Student Transportation Education Plan
(To Teach Students How To Ride On The Bus)

S.O.A.R. (Safely, Orderly And Respectfully) on the school bus to school!

One of the key strategies in Forsyth County Public School Vision 2010 is that students learn a dynamic world class curriculum that is relevant, meaningful and engaging. Another is to promote physical and emotional health in a safe learning environment in every school.

Transportation believes that we can support those key strategies by teaching and developing safe and appropriate bus riding behaviors by our students. To protect the safety (physical and emotional) of each individual student on the bus, and to develop bus-riding behaviors that will be relevant and meaningful when the student is out in the community, student behaviors are expected to be safe, orderly and respectful.

The Behavior Management Plan is a three-part program that uses steps to help the bus driver and student to achieve that goal by developing and maintaining appropriate student behavior on the school bus. It consists of: 1) Prevention Steps 2) Intervention Steps and 3) Consequences. The first steps of the program are administered by the bus driver. The final step of the program (consequences) is administered by the school administrator or designee.

Prevention: Prevention steps are used by the bus driver to educate the students about safe and appropriate riding behaviors, clarify the bus drivers expectations for the students and assist students to understand how to successfully demonstrate safe riding habits every day.

Intervention: Interventions steps are used by the bus driver to help the student stop unsafe or inappropriate behaviors or habits while assisting students to identify the appropriate habit or behavior. Intervention steps may also provide notification to the parent/guardian so that the parent can be involved in assisting the driver to change unsafe or inappropriate riding habits.

Consequences: If prevention and intervention steps are unsuccessful at improving the students behavior or safe riding habits, a bus discipline form is submitted by the bus driver to the school administrator. The school administrator is then responsible for assigning appropriate, effective consequences for the student's inappropriate behavior in an effort to affect the necessary improvement.

PREVENTION

Seat Assignments:

Bus drivers will learn the name of each student and their stop locations. Students will be assigned seats as part of the prevention step. Assigned seating will help with:

Ownership of property surrounding the student seat area.

Knowing who is on board for emergency purposes.

Emergency evacuation procedures.

Improved structure, routine and consistency, especially during loading and unloading procedures.

Students should follow directions of their bus driver. (This demonstrates respect to those with authority who are trying to keep us safe or maintain order.)

Students will wait in an orderly manner and avoid playing (when waiting at property belonging to others, we should respect that property and take care to leave it undamaged.)

Students will cross the roadway in front of the bus after the bus has stopped, they have looked at the driver for a hand signal, and they have looked in both directions for traffic; left, right, left (This a safe walking habit that protects students while traveling to their bus stop.)

Students will signal the driver with a waving motion if something is dropped and wait for the driver to give a signal before picking up the object (Never, ever lose sight of the driver or do anything that would make her/him lose sight of you! This is a procedure that can never be broken if we are to keep you safe.).

Students will remain properly seated, back against the back of the seat, bottom against the bottom of the seat (safely seated within the compartment,) and keep hands to themselves (respectful to others and their personal space.).

Students will not eat, drink, chew gum, or bring tobacco, alcohol, drugs, or any controlled substances on the bus (Helps us to maintain a neat and orderly environment and is consistent with the code of conduct which keeps us safe.)

Students will not carry animals, glass objects, nuisance items, hazardous materials, or weapons onto the bus (maintains a safe environment for all riders, even in case of an emergency or accident.)

Students may carry only objects that can be held in their laps (This helps us maintain an orderly environment and reduces safety issues that would occur in the event of a sudden stop or emergency evacuation.)

Students will refrain from using loud voices, profanity, and / or obscene gestures, and respect the rights and safety of others.

Students will not extend head, arms, or objects out of the bus windows (This is important to student safety in every circumstance. This is a non-negotiable safety issue and a major offense when broken.)

Students will be totally silent at railroad crossings (The driver is required by law to look and listen after establishing silence on the bus. This is a non-negotiable safety issue and a major offense when broken.)

Students will stay seated until time to get off the bus. The driver will signal when to get up from the bus seat if you are at your stop. Use classroom voices until the unloading (or loading) process is complete. It is an orderly way to unload and increases safety by minimizing distractions.)

Students will help keep their bus clean and in good, safe condition (This helps us maintain an orderly and safe bus and is respectful to the next group of riders who will use it.)

INTERVENTION

Bus drivers may use the interventions listed below during the intervention step of the process. A minor offense is considered inappropriate or unsafe student behavior that may be improved with minor assistance from the driver.

Documentation: Bus driver will maintain daily written documentation of all occurrences in the driver daily logbook.

Any or all of the above steps may be bypassed when a student actions are illegal or judged by the driver to be or so unsafe or disrespectful that immediate corrective action is required.

Violations that should be considered major offenses include, but are not limited to the following:

• drugs (includes alcohol, cigarettes, lighters)
• throwing objects off the bus
• fighting (trying to intentionally hurt someone, not pushing or shoving)
• weapons, dangerous instruments, and explosive / implosive devices
• threats/bullying (verbal and physical threats)
• Sexual harassment

Such violations should be reported immediately to the School Administrator on a Bus Discipline Form.

Consequences

When student behavior escalates beyond a driver control or is not improved after using the appropriate intervention steps, the bus driver will submit a bus discipline form to the school office.

Bus Discipline Form sent to School Administrator:

Reasons:

• Behavior escalates beyond a driver control or is not improved after using the appropriate intervention steps.
• Major offense.

The School Administrator will assign appropriate consequences based on a) the severity of the misbehavior and b) number and frequency of the student bus referrals.

Suggested Guidelines:

The School Administrator may tailor consequences to account for individual circumstances in each situation. The goal of assigning consequences is to bring about the desired student behavior on the school bus and the Transportation Department supports any consequence that achieves that goal.