Rules for Transported Students

 

  • Students shall obey the driver promptly and respectfully. The driver is in full charge of the school bus.
  • Students shall be held responsible for the condition of their seats. The driver has the authority to assign seats.
  • Students shall be at their designated stop five minutes prior to scheduled bus arrival time. (The bus shall wait if ahead of schedule.) Students shall follow all road safety rules.
  • Classroom conduct is to be observed. Students shall sit facing forward, and shall not stand or move about the bus while the vehicle is in motion. Ordinary conversation is appropriate. Loud or vulgar language will not be tolerated.
  • Students shall not throw garbage on the floor of the bus or out of the bus windows.
  • Students shall not get on or off the bus except at designated points unless a note signed by their parent/guardian or school office requesting a different stop has been given to the driver.
  • Extra students will only be transported at the discretion of the bus driver and will be transported only with prior approval of the driver.
  • Students shall not eat or drink on the bus unless the driver and/or the supervising teacher have granted permission.
  • Carry on items for regular school programs must be transported safely and shall ONLY be carried with the permission of the bus driver.
Student’s Responsibilities
  • Students using transportation services in the Interlake School Division are expected to:
  • Know and obey the Rules For Transported Students at all times.
  • Display respect for the driver and their fellow passengers. Abuse of driver and or other passengers will not be tolerated.
  • Display respect for the school bus itself. Parents I guardian will be responsible for restitution for willful damage to the bus.
  • Be at the bus stop 5 minutes prior to scheduled pick up time.
  • Behave in a responsible manner at the bus stop and during loading and unloading.

REMEMBER: Transportation to and from school by bus is a privilege, which may be revoked temporarily or permanently, if students choose to behave inappropriately.

 

Parent’s Responsibilities
  • Review with your child the Rules for Transported Students.
  • Teach your child acceptable bus behavior and safety. Cooperate and support the driver and principal in cases of misbehavior by your child.
  • See that your child is at their designated bus stop 5 minutes prior to pickup time. Have your child wait at least 6 feet away from the bus at the stop until the driver gives the OK to load.
  • Ensure your child is suitably dressed for weather conditions. Severe weather conditions and poor roads may extend the running time of some buses, resulting in late arrival or departure.
  • Carry on items on the bus must fit into your child’s backpack or school bag. Loose objects may become missiles in the event of a sudden stop or collision.
  • Remind your child that eating and drinking on the bus are not allowed for the child’s own safety.
  • Remove or secure drawstrings on jackets or backpacks, or other dangling objects that may become snagged when exiting the bus.
  • Warn your child if they drop something near the bus, they should never stop and return to pick it up. Tell them to move immediately away from the bus. The bus may start to move, unaware of the child’s presence.
  • If your child must cross the road, remind them to wait for the driver to signal that it is safe to cross. Students should still take another second and look both ways before crossing the road.
  • Provide written notes for the driver and the school if your child is to get off at a different stop then their regular designated stop. Drivers will only stop at designated stops on their regular run.
  • Obtain approval from driver prior to extra students being transported.

 

Driver’s Responsibilities

The driver’s first and foremost responsibility is passenger safety.

Passenger safety is ensured by:

  • Conducting daily inspections to determine the safe condition of the school bus
  • Determining the safety of road conditions on their specific route.
  • Maintaining time schedules.
  • Signaling and supervising safe crossing times to boarding/departing students.
  • Providing a safe environment inside the bus for all passengers.

The bus driver has the authority to:

  • Enforce the Rules For Transported Students.
  • Limit or refuse carry on items.
  • Refuse to transport students who are not registered on his/her bus’ passenger manifest.
  • Assign seating.
  • Refuse to transport a student who may be a threat to other students, the driver or Interlake School Division property.
  • Cancel their individual route due to unsafe road conditions or any other condition that puts the safety of students at risk.
  • Report student misconduct to the principal.
  • The bus driver does not have to wait at a designated stop past the scheduled pick up time. Students may be left behind if they do not follow Division policy of being at their stop five minutes before their scheduled pick up time.

The bus driver does not have to wait at a designated stop past the scheduled pick up time. Students may be left behind if they do not follow Division policy of being at their stop five minutes before their scheduled pick up time.

 

Principal’s Responsibilities

Principals are responsible for:

  • Student behavior while on the bus.
  • Supervising loading and unloading of buses at schools.
  • Investigating/acting on reports received concerning discipline problems.
  • Revoking bus privileges temporarily or permanently in accordance with Interlake School Division Bus Discipline Policy.
  • Notifying parents of student’s behavior.
  • Delivering Bus Ridership Programs.