Transportation

Behavior and Safety Guides

The Wakefield school administration requests parental/guardian cooperation in its efforts to carry out the intentions of the school bus safety guidelines and rules of behavior. The goal is to work in partnership so we provide students with safe and timely transportation to and from school. Our bus drivers have a very important job and need the support of students and families. Our superintendent has directed that students who are not well-behaved, or courteous, or who endanger the health and safety of others may face the loss of their bus-riding privilege for up to a full year.

Under the behavior and safety code developed by administration officials, bus drivers, who possess the same authority as teachers, are required to turn in a daily behavior report for each bus trip. Therefore, parents are urged to discuss the following rules and regulations with their children to ensure a safe and pleasant ride to and from school, as well as during extracurricular trips:

• Bus stops are established in accordance with school department policies. Littering, defacing property, rough-housing, throwing objects, shouting, smoking, or other objectionable conduct at bus stops is strictly prohibited.

• Our superintendent emphasizes that students caught damaging property either at stops or on a bus will be ordered to pay restitution as well as face the possible loss of bus riding privilege.

• Students should remain well back from the roadway while awaiting the arrival of a bus. Stops where students are not observing this safety regulation will not be picked up.

• Students are asked not to enter a bus when a driver is not in the vehicle.

• Students should board a bus in an orderly fashion, go directly to a seat, and remain seated until the destination is reached. Students may not attempt to "save" a seat for others.

As stated above, the same rules of conduct that apply at bus stops also apply while students are en route to school:

• Students should never do anything that would disturb or distract the driver from the safe operation of the bus. Nothing should ever be thrown from the bus.

• For the safety of the students, all students must request and obtain the driver’s permission before opening a bus window. Students are to keep hands, arms, heads, and other objects inside the bus at all times.

• Students will be picked up and dropped off at regularly designated stops only and at the scheduled times. Drivers have been instructed not to wait for late students.

• All personal belongings such as backpacks, athletic equipment, books, or musical instruments must be kept from the aisles. Skateboards, rollerskates, rollerblades, or any type of vehicle are prohibited from the bus.

• It is important to note that the emergency door may be used during an emergency only and that emergency or safety equipment must not be disturbed or misused.

• It is essential that each student fully cooperate with the driver for the safety of all concerned.

• Students are asked to carry their bus pass when it is issued by the school and must show their pass at the request of the driver. Bus passes are not to be given to other students and may be retained by the bus driver. School principals will be informed by the driver if any student breaks a rule. Possible results are loss of bus privilege for two weeks for a 1st offense to a year’s loss for a second offense. The appropriate administrator will investigate all infractions and determine the appropriate action.

• No smoking, lighting of matches, cigarette lighters, or fireworks of any kind will be tolerated on a bus.

• In the event a student loses a bus pass, a new one may be issued at the prevailing costs only after consultation with the principal.

• Drivers have been instructed to return any students who misbehave back to the school for administrative action.