EEA (EEAEC)
(EEAG)
(EEBB)
(JICC)
PEMBROKE SCHOOL DISTRICT
TRANSPORTATION POLICY
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: To set forth procedures, rules and regulations for transporting students in the Pembroke School District in order to satisfy New Hampshire and federal laws and to provide for rider safety to the greatest extent possible while they are being transported to and from school and school sponsored events.
BUSES: All buses will meet applicable federal and New Hampshire Department of Safety rules in effect at the time of manufacture. These buses will be operated and maintained according to current New Hampshire Department of Safety rules.
OPERATOR QUALIFICATIONS: All operators in the Pembroke School District shall be:
1) at least twenty-five years of age;
2) informed of the motor vehicle laws of the state and rules and regulations pertaining to school buses;
3) listed on a roster filled with the Division of Motor Vehicles;
4) certified for operation of School Buses by the local school district and the Division of Motor Vehicles;
5) trained and attend refresher courses as provided by the district or other competent agencies;
6) licensed by State of New Hampshire for classification of vehicle operated;
7) physically qualified to operate a school bus and be examined and certified by a licensed physician as specified in Department of Safety rule Saf-C 1304.02;
8) required to authorize School District officials to conduct an investigation of driving and criminal record, including National Driver Registration Check;
9) successfully examined as required by the Division of Motor Vehicles;
10) pass a drug test prior to operating a vehicle that requires a commercial drivers license.
APPROVED: July, 1986 by Pembroke School Board
AMENDED: May 13, 1997
AMENDED: June 24, 1997
Drivers who are subsequently disqualified under section Saf-C 1304.03 or Saf-C 1304.04 of Rules and Regulations for School Transportation shall not operate a school bus.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
A) Pembroke School Board- To cause a transportation
policy to be implemented that adequately satisfies state and federal
requirements and provides for the safety of its pupils while being transported
to and from school and school related events. The responsibility of the School
District and School Administration begins when the child sets foot on the
school bus. The responsibility ceases when the child leaves the bus at the end
of the school day or at the termination of a school sponsored event. The School
Board will approve routes and bus stops each year and establish a discipline
policy.
B) Superintendent of Schools- Submit approved names of applicants and maintain roster as required and monitor compliance with District Transportation Policy. Report to Department of Safety that evacuation drills are conducted as required by Saf- 1305.02 (C)(12).
C) Transportation Coordinator- The provider will maintain the position of transportation coordinator for Pembroke.
D) Faculty/Chaperones- To cooperate with bus drivers and administrators in seeing that students adhere to the rules and regulations set forth herein.
E) Parents- Parents are responsible for the safety of their children from the time they leave the home until the time they board the school bus. The parents resume that responsibility for their child’s safety at the end of the day when the child disembarks at his/her designated bus stop. The parent responsibility extends to include safe passage to and from the bus stop and while waiting at the stop for the bus. Parents should be aware of the time required to get from home to the stop and allow an extra five minutes. Parents are responsible for transporting those students who miss the bus. Parent should further be aware of their responsibility not only for their child’s behavior while on the bus, but their responsibility for damage caused by their children to the property of others, not only limited to the bus but including the property of citizens whose homes and businesses are located along the routes.
F) Student Riders- Students have the primary responsibility to conduct themselves in such a manner as to not cause distraction to the driver and interfere with the safe operation of the school bus. Specifically, students shall:
1) Be at the pickup point on time. The bus cannot wait for tardy arrivals, and the parent is obligated to provide transportation to those who miss the bus.
2) Stand at least ten (10) feet from the edge of the road while waiting for the bus.
3) Stand well back from the bus until it has come to a complete stop and the red lights are flashing.
4) Board the bus in an orderly fashion, using the handrail, and go directly to a seat.
5) Occupy only the seat designated by the driver.
6) After seating, keep hands and feet out of the aisles and let nothing hang outside.
7) Items that are too large will not be allowed in the bus.
8) Remain seated at all times while the bus is in motion.
9) Not use abusive language or engage in physical roughhousing or abuse while on the bus.
10) Refrain from loud talking or other noises that may distract the driver.
11) Cross only in front of the bus and not behind after disembarking. Cross at least ten (10) feet in front of the bus and wait for a signal from the driver and cross traffic.
12) Board only those buses to which they have been assigned unless other arrangements have been approved by competent authority.
13) Not smoke on buses.
14) Not eat or drink on buses unless specifically authorized to do so by the driver or other competent authority.
15) Not litter the bus or throw litter from the bus.
16) Not deface or otherwise mar the bus or any equipment on the bus.
17) At all times respect the rights of others, including pedestrians walking near the bus.
18) The students shall not bring animals, birds, insects, etc. on the bus.
DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES: The District has the right (RSA 189.92) to suspend the privileges of riding the bus when a pupil fails to adhere to these policy guidelines. Said suspension shall not begin until the next school day following the day of notification to the parent or legal guardians.
A student will be issued a verbal warning prior to the issuance of a bus conduct unless the violation is flagrant.
Students who are to be given a written bus conduct will meet with the bus coordinator or his/her designee and a representative of the school before the conduct is processed.
FIRST REPORT- A written notice sent to parents warning that the next written notice will result in a three (3) day suspension.
SECOND REPORT- THREE (3) day suspension of privileges.
THIRD REPORT- FIVE (5) day suspension of privileges.
FOURTH REPORT- Request to Superintendent for TEN (10) day suspension.
FIFTH REPORT- Action as necessary and appropriate, which will be determined through a meeting of parents, bus coordinator and school personnel.
The parent or legal guardian has ten (10) days to appeal the suspension to the authority which issued the suspension. Pending appeal, and during the suspension, the parent has the responsibility to transport the student to and from school.
Students who are suspended do not have the right to ride buses for the purpose of school sponsored events.
SCHEDULES, ROUTES & STOPS:
A) General: The intent of the bus policy is to provide efficient, safe transportation for those District students entitled to ride the bus to and from school and school sponsored functions. The right to ride the bus is a privilege based on good behavior and observing rules and regulations. This privilege may be temporarily suspended or permanently removed if the child jeopardizes the safe operations of the bus or the safety of other riders.
B) Schedule & Routing: 189:6 Transportation of Pupils. The district shall furnish transportation to all pupils in grade 1 through grade 8 who live more than 2 miles from the school to which they are assigned. The school board may furnish transportation to kindergarten pupils, pupils in grades above the eighth or any pupils residing less than 2 miles from the school to which they are assigned, when it finds that this is appropriate, and shall furnish it when so directed by the commissioner of education.
Schedules are to be established to allow maximum utilization of all buses in the system by servicing elementary and the high school routes with the same fleet of buses. The Board’s further goal is to not have any bus arrive later than five minutes prior to the last bell. Bus schedules will be established under the direction of Transportation Coordinator, working in conjunction with school administrators and subject to the approval of the Board.
C) Stops: The Pembroke School District will approve bus stops in reasonable and safe locations only on regularly maintained town roads, and within a reasonable and safe walking distance for the pupils assigned to those bus stops.
Pupils may be expected to walk to centralized bus stops where groups of pupils from the surrounding areas can be picked up together.
Due consideration will be given to the distance of the youngest pupil assigned to a particular bus stop walks. The criteria for determining the maximum walking distance by a pupil to an established bus stop will include, but not be limited to, the age of the pupil, the grade of the pupil, road conditions, rural locations and safety considerations. Bus stops will be established each year by the transportation coordinator, consultation with the bus contractor, and approved by the school board. A parent desiring a different bus stop must address in writing a letter to the school’s bus coordinator.
School bus schedules will be made available in public areas for viewing in a reasonable amount of time prior to the start of school.
The Pembroke School District may approve changes to establish bus stops as conditions warrant throughout the school year.
It is the Board’s desire to eliminate the necessity for crossing Route 3. Stops on Route 3 will be arranged so as to pick up pupils on the side of the street on which they live.
The number of stops will be limited to minimize the risks associated with stopping a bus in traffic. To the greatest degree possible stops will be avoided on Route 3.
Students entitled to bus transportation will be assigned a bus and a stop. They will be required to adhere to this assignment. Students assigned transportation are expected to use it on a regular basis. If not, and a space shortage develops, that student not using transportation regularly may lose his/her privilege of riding the bus.
Parents who wish to appeal a bus stop location should contact the transportation coordinator. After initial contact if there is still a request for change this request must be put in writing and sent to the coordinator. Parents’ request for change in their child’s bus assignment must be sent to the bus coordinator. Change for a bus assignment will be considered for a year, one/half year or one/quarter year only. Daily, weekly, or monthly requests will not be honored. Children will not be permitted to go to and from school in different buses, or be let off at different stops, from where they were picked up.
SCHOOL CLOSURE: The district will develop procedures in order to make these decisions in a timely fashion with input from appropriate parties.
USE OF VIDEO MONITORING SYSTEMS:
School systems should promulgate, communicate and enforce policies and procedures to be followed when using on-board video monitoring systems. The video camera on a school bus should be used only as an aid to monitor student and driver behavior. It should not replace the discipline policy, the authority of the driver, or the responsibility of the school officials. The basic safe riding rules must prevail and the consequences of misconduct must be carried out.
When action is taken as a result of information obtained from the videotape, the driver, supervisor, school administrator, student, and parents or guardians will be contacted. A meeting of the aforementioned parties may be necessary to achieve a resolution of the problem. The videotape may be used as evidence in the meeting. All requests for review shall be made in writing.
189:8 Limitations and Additions. Pupils entitled to transportation in accordance with RSA 189:6 may be required to walk a distance not to exceed one mile to a school bus stop established by the local school board. Pupils residing in areas which are inaccessible by a local school district’s established mode of transportation may be required to walk a distance not to exceed 1 1/2 miles to a school bus stop, provided that the vehicle, route and schedule have been approved by the commissioner of education. School districts shall assure that pupils shall not be subjected to unsafe conditions while walking the required distance to a school bus stop and that the school bus stop is established in a safe location.
189:9-A Pupils Prohibited for Disciplinary Reasons. Notwithstanding the provisions of RSA 189:6-8, the superintendent, or his representative as designated in writing, is authorized to suspend the rights of pupils from riding in a school bus when said pupil fail to conform to the reasonable rules and regulations as may be promulgated by the school board. Any suspension to continue beyond 20 school days must be approved by the school board. Said suspension shall not begin until the next school day following the day notification of suspension is sent to the pupil’s parent or legal guardian.
I. If a pupil has been denied the right to ride a school bus for disciplinary reasons, the parent or guardian of that pupil has a right to appeal within ten (10) days of suspension to the authority that suspended this pupil’s right.
II. Until the appeal is heard, or if the suspension of pupil’s right to ride the school bus is upheld, it shall be the parents’ or guardians’ responsibility to provide transportation to and from school for that pupil for the period of the suspension.