The District provides bus transportation to and from school for all students living 1.5 miles or more from the school or when walking conditions may be considered dangerous according to District and state guidelines. A list of bus stops will be published at the beginning of the school year. Students are not permitted to ride a bus other than the bus to which they are assigned. Students who are not enrolled in the transportation program, are not allowed to ride the bus to or from school.
Bus schedules and routes shall be determined by the Director of Transportation in consultation with the Superintendent and shall be altered only with the Superintendent’s approval and direction. In setting the routes, the pickup and discharge points should be as safe for students as possible. Please refer to Board Policy 4:110, Transportation, for more information.
School bus drivers are professional drivers with special training and special licensing. They are responsible for driving the bus safely, transporting the students and staying on time. Because of tight routing they can only wait momentarily at a bus stop before going on.
In order to ensure safety for our students, the following are general guidelines regarding transportation:
- For kindergarten students DROP OFF only, there MUST be a parent/guardian present at the bus stop or an authorized designee on the kindergartener transport form. If the driver does not see a parent/guardian, the student will be brought back to school to be picked up.
- For special education students with special transportation documented in the IEP, there MUST be a parent or guardian present at drop-off. If the driver does not see a parent or guardian, the driver will make the best decision concerning what to do based on safety. This may include keeping the child on the bus while waiting for parent communication via dispatch or returning the student to school for parent pick-up. Transportation will be in communication with parents regarding which action will be taken and the reunification of parent and student.
- Students should be at their assigned bus stop 5 minutes before their designated pick up time. If your child misses the bus, the driver cannot come back because of traffic and other route trips. Transport your child to school as quickly as possible.
- All students being transported by a District bus will be transported to and from the same stop every day they utilize the bus services.
- Students must ride their assigned bus to their designated bus stop. Bus passes may only be used for emergency situations, at the discretion of the Building Principal, with the approval of the Director of Transportation.
- Once a student is on the bus after school, he/she will only be released at the designated bus stop.
- Afternoon transportation will only be provided on a student’s home bus or on a bus where the District will transport to a contracted daycare provider.
- When a new student to the district student starts during the school year or in the event of a student preferment address change every effort is made to arrange transportation as quickly as possible. For the student to be assigned and accounted for on the bus, it takes an average of two (2) three (3) working days for the school bus ride to be arranged. Parents may be asked to transport their child for the first few days.
While students are on the bus, they are under the supervision of the bus driver. In most cases, bus discipline problems can be handled by the bus driver. In the case of a written disciplinary referral, student bus problems will be investigated and handled by the Building Principal. Parents will be informed of any and all inappropriate student behavior on a bus. Parents are encouraged to discuss bus safety and appropriate behavior with their children before the beginning of the school year and regularly during the year.
Bus Conduct
All students must follow the District’s School Bus Safety Rules. The Superintendent, or any designee as permitted in the School Code, is authorized to suspend a student from riding the school bus for up to 10 consecutive school days for engaging in gross disobedience or misconduct, including, but not limited to, the following:
● Prohibited student conduct as defined in the Board Policy 7:190, Student Discipline.
● Willful injury or threat of injury to a bus driver or to another rider.
● Willful and/or repeated defacement of the bus.
● Repeated use of profanity.
● Repeated willful disobedience of a directive from a bus driver or other supervisor.
● Such other behavior as the Superintendent or designee deems to threaten the safe operation of the bus and/or its occupants.
If a student is suspended from riding the bus for gross disobedience or misconduct on a bus, the Board of Education may suspend the student from riding the school bus for a period in excess of 10 days for safety reasons. The District’s regular suspension procedures shall be used to suspend a student’s privilege to ride a school bus. This policy is defined in Board Policy 7:220, Bus Conduct.
Electronic Recordings on School Buses
Electronic visual and audio recordings may be used on school buses to monitor conduct and to promote and maintain a safe environment for students and employees when transportation is provided for any school related activity.
Notice of electronic recordings shall be displayed on the exterior of the vehicle’s entrance door and front interior bulkhead in compliance with State law and the rules of the Illinois Department of Transportation, Division of Traffic Safety.
Students are prohibited from tampering with electronic recording devices. Students who violate this policy shall be disciplined in accordance with the Board’s discipline policy and shall reimburse the School District for any necessary repairs or replacement. For questions regarding school transportation issues, contact the Director of Transportation at (309) 243-8323.