Bus Safety

Last week, the children participated in our annual Bus Safety assembly with some of our amazing Howell Public Schools bus drivers.  Through an educational movie, the students were taught how to enter and exit a bus safely and during an emergency as well as how to ride the bus and how to cross the street safely in front of a bus.  After the movie, students had the opportunity to meet Buster the Bus, Howell's very own character bus that moves and "talks" to the kids.  Our amazing bus drivers reviewed the safety rules before sending the kids outside to load the bus.  Once we were on the bus, the kids were taught how to exit the bus in an emergency situation through the back door and then learned all about the Danger Zone around a bus.  Below you will see a list of safety rules that the children learned.  Please review these with your child frequently and annually, even if they do not ride a bus to/from school as your child will ride buses during field trips or maybe even as athletes as they get into middle and high school.

• While waiting for the bus to arrive, stand at least 10 big steps back from where the bus will stop. 
• Enter the bus using the hand rail.
• Sit "back to back, bottom to bottom" - your back to the back of the seat, your bottom to the bottom of the seat. 
• If you drop something in the Danger Zone, tell the bus driver and s/he will get your item for you.
• NEVER
• run up the steps as you are entering a bus.
• push while waiting to enter the bus.
• hold your school work in your hands as it could blow away and go under the bus.
• go in front of the bus, under the bus, or behind the bus without the bus driver's permission.
• turn around in the seat.
• kneel on the seat.
• sit with your feet in the aisle.
• eat and/or drink on the bus.
• put your body parts out the window.
• scream and shout.
• throw things on a bus.
• kick the seat in front of you.
• ALWAYS
• enter the bus safely, holding the hand rail and slowly coming up the steps.
• keep your personal items in your backpack rather than in your hands so they do not blow away as you enter the bus.  
• sit quietly.
• sit safely, facing forward.
• keep your body to yourself.
• be kind to the other people on the bus.
• be helpful to the driver by not distracting him/her.
• wait quietly at railroad tracks.
• exit the bus safely and only at your bus stop (not your friends bus stop).  :)
• wait for the bus driver to give you permission to cross the street if you must cross the road to get home.  The bus driver holds up a red stop sign when you need to wait and a green smiley face when if is safe to cross.  Students will need to wait for permission to step in front of the bus, stop to look both ways once they are in front of the bus, then wait for permission to cross the other side of the street.
• have an adult waiting for you at your bus stop.
• tell the bus driver if you are experiencing a problem on the bus.
• Stay out of the Danger Zone, which is the 10 foot area surrounding all sides of the bus.
• Stay in the Safety Zone (10 feet away from all sides of the bus) while waiting for the bus or after exiting the bus, even if you have to cross the street.  
• After exiting the bus, take at least 10 large steps away from the bus.  If you have to cross in front of the bus, take 10 large steps toward the front of the bus so the bus driver can see you while you wait for permission to cross.
• As a general rule, if you can't see the bus driver, s/he can't see you.
• All kindergarten students must have an adult waiting for them at the bus stop.  If no one is at the bus stop to pick up the kindergartner, the child will be taken back to school and parents will be notified.

In an effort to reduce boredom on the bus, potentially causing a troubling situation, I encourage your child to bring something small to keep in his/her backpack and to hold on the bus to keep your little kinder occupied if they have a long bus ride.  Of course crayons and such items could fall on the floor so maybe reduce the number of crayons to 3 or maybe just throw in a pencil.  Scissors should not be used on a bus.  I have heard feedback from parents that providing such activities help the bus ride go more smoothly and kids are better behaved because they are occupied.  Items such as iPads, iPods, etc. should remain at home as they would be quiet expensive to replace if they are lost, stolen, or broken.

All of these guidelines are for the safety of all of our children here in Howell Public Schools.  Thank you for reviewing these expectations with your child and for taking time to explain the potential dangers to breaking any of these safety rules while riding the bus.