Transportation & Boundaries

Transportation Office - Rules of Student Conduct

Riding a school bus is a privilege and not a right. It is a privilege which each rider can keep by maintaining appropriate behavior while waiting at the bus stop, loading, riding, and unloading. Proper conduct by the students contributes greatly to the safety of the student transportation program. With this in mind, the Superintendent or designee shall develop appropriate procedures for student bus conduct.

1. The bus driver is in full charge of all persons riding on the bus and has the same status and authority as a teacher insofar as discipline is concerned. Students shall obey the directions of the bus driver promptly and courteously.
2. Students shall board and leave the bus at their established stop, except when they have a request signed by their parent/guardian to board or leave from another established stop. Students shall ride their assigned bus unless reassigned by the respective school principal/designee.
3. Students shall observe safe pedestrian practices while walking to and from the bus stop. Students shall arrive at their designated bus stop not less than five (5) minutes nor more than ten (10) minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive. Students shall wait in an orderly manner and shall respect private and public property while waiting at the bus stop.
4. After the bus has come to a complete stop, students shall enter the bus, go directly to an available or assigned seat, and remain seated until the bus stops to unload students.
5. If it is necessary for students to cross the road before boarding or after leaving the bus, the student must wait fifteen (15) feet in front of the bus until an "all clear" signal is given by the driver, then cross carefully.
6. Students shall talk quietly and avoid loud or distracting noises on the bus. Students shall avoid unnecessary conversations with the driver while the bus is moving. Absolute silence is required when the driver stops the bus at a railroad crossing.
7. Students shall not tamper with emergency doors or equipment.
8. Students must keep all parts of their body (hands, arms, feet, head, etc.) inside the bus at all times. No materials are to be thrown inside the bus, from the bus, or into the bus. Eating or drinking is not allowed on the bus except when unusual circumstances exist and prior approval is given by school transportation personnel.
9. School district policies and procedures pertaining to drugs, alcohol, tobacco, controlled substances, and weapons are in effect at the bus stop and on the bus.
10. Breakable containers, skateboards, hazardous materials, cigarette lighters, matches, shop projects, or animals, other than assistive animals, are not permitted on any school bus. Any items carried on the bus must be small enough to be held on the lap of the student.

The bus driver shall first endeavor to convey to the student the seriousness of the violation of any of the Student Bus Conduct Procedures. Upon continued violation, the driver shall refer the student to the principal/designee of his/her respective school. The principal/designee shall seek to impress upon the student the need for improvement in bus conduct and may utilize various consequences for initial misbehavior on the bus including, but not limited to, a warning, an in-school suspension, and/or a conference with the student, parent/guardian, and bus driver. Persistent or serious violations of bus conduct procedures may result in the suspension of the student's transportation privileges. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, the principal, the District's supervisor of transportation, or designee shall suspend the student's bus transportation privilege as follows:

Written notice to the parent/guardian will be provided with each suspension and/or permanent revocation of transportation privileges.

The calculation of days in a bus transportation suspension for a student shall exclude those days when the student is not in attendance.

Vandalism/destruction of school bus property will result in payment for damages and automatic forfeiture of all school bus privileges for one (1) calendar year (365 days) from the date of occurrence.

SEVERE CLAUSE

Nothing shall prevent the District from denying transportation to any student in any school bus or other transportation equipment operated by or under the authority of the District, upon good cause given in writing to the parents/ guardians of such student.