Safe Bus Riding Guidelines
School Bus Regulations and Expectations
To protect your child’s privilege of riding the bus, please review these rules and expectations:
- To keep the buses running on time for all customers, students shall be at their assigned stops five minutes before the bus is scheduled to depart.
- Student(s) must present a bus pass card upon entering the bus. If middle or high school student(s) forget/misplace or lose their assigned card, they must obtain a paper bus pass from the school office prior to entering the bus on the PM route. If the assigned card is not located within 2 days, a new pass must be purchased. All replacement cards are obtained at the Transportation office. For all Middle and High School students: If a new pass is not purchased on the third day, Transportation will not transport the student(s) home. Student(s) will be sent back into the school office, where parents will be notified to pick them up.
- Elementary students will only ride their assigned bus and exit only at their assigned animal stop, unless they have a written bus pass from the school which has been signed by a school administrator. Notes from parents must be turned into the school to receive this bus pass. These passes will be handed to the driver upon entry. Secondary students are not required to ride their assigned bus or exit at their home bus stop. However, they could lose the privilege of any bus, any stop because of space available or behavior issues. Drivers cannot accept anything but a bus pass.
- Students will leave the property of other students alone.
- Students will sit in their assigned seats, facing the front with their back-pack or musical instrument in their lap.
- Food allergies restrict eating and drinking on the bus.
- Students are not to be yelling out the windows or on the bus.
- Skateboards/scooters are prohibited on the bus. No balloons or glass containers.
- Sports equipment shall be kept in either the back-pack or another secured closure bag while on the bus.
- Profane or other inappropriate language is not acceptable on the bus or at the stop.
- Students will respect others' property; do not play in the yards near the stop, or in the road.
- Keep the aisle clear of instruments, bags and feet.
- Follow the instructions of your driver for safety procedures.
- While waiting for the bus, stand ten feet from the roadway. Wait for the door to open before approaching. Do not push, shove, or crowd others while entering the bus. Students need to go directly to their assigned seat. When crossing the street or leaving the bus stop location, cross ten feet in front of the bus when the driver indicates it is safe to do so. Be alert to traffic.
- Students shall not use, display or provide any alcohol, tobacco/nicotine products regardless of the means of delivery (smoking, vaping, chewing, matches, lighters, etc.). Weapons, zappers, or laser pointers, are prohibited as well.
- Students will be respectful of the driver and other students.
- Sharp objects such as pencils, compasses or any other tools will remain in the backpack.
- Students will remain in their assigned seats during transportation and until the bus has come to a complete stop, the park brake has been applied, and the service door opened.
- Students will not tamper with or damage the bus, including the seats, floor, sidewalls, or any other equipment, including the emergency equipment. (For any damage, fines will be assessed and a loss of bus privileges.)
- Students will keep their head, hands and feet inside the bus at all times.
- Students will not throw any objects in or out of the bus.
- Student use of PTDs (portable technology device or cell phones) with camera and/or audio/video recording capabilities is prohibited in any location where such use could violate another person’s reasonable expectation of privacy. In addition, students may not download or view any inappropriate images or videos while riding the bus. Students shall not use PTDs to maliciously violate the student code of conduct or Board policy. At the discretion of the driver, music or games may be accessed through the device, with an earbud attachment in one ear only.
- Students will not squirt or spray any liquid, perfume or any other aerosol product.
- Bullying, harassment in all forms or any other similar behavior will not be tolerated at the stop or on the bus.
- Students will refrain from hitting, roughhousing or any physical play at the stop or on the bus.
- Students will remain on the bus once they have boarded.
- Once the bus is in motion, no one will be allowed to approach or board the bus.