Discipline

Student Management/Disciplinary Procedures

General

Behavior on the school bus should be not only as good as it is in a well-mannered classroom; it should be even better. The school bus is an extension of the classroom.

There is no secret to what works for all students to eliminate inappropriate student behavior that jeopardizes safety on the bus. It takes a combination of interventions working together to produce the desired results. Parents, teachers, administrators, students and transportation personnel all need to be part of developing and implementing a safe and successful student transportation behavior management plan. A dedicated School Transportation Team can and will make a positive impact on student behavior and safety.

The bus driver has charge of all students from the time they enter the school bus until they leave it at an approved destination. The driver is the key to identifying unacceptable behavior. Parents, teachers and administrators are the individuals who support the driver and reinforce and provide the appropriate administrative and disciplinary actions to correct inappropriate conduct on the bus.

The Student Conduct and Discipline Code, and the school bus conduct rules apply during all phases of a student's transportation by the School Department, including, but not limited to, all times a student is in or on any school bus or other school district vehicle, at any school bus stop, waiting to board any school bus or other school district vehicle, and while getting on or off any school bus or other school district vehicle.

The driver is responsible for reporting to the school Principal or his/her designee the names of students who violate any of the student bus conduct rules, any violation of the Student Conduct and Discipline Code, and any behavior that may constitute a violation of a criminal statute.

Unless otherwise provided by law, violation of a student bus conduct rule by any student, shall be sufficient cause for the student to be deprived of the privilege of being transported on a school bus and for the School Department to impose additional consequences and discipline as deemed necessary by the School Department. In addition, a student who violates the Student Conduct and Discipline Code may also be subject to action pursuant to the Code, including suspension and/or expulsion from school. A student's parent shall be notified prior to suspending bus transportation for their student. A student could also face police actions and prosecution in cases of vandalism or safety related incidents.

In addition to the principal who has the primary responsibility for taking corrective disciplinary or administrative action, the Director of Transportation has the authority to suspend the riding privileges of any student whose behavior threatens to place or places the student and/or others in danger of injury. Where practicable, a student will be given an opportunity to explain his or her positions with respect to the conduct in question before the student's riding privileges are suspended.

Drivers will leave the back two seats on each side empty if capacity allows for added safety.

Rules for Student Conduct on School Buses

 The rules for student conduct on school buses will be published and distributed annually to all students who are provided transportation services. The rules are published in the student handbook. Parents/students should read the rules to understand the discipline process.

Parents are encouraged to review and discuss the Code and the Rules with their students in an effort to help them understand and assume responsibility for safe, appropriate, and acceptable school bus conduct. The Student Handbook for Student Conduct on School Buses requires the signature of the parent or guardian and the student.

Each student is responsible for exhibiting safe conduct and for acting in conformance with the Code and the Rules pursuant to this regulation. Failure to follow the Code or the Rules may result in the student being disciplined pursuant to the Code and/or in the suspension of the student's transportation services.

Infractions and Disciplinary Actions

The Code provides students and their parents with a summary of the District's behavior expectations for students while they are in or on school property as well as disciplinary actions the School Department may or must take in the event a student violates those expectations. In addition, to the extent a student's behavior is detrimental to the welfare of other students or school personnel; the Code also permits the District to impose disciplinary actions for a student's conduct off school property which may include suspension and/or expulsion.

In addition to Level I disciplinary infractions identified in the Code, behaviors in or on a school bus or other School Department vehicle (or during other phases of a student’s transportation) that constitute a Level I infraction pursuant to the Code include, but are not limited to:

In addition to Level II disciplinary infractions identified in the Code, behaviors in or on a school bus or other School Department vehicle (or during other phases of a student's transportation) that constitute a Level II infraction pursuant to the Code include, but are not limited to:

Flagrant and/or continued Level I violations (as noted above).

In addition to Level III disciplinary infractions identified in the Code, behaviors in or on a school bus or other School Department Vehicle (or during other phases of a student's transportation) that constitute a Level III infraction pursuant to the Code include, but are not limited to:

Flagrant and/or continued Level II violations (as noted above).

Driver Responsibilities

The driver is the key person in the identification, control and correction of misconduct by students on regularly established bus routes. As such, students are expected to honor and respect bus driver's expectations related to behavior while on the school bus. Initial violations of school bus rules will be handled on an individual basis between the student and the driver, identifying unacceptable behavior to the student and discussing expected behavior changes required for complying with the rules and ensuring bus safety. Drivers shall then fill out the Bus conduct report form and submit it to the school principal. The driver will indicate on the form whether misconduct was a violation of safety, order or their rights of others and describe the unacceptable behavior in detail. Actions taken by the driver will be documented and submitted to the school, requesting that the information be recorded in the Student Management Program and action taken by principle.

If student misconduct continues, the driver will again verbally counsel the student. The driver or a representative from Administration will then contact the student's parent or guardian to request assistance in correcting the student's misconduct. The parent contact can be made from the Transportation Center. (Assistance is available from the Transportation Director).

Again, the driver shall fill out the Bus Conduct report form and submit it to the school principal. The driver will indicate on the form whether the misconduct was a violation of safety, order or the rights of others and describe the unacceptable behavior in detail. Actions taken by the driver including the name of the parent/guardian contacted and the name of the individual, who contacted the parents, will be documented and submitted to the school, requesting that the information be recorded in the Student Management Program, and action taken by principal.

If student misconduct continues, the driver will again verbally counsel the student. Again, the driver shall fill out the Bus Conduct report form and submit it to the school principal. The driver will indicate on the form whether the misconduct was a violation of safety, order or the rights of others and describe the unacceptable behavior in detail. At this time, the driver will request corrective action to be taken by the principal or his/her designated representative.

When the misconduct of a student is so egregious that it warrants immediate suspension or termination of transportation privileges the Principal or his/her designated representative shall be contacted immediately. Drivers shall immediately inform the School Administrator, Director of Transportation, Assistant to the Director, or Dispatcher when incidents of this magnitude occur.

Principal/Designated Representative Responsibilities  

Definition of Terms

 Safety. The safety and welfare of student riders shall be the first consideration in all matters pertaining to transportation. School Administrators, drivers and parents must be committed to the physical and psychological safety of every child riding on the bus and attending school. Any behavior that interferes with the safety of students or staff is the highest priority and shall be dealt with immediately. Safety violations include any action that causes or threatens to cause harm to the student, other passengers, driver, motorists, pedestrians or the safe operation of the bus.

Order. Order means student behaviors that interfere with the ability of the driver to perform his responsibilities in a timely manner or disrupts normal transportation operations. Examples include failure to comply with a driver's instructions, delaying departures from a stop or school, etc.

Rights of Others. Rights of others are interpreted as unacceptable behavior or expressions by the student in ways that interfere with the rights of another individual. Examples include harassment, disrespect, etc.

Vandalism

Drivers can make seating assignments to students. Upon the completion of each run on a route, drivers will check the bus for cleanliness, damage, lost items and sleeping students. If any vandalism is found, the students assigned to that seating area would be held responsible for the cost of repairs. The Transportation Department will forward a bill to the parents for payment.

Students may also be subject to the loss of riding privileges.

Videotaping Request

Video cameras are available on all buses. Principals or their designee may request that the tape be pulled for their viewing to document student conduct and for use as a counseling tool when meeting with parents and/or students

The use of the video camera is an excellent way to capture unacceptable behaviors and initiate problem solving strategies to correct student misconduct.

Driver/Parent Conference

When requested, a meeting or conference between the driver, parents, students and administrators will be convened at the principal's or transportation director's request. Requests for these meetings should be scheduled through the Transportation Director, his Assistant or the building principal.

Request for Assistance

When student conduct is such that the driver feels it is unsafe to proceed, the driver will contact the Transportation Dispatcher and request assistance. The School Department Resource Officer, Local Police, Transportation Director, and/or school administrators from the supported school will be called to assist with student behavior problems.

If the bus is in close proximity to the school, the driver may be directed to return to the school for assistance and have the disruptive student(s) removed (if driving the bus is safe and feasible in the opinion of the driver). School administrators will be called and asked to provide assistance and meet the bus. This may occur enroute to the school in the morning or an afternoon bus returning to the school for assistance.

Disciplinary Action Process

 Students may be denied the privilege of riding the school bus for infractions of the rules. Disciplinary process is as follow:

First Written Warning: Parents are notified and consequences consistent with the discipline procedures of the school enforced. This may include suspension from the bus and school. Contact may be by telephone and/or parents conference, depending on the circumstances. The number of days for a suspension will depend on the offense, pattern and severity of the behavior.

Second Written Warning: Parents are notified and consequences consistent with the discipline procedures of the school enforced. This may include suspension from the bus and school. The number of days for a suspension will depend on the pattern and severity of the behavior. Parents will always be notified in cases of suspension. (A parent conference may be requested in cases that do not result in suspension).

 Third Written Warning: Parents are notified and the privilege to ride the bus is suspended. (A parent conference will be required with appropriate school personnel to resolve the problem). On this, the third incident of misconduct the student will lose all bus privileges for minimal 3-5 days.

 Extreme Violations: In any instance in which a student's misbehavior has endangered the bus or other passengers, or in which a student has to be removed from the bus by a school employee or police officer, that student's privilege to ride may be immediately suspended until such times as a parent or guardian and student meet with appropriate school personnel to resolve the problem.

 Additional incidents: Will result in removal from the bus for the remainder of the year. End of year violations/disciplinary actions may carry over to the beginning of the following school year.

Note: School discipline may be administered concurrent with bus discipline if deemed necessary by Building Administrator and Director of Transportation. All referrals accumulate over a period of the current school year.

Parents are responsible for transporting their child to and from school when they are suspended from riding the bus. The suspension will only be counted as served on those days the child would be in attendance.

Following any suspension at the Primary/Elementary School level, the student and parent are required to meet with the Principal or Assistant Principal, Transportation Director and Bus Driver. Bus suspensions will be preceded by review by the Transportation Supervisor, Principal, and Assistant Principal, and a student conference as well as parent notification by the Principal or Assistant Principal.

Immediate loss of transportation privileges may occur depending on the severity of the violation. (May include but is not limited to: weapons on the bus, drugs, physical violence, vandalism, actions that may adversely impact the safety of others, etc).