Bus Rules / Procedures

TO: PARENTS, PUPILS, DRIVERS, and BUS CONTRACTORS

This annual memo is an attempt to clarify and standardise rules/procedures relating to the safe and orderly transportation of Hunterville School pupils on our four Ministry of Education funded daily bus runs, and is issued to all families at the start of each year as well as to enrolments during the year.

• Government School transport policy provides assistance for pupils under ten years of age who live more than 3.2km from their nearest school, and for pupils ten years and over who live more than 4.8km from that school, and also (under the above distance criteria) pupils who attend a school that is not their nearest school, but who make their own way to the midpoint between the school being attended and the next closest school.
  
  
• Pupils not fitting the above criteria are officially ‘ineligible’ and are only transported with the approval of the bus contractor by private arrangement.
  
  
• The school as well as the bus contractor and driver is responsible for the safety of pupils whilst being transported by bus.
  
  
• Bus monitors are appointed by the school and have specific duties, namely:
  a) Assist the driver by seeing that pupils observe safety rules (see below).
  b) Report misbehaviour to the Principal.
  c) Assist with the orderly assembly of pupils in the afternoon and mark off the roll.
  
  
• Although the responsibility for disciplining pupils rests with the Principal, bus drivers are expected to assist in controlling pupils travelling on buses as follows:
  a) If the misdemeanour is minor and isolated, warn the pupil (politely but firmly) that misconduct will not be tolerated and that further instances will be reported to the Principal.
  b) If misbehaviour persists, report the incident to the Principal.
  c) If there is gross misconduct or any tendency towards general disorder the driver should select a safe place and stop the bus. The driver should then tell the pupils he/she will not proceed until order is restored. The Principal should then be informed of the incident.
  d) In cases of repeated or gross misconduct the driver may, on subsequent days, refuse to take the pupils concerned until such time as the parents have been interviewed by the Principal and the driver has been informed that disciplinary action has been taken.
  In no instance should a pupil be put off a bus during a journey as a disciplinary measure.
  
  
• Disciplinary action for inappropriate behaviour on any school bus may include a pupil being denied transport on the bus for a period of time.
  
  
• Bus drivers are asked to report even minor mishaps to the Principal (Eg. If a bus has to stop suddenly and a child falls out of his/her seat; a ‘near miss’ situation even if caused by another vehicle; etc).
  
  
• Bus drivers are required to most definitely not allow students to be dropped off or picked up from town.
  
  
• In the event of a break down pupils should, if deemed safe and sensible remain in the bus. When pupils must leave the bus (e.g. punctured tyre necessitating changing a wheel), they must stand clear of the bus and off the road – even over a fence in a paddock. Where visibility is restricted senior pupils must be posted to warn other road users.
  
  
• Other Specific Rules/Procedures For Pupils
  a) Stand well back from the bus and wait until the bus has stopped before walking towards it to get on.
  b) Before getting off the bus pupils must remain in their seat until the bus has stopped.
  c) After getting off the bus in the afternoon Hunterville School insist pupils must wait away from the bus and in full view of the driver before moving off.
  DRIVERS SHOULD NOT DRIVE AWAY UNLESS DISEMBARKING PUPILS CAN BE SEEN.
  d) Those needing to cross the road after being dropped off must wait for the bus to travel 200metres (say… two power poles) before crossing the road.
  e) Stay in the same seat throughout your journey unless instructed otherwise by the driver.
  f) When sitting down pupils must sit on their bottom with their feet over the front edge of the seat. Definitely no kneeling on seats.
  g) No eating or drinking on the bus.
  h) Keep bags etc., out of the aisles.
  i) Noise to be kept to a minimum – talk quietly to those around you.
  j) Obey all requests by drivers and monitors regarding compliance of the bus rules.
  k) Be courteous and considerate to all others on the bus. Greet your driver when you get on each morning and say goodbye in the afternoon!

PRINTABLE VERSION

TOP

Check Newsletters Below for Details   
     Some Dates Subject to Change 


February
  1: Day one, 2012 school year
  6: School closed for Waitangi Day
  8: Reunion Committee meeting 7.30pm
  9: BOT meeting 7.30pm
14: School family BBQ, evening
22: Junior swim sports 1.30pm
22: Senior swim sports 4.30pm
28: Home & School meeting 7.30pm

March 
  8: Cluster swim sports, Marton
  9: Taihape interschool swim sports
16: Harvest Festival - pumpkins etc!
22: Junior athletic sports
23: Senior athletic sports
30: Interschool athletics at Hunterville

April
  5: Open day - reunion displays etc
  5: Final day of term one
6-8: 125th reunion celebrations