The driver of a school bus is charged with a heavy responsibility for the safety of the children in his/her care. The right of students to ride in the school bus is dependent upon their behavior and observance of rules pertaining to proper conduct. Drivers are authorized to enforce these rules and to make suggestions in line with good citizenship.

Students are assigned to their respective buses at the beginning of the school year. One bus stop for the morning and one bus stop for the afternoon. Drivers will assign seats on the bus. Changes in bus assignments cannot be made without permission of the transportation supervisor, and /or building administrator.

**A student who wishes to ride on a bus other than the one to which they are assigned is not permitted at this time.

Meeting the Bus:

• All students should be at the bus stop 5 minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive. Please follow the 5-minute rule to accommodate for variables.

• Students walking on a roadway to a stop should always walk on the left, on the shoulder of the road, facing traffic.

• Students, when crossing the road, should walk, not run and pay attention to the drivers hand signals for safe crossing.

• Students shall not run alongside the bus when it is moving.

• Students should stand well away from the shoulder of the road in an orderly group while waiting for their bus.

On the Bus:

• All Board policies and school rules are in effect on the bus.

• Students shall obey the driver who has full charge of the bus.

• Students shall not crowd or push while entering the bus, and shall go to their assigned seats immediately.

• ALL PASSENGERS WILL REMAIN SEATED WHILE THE BUS IS IN MOTION.

• Students shall refrain from talking with the driver except in an emergency, and shall never use profanity.

• Students shall not tamper with the emergency door or any other part of the bus equipment.

• Students shall not mark or deface the bus. A student will pay for any damage done by them to seats or other bus equipment.

• No weapons such as guns, knives, etc. are allowed on the bus.

• No pets, wild animals, insects, glass containers, or reptiles are allowed on the bus.

• Students shall not open windows without first getting permission from the driver.

• Students shall not throw anything out of the windows, nor shall they extend arms, legs, or head out of the windows.

• Students must not shout or wave to pedestrians or occupants of other vehicles from the windows of the bus.

• Students shall not fight or scuffle in the bus or create any disturbance to distract the driver's attention from driving.

• Students shall not throw anything inside the bus.

• There will be NO food allowed on the bus due to student allergies.

• Students shall not place lunch boxes or other objects in the aisle of the bus.

• Students shall remain seated until the bus comes to a complete stop before exiting from the bus.

• In the event of a road emergency, students shall remain in the bus unless/until the driver directs them to do otherwise.

• Students should remain quiet when their bus is approaching railroad crossings.

• Students shall not leave buses at places other than regular bus stops unless proper authorization has been obtained from parents or guardians and school officials. 

• Any students failing to obey these rules will be reported in writing to the school principal for discipline in accordance with the following guidelines.

Enforcement of Bus Rules

The following progressive disciplinary procedures are intended as guidelines only. Building principals have the discretion to impose discipline consequences based upon the relevant facts and circumstances of each case, including but not limited to, the nature of the violation and the student's prior disciplinary record.

First Written Warning: The bus driver speaks to the student and then prepares a bus disciplinary form for the building principal. The principal discusses the problem with the student. The principal takes an appropriate disciplinary action with the offending student. The principal notifies the parents in writing of the student's offense, the disciplinary action taken and the consequences of further misbehavior.

Second Written Warning: The bus driver speaks to the student and then prepares a bus disciplinary form for the building principal. The principal discusses the problem with the student. The principal takes an appropriate disciplinary action with the offending student. The principal notifies the parents in writing of the student's offense, the disciplinary action taken and the consequences of further misbehavior.

Third Written Warning: The bus driver speaks to the student and then prepares a bus disciplinary form for the building principal. The principal discusses the problem with the student. The principal suspends the student from all bus-riding privileges including to and from home and the activity bus for up to 10 school days. The principal arranges a meeting with parents, student, bus driver, and transportation director prior to the reinstatement of the student's bus-riding privileges.

Fourth Written Warning: The bus driver speaks to the student and then prepares a bus disciplinary form for the building principal. The principal discusses the problem with the student. The principal may suspend the student from all bus-riding privileges including to and from home and the activity bus for the remainder of the school year. When final suspension occurs, the principal notifies the parents by telephone and sends a letter indicating the offense and disciplinary action taken.

Severe violations of the aforementioned rules are subject to immediate revocation of bus riding privileges.

Field/Extra Curricular Trips

The District provides properly supervised buses for both extracurricular activities and field trips for educational purposes.

The majority of field trips start after school begins and end before school closes, so that students can travel to and from school on their regular bus run. Most extracurricular trips take place after school hours and parents are responsible for bringing their children to school and picking them up at predetermined times.

The School District feels a heavy responsibility for the safety and well being of students involved in trips of this nature. For this reason students are expected to observe the following guidelines.

Students will respond to the direct supervision of the teacher or coach and are expected to behave at all times.

Following an activity, everyone is expected to return to school on the bus unless a parent speaks personally to the teacher or coach and obtains permission to take his/her son or daughter from the site of the activity.

Students are expected to stay with their group at all times as instructed by the teacher or coach in charge. 

All bus regulations outlined in the transportation section are in effect.

TRANSPORTATION REQUEST FORM

(staff only, login to MSAD Google account required)