Parent Teacher Magazine Cabarrus County Schools Sept/Oct 2018 | Page 10

Transportation & School Bus Safety Parents and guardians: The greatest concern of Cabarrus County Schools is that your children will be safe when traveling to and from school. The following guidelines have been developed by Cabarrus County Schools to help ensure the safety of all students. SAFETY GUIDELINES n Secure all loose or hand carried items by placing them in book bags or school bags. Make sure any drawstrings are secured or removed. n Objects such as band instruments, school projects, etc. which are too large to hold in a student’s lap pose a hazard to all bus occupants. Federal guidelines prohibit the transporting of these items on the school bus so please arrange to deliver these items to school via a parent/ guardian vehicle. n Please escort young children to the bus stop. Older children and teens should walk in groups for safety. n Never speak to strangers at the bus stop and never get into a car with a stranger. Immediately report any suspicious persons or occurrences to parents/guardians and/or school officials. n Students should not run and/or play while waiting for the bus and must always keep their hands to themselves. n Stand in the driveway/designated area, at least 10 feet away from the roadway while waiting for the bus. Stay off the roadway. n Respect the “Danger Zone”. This is 10 feet wide (5 giant steps) on all sides of the bus. n When crossing the street at a bus stop, make sure the bus is stopped, the door is open, the stop signal is out and all other traffic has come to a complete stop before attempting to get on the bus. n Always cross in front of the bus within sight of the bus driver. n Never stop to pick up anything you drop. Go and tell the driver first. n Never push anyone while entering or exiting the bus. n Hold the handrail while entering or exiting the bus. Get Lost in n Go directly to a seat when entering a bus, remain seated and face forward during the entire ride. n Sit quietly in your seat while riding on the bus and keep your hands to yourself. n Always be silent when a bus comes to a railroad crossing. n Always keep head and hands inside the bus. n Do not throw objects inside the bus or out of the windows. n Never play with the emergency exits. Use the back door only in an emergency. If there is an emergency, listen to the driver and follow instructions. n Enter or exit the bus with the consent of the bus driver and only by the front door, except in case of an emergency. n Look both ways while exiting the bus and crossing in front of the bus. Watch for the traffic from both directions to come to a complete stop before crossing the street. Wait for the driver to signal you, and walk quickly and directly to the safety of the curb. Never go behind the bus. n Parents/Guardians if possible, meet your child at the bus stop after school. Please wait on the side of the street where the child will be dropped off, not across the street. TRANSPORTATION REGULATIONS n Students will be assigned to one bus stop on a morning bus run and one bus stop on an afternoon bus run. n Be at your stop 10-15 minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive and watch for the bus every morning. n Only students assigned to authorized bus stops on the bus run are permitted to ride a school bus. n Students will NOT be permitted to ride home with other students due to the regulations of the North Carolina State Tort Claims Act and overcrowding on our school buses. n Students who do not ride their assigned bus for 10 consecutive school days will be removed from the bus roster. If needed, parents will need to resubmit a transportation request at the school. STUDENT CONDUCT Students are required to follow the directions of the bus driver, respect other riders on the bus, to follow the rules listed above, to follow the Cabarrus County Schools’ Student Code of Conduct, and to take care of the bus and school property. Failure to do so may result in a suspension of the school transportation services. Damage repairs will be charged back to students / parents. Suspension may be invoked after an administrator investigates the reported misconduct. Administrators may prosecute a student or adult under state law for the following acts: September 7-15 th Concord, NC CabarrusCountyFair.com 118012 ccf get lost in fairadise ad - parent teacher magazine.indd 1 8 September/October 2018 • Parent Teacher Magazine 8/1/18 11:06 AM n Willfully trespassing upon or damaging a school bus. n Entering a school bus or activity bus after being forbidden to do so. n Refusing to leave a bus upon request. n Throwing an object out of the bus that causes injuries or other property damage. n Willfully stopping, impeding, delaying or detaining a school bus or activity bus. School bus rules and actions of school bus drivers are implemented for the safety of students. All school system employees feel a great responsibility to parents and the community to ensure the safety of school bus passengers. Help us promote a safe and efficient school bus operation through your support and cooperation. Remember, school-provided transportation is a privilege, not a right.