Transportation
We know the infinite value of the “cargo” we transport and take all precautions to ensure safe travel. In addition to daily transportation, students often travel to extracurricular activities during the school day, in the evenings, and on weekends.
Safety Guidelines
Driving a school bus is a serious profession, and we are concerned for everybody's safety. Proper student conduct is an important safety factor, and we expect and require students riding school buses to follow the school rules and regulations from the time they depart for school until returning home from school.
Before the Bus Arrives:
- Leave home on time each day.
- Walk facing traffic if there are no sidewalks.
- Arrive at the pick-up spot five minutes before the arrival of the bus. We do not require bus drivers to wait for you.
- Do not wait in the street.
- Stay off of lawns and private property.
Boarding the Bus:
- Wait for the bus to come to a full stop.
- Be polite and take your turn getting on the bus.
- Use the handrail and move to your seat quickly.
Riding the Bus:
- Sit in the seat facing forward.
- Do not extend your feet or arms into the aisle.
- No eating/drinking on the bus.
- No loud talk on the bus.
- No nuisance items including, radios, CD players, iPods, games, etc.
- We do not permit phone calls or texting on the bus.
Leaving the Bus:
- Do not leave your seat until the bus comes to a full stop.
- Take your turn; don't crowd in front of others.
- Use handrails.
- Watch your step.
- Look both ways and check for turning cars before crossing the street.
- Walk immediately to your home from the bus stop. Do not go to your mailbox, loiter at the bus stop, or visit with friends and neighbors.
In Case of an Emergency & When the Driver Leaves the Bus:
- Stay seated.
- Do not touch emergency equipment.
- Trust in the bus driver's training to take care of the situation.
- Responsible older students acquainted with emergency procedures may assist the driver.
Bus Rules & Disciplinary Actions
Riding Jennings County Schools’ buses is a privilege. We believe all students deserve a safe, undisrupted ride to and from school. Violation of these rules and regulations may result in suspension or removal of transportation privileges by the principal.
- Always follow the directions of the driver. Ignoring directives is insubordination.
- Walk to the assigned seat and remain there. Absolutely no standing, moving around, or changing seats while the bus is in motion.
- Do not talk to the driver unless it is an emergency. Drivers need to keep their minds on driving and their eyes on the road.
- Talk quietly so that the driver can hear traffic sounds.
- Keep arms, feet, school books, backpacks, and other items out of the aisles at all times.
- Do not open or close the windows without permission from the driver.
- Keep hands and head inside the bus. Do not stick anything out of the windows.
- No loud talk, profane language, or yelling.
- No illegal substances including tobacco products of any kind at the bus stop or on the bus.
- Do not deface or litter the bus.
- Do not tamper with any safety device or any other equipment.
- We forbid the possession of knives or any weapon-like objects on the bus.
- Do not bring items such as video games, tapes, CD players, skateboards, bats, balls, or other nuisance items on the bus.
- Check with the driver prior to bringing large items on the bus such as science projects or large band instruments.
- The use of cell phones or similar devices is prohibited on the bus.
Minor Offenses:
These include but are not limited to the following:
- Gum chewing, candy, pop, or food on the bus
- Littering on or off the bus
- Feet, arms, books, etc. in the aisle
- Name calling
- Talking loud or yelling on the bus
- Yelling out of the window
- Opening windows without permission
- Switching seats without permission
- Rude or discourteous behavior toward other students
- Repeatedly arriving late to the bus stop
- Any infraction of school rules
Disciplinary Procedures:
- Verbal warning from the driver
- Driver contacts parent
- Disciplinary report resulting in bus probation
- Disciplinary report resulting in a bus suspension for one to three days
- Disciplinary report resulting in a bus suspension for three to five days
- Disciplinary report resulting in a bus suspension for five to 10 days and a recommendation for bus expulsion for the remainder of the semester or school year
Severe Offenses:
Including but are not limited to the following:
- Fighting
- Profanity
- Possession, use, sale, or being under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or tobacco—includes prescription and non-prescription medication that is represented as another substance or which is in the possession of a student without the school's knowledge or permission
- Possessing, using, dispensing, or transmitting any mood altering or mind altering substance which is represented to be, look like, or act in the same or similar fashion to any narcotic drug, hallucinogenic drug, amphetamine, barbiturate, marijuana, alcoholic beverage, stimulant, depressant, or intoxicant of any kind—including synthetically designed chemicals, herbal substances, “white lightning,” or “saliva” or any substances that mimics illegal or controlled substances potentially leading to an “altered state,” as well as any substances represented to be any of these items, which may in fact be innocuous or inert
- Weapons of any kind (e.g., guns, knives, razors, box cutters, etc.) or any item which may be or is used as a weapon
- Insubordination—refusal to follow the directions of the driver; arguing or talking back to the driver when given directions
- Vandalism—causing damage to the bus inside or outside or to the property of others at the bus stop or on the bus
- Any safety violation
- Throwing objects on the bus, out of the bus windows, or at the bus stop
- Rude, discourteous, harassing, intimidating, disruptive, or threatening behavior
- Violation of any school rule considered a serious offense
Disciplinary Procedures:
We base the disciplinary action employed on the severity of the infraction.
- Disciplinary report resulting in a one to three day, three to five day, or five to 10 day bus suspension
- Repeated or serious offenses may result in the loss of all bus riding privileges for the remainder of the semester or school year at the direction of the principal or other administrators. All bus suspensions require notification by an administrator.
- Severe clause: We will not tolerate interferences with the safe, normal operation of the school bus. We have the right to suspend students engaging in severe and/or threatening behaviors without issuing a warning.
Emergency Situations
In the event of an accident involving students, Jennings County Schools follows these procedures:
- A principal or designee will contact the parents of injured students.
- We will contact the parents of all students once we have accurate information to relay.
- To maintain a manageable situation, we will not contact the radio station; we determine that it is in the students' best interest to contact the media.
- If applicable, every student at the scene receives an evaluation from emergency medical personnel. We will also transport any students to the hospital who believe they are injured, regardless of their medical evaluation.
- We make all decisions in the interest of student safety and wellbeing. Many of our buses transport over 60 students at one time. Medical evaluations, contacting parents, and transportation of injured students may take some time to complete.
contact info
Phone Numbers
P: (812) 346-4483, ext. 6
F: (812) 352-4023
ADDRESS
1230 W. 500 N.
North Vernon, IN 47265
