal mores that apply to adults in public. That is, they must not abuse or cause damage to private or public property; they must not use obscene language or gestures; they must not engage in criminal activity. Failure to adhere to these mores may result in formal complaints by citizens which may be forwarded to principals or transportation supervisor for possible corrective action.

Students provided with transportation are responsible for complying with the district's rules of conduct for students riding buses. Failure to adhere to these rules, or inappropriate behavior towards the public, driver, fellow passengers or the vehicle constitutes justification for initiating corrective action against a student.

Inappropriate behavior on the part of a student riding a bus may result in a written report when, in the opinion of the driver or bus supervisor, there has been an infraction of the rules applicable to student conduct. The written report is the primary means by which a driver communicates a student's conduct to the school, transportation department, and parent. This report, in most cases, reflects an infraction of rules which is repeated by the student after his/her having received previous oral warnings from the driver. In order for drivers and bus supervisors to effectively maintain control on their buses, the assistance of the principal, when appropriate, is critical for stopping misconduct.

When a student's conduct constitutes an infraction of the rules, the driver or supervisor shall complete a report on the student describing the incident or damage that occurred. The driver or supervisor shall provide the student with the original, which must be signed by the parent before the student will be allowed to continue riding the bus. A copy of the report will be given to the principal, and a copy submitted to the transportation supervisor.

 

Infractions are to be divided into two categories: Minor and Major.

 

Minor Infractions (Equivalent to Category I and Category II of Student Handbook)

Defined as: Eating or drinking on bus, excessive noise, extending parts of body out windows, slapping, spitting, boisterous behavior, profane language and gestures, failure to obey bus driver, failure to stay seated while bus is in motion, chewing tobacco, or any other disruptive conduct.

 

Consequences for Minor Infractions:

Citation #1: Driver sends form home, notifies parent by phone, and sends copy to principal.

Citation #2: Driver sends form home, notifies parent by phone, and sends copy to principal.

Citation #3: Driver sends form to principal recommending suspension from bus. Student is suspended off bus from 1 to 3 days depending on severity. Principal sends form home to parent.

REPEATED MINOR INFRACTIONS MAY RESULT IN SHORT OR LONG TERM SUSPENSION.

 

Major Infractions (Equivalent to Category III of Student Handbook)

Defined as: Fist fighting, smoking, lighting matches and lighters, vandalism, fireworks, willful defiance of driver, harassment, or other unsafe, dangerous, or illegal actions.

 

Consequences for Major Infractions:

Citation #1: Bus driver immediately alerts principal. Student suspended from bus riding privilege for 5 days.

Citation #2: Bus driver immediately alerts principal. Student suspended from bus up to and including expulsion for remainder of year. Principal will call parent and alert superintendent.

MAJOR INFRACTIONS INCLUDING GUNS, WEAPONS, KNIVES, ASSAULTING DRIVER, DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, ETC. (EQUIVALENT TO CATEGORY IV OF STUDENT HANDBOOK) WILL RESULT IN EMERGENCY EXPULSION AS PER STATE LAW AND DEER PARK SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICIES.

The above minor and major infractions may result in consequences applied at school as well as on the bus. For example, a person fighting on the bus may be suspended from school as well as the bus.

The student or parent of a student who has been suspended from receiving transportation entitlements may appeal the supervisor's decision by submitting a written statement to the superintendent. The superintendent shall render a decision after evaluating the issues and facts involved. If the decision is based on issues unrelated to those described in the district's rules of conduct for students riding buses, the decision shall require board concurrence before implementation .

 

Emergencies

The transportation supervisor shall review the contents of the School Bus Driver's Handbook with each driver prior to the beginning of each school year. Each driver, in turn, is expected to follow the procedure as outlined in the handbook.

 

Accidents:

In the event of an accident it is essential that certain steps be taken immediately, especially if anyone has been injured. Assuming that he/she is in physical condition to discharge these duties, the driver should:

  1. Call 911, then the bus garage.
  2. Calm the students, if any, and ask an adult or older student to take charge of them. Keep them in the bus if it has not been badly damaged, is in a normal position, and is not in further danger.
  3. Determine if anyone has been injured; if so, administer first aid.
  4. Put reflectors in front of and in back of the bus as soon as possible.
  5. School officials shall notify a law enforcement officer, send for an ambulance if necessary and send a district representative to the scene of the accident. If needed, the transportation department will dispatch another bus to transport the students to their destination. The transportation department will contact the parent(s) or guardian(s) of any students who are injured.
  6. Make a seating chart of all students on the bus at the time of the accident.
  7. No matter how minor the accident, obtain the data necessary for making an accident report. Obtain the names and addresses of witnesses, if any .
  8. Do not talk to anyone regarding the accident, except to a law enforcement officer and then not in the presence of others.
  9. Do not drive the bus from the scene of the accident until authorized by a law enforcement officer to do so or unless it is jeopardizing the safety of others.
  10. Go to the transportation department as soon as possible after the accident to make the report for the law enforcement agency and for the insurance company representing the district.

To facilitate the responsibilities assigned to the transportation department, the supervisor will compile a list of students, including addresses and phone numbers, that are authorized to ride each bus route.

 

Emergency Exit Drill Procedures:

These practice drills are to be held on school property only. Procedure for the drills is as follows:

1.

Shut off motor, set hand brake, leave bus in gear and pull keys.

2.

The driver shall point out the location and explain the operation of emergency equipment as follows:

a.

Instruct students on opening, closing and exiting from emergency exit doors and windows. The driver shall personally supervise the exiting of students through the exit door with the assistance of older students or staff standing on each side of the door to assist students exiting the bus. Persons assisting in the drill shall offer a helping hand palm up and shall avoid grasping a student's hand or arm.

During emergency exit drills, students shall exit only through the rear exit doors. In an actual emergency they should be instructed to use any and all exit doors that are not blocked.

Only those students whose participation in an exit drill poses a substantial difficulty to themselves or to other passengers shall be excused and/or excluded from exit drill participation. Students who are excluded from participation shall be given oral instruction in bus safety and exit drills at least three times during the school year .

b.

Show students where fire extinguishers are located and instruct students on how to remove and operate the fire extinguishers. Fire extinguishers are not to be actually used during the emergency drill .

c.

Show students where first aid kits are located and advise them of the contents and proper use of medical supplies contained in these kits .

d.

Show students the location of emergency warning devices and advise them of the proper use of these devices.

e.

Show students how to use the cellular telephone.

3.

In a real emergency situation, an older student shall use the telephone to call 911 and the bus garage. The proper phone numbers for these organizations shall be posted on the bus.

4.

On completion of emergency exit drills drivers shall complete the official bus emergency exit drill report and return it to the supervisor.