Safety at bus stops and on the school bus depends on the cooperation and responsible behavior of every student. Please discuss the following safety rules with your child. During the first week of school, bus drivers will emphasize these points with their riders. Parents are also encouraged to review with their children the following suggested procedures for getting on and off school buses.
- Be on time to help keep the bus on schedule.
- Board and depart from the bus correctly.
- Follow the bus driver’s instructions.
- Remain seated.
- Do not endanger yourself or others.
- Do not bring animals, food, beverages, tobacco, chemicals or hazardous objects on the bus.
- Speak and act courteously.
- Help keep your bus clean and safe.
- Arrive at the bus stop five minutes ahead of the scheduled bus arrival time. Stand back from the edge of the roadway or on the sidewalk while waiting for the bus. Be reasonably quiet to avoid disturbing others.
- Stay out of the street so you do not become a traffic hazard to people driving past the stop. The bus stop area is not a playground.
- Don’t be a litterbug – please respect a homeowner’s property. You are a guest at the bus stop area, and it is a privilege for you to use the area.
- Line up three to five feet from the edge of the road in single file.
- Do not approach the bus until it has stopped moving and the door is open. Wait for the bus driver to signal you to board the bus.
- If the bus stop is on the opposite side of the street, wait until the bus has stopped, the light warning system has been activated, and the crossing bar opened. The bus driver will signal you to cross the street. Look both ways before crossing.
- Board the bus in single file. Use the handrails. Go directly to your seat and stay seated.
- Wait for the bus to stop before standing. Use the handrail, take one step at a time, do not push or shove, and go directly to school or home.
- Students who must cross the road should line up 10 feet in front of the bus and look up at the bus driver and wait for the driver’s hand signal to cross the street. When crossing the street, look both ways. Remember to move away from the bus after exiting.
Danger Zones are the areas around the school bus where passengers have the greatest risk of getting hurt or killed. In this video, how to prevent danger zone accidents with topics including instructions to students, safe pick-up and drop-off procedures, crossing the street, and why children enter danger zones.
School closing because of severe weather or other emergencies will be announced via the district’s website, mobile app, social media pages, and local news channels and radio stations.
If schools must be closed early, buses will follow regular return routes. Please discuss with your child what to do in the event that school is dismissed early and no one is home when he/she arrives. Read the Superintendent’s procedures on emergency closing and communication for more information.
Bus Discipline – A Cooperative Effort
It is the right of each student to be treated in a reasonable and respectful manner whether in school or on the school bus. When disruptions occur on the school bus they are usually related to student misbehavior. Issues may arise as a result of the actions of a single student, the interaction among several students, or the interaction between students and their driver. We would like to deal with these misbehavior issues before they reach the level of harassment.
However, there may be times when behavior-related problems occur which are unpleasant for a student, but not readily evident to a driver. Please do not hesitate to report, or encourage your child to report, incidents that may not have come to our attention through everyday communication. Reports can be sent to the bus driver, the building principal or designee, or a STA representative at 515-278-8149. As a part of your school transportation team, we are committed to the goal of providing a safe and pleasant ride for all students on a daily basis. Your cooperation is always appreciated in helping us achieve this goal.
Primary responsibility for bus discipline rests with the bus driver. Serious infractions or repeated infractions will be referred to building principals or designees. District and transportation administrators reserve the right – depending on the severity of the infraction – to impose consequences as necessary and not in accordance with the guidelines below.
First Infraction: Verbal reprimand by bus driver and explanation of rules. The bus driver will write and submit a formal bus referral to the STA transportation office. STA management will contact parent(s) to explain what rule violation has occurred and what action will be taken. The transportation department appreciates the parent(s) support in helping resolve behavior issues.
Second & Subsequent Infraction(s): The bus driver will write a formal bus referral and send it to the appropriate school principal or designee. Each referral will be reviewed and potential consequences may occur depending on seriousness of the referral, student age, appropriateness, time between referrals, and other extenuating circumstance. The principal or designee will notify the parent(s) of any consequences.
All students are expected to follow the rules of the bus and instructions of the bus driver. The bus driver will discuss the rule that has been broken or the problem with student(s), explaining the consequences of continued disturbances.