Safe Rider Program

• Safety issues concerning students that hinder the safe operation of the vehicle
• Safety issues concerning proper behavior at railroad crossings (over 50% of Barber buses cross a railroad track)
• Address student failure to cooperate or comply with Drivers and address an increasing profanity problem
• Discipline strategies for throwing objects at, in or out of the bus (huge safety issue) 

When fully implemented this year, the program will have 4 components including:

• A Hierarchy of Discipline spelled out in a Safe Rider Contract signed by parents and students. (School year 2008-09)
• Safe Rider Class in conjunction with Middle School Advisement program. (School year 2008-09)
• Greater Transportation Dept. presence at Sneak-a-Peek before School and Transportation representation/presentations at Open House and PTSA meetings. (School year 2008-09)
• School personnel available at the school from 4:30-5:30 (or beyond if required) to accept students who need to be removed from the bus for safety reasons and parents called to pick them up. (Pilot started last year at Barber March 24^th 2008)

The fourth component was piloted at Barber last year and was a great success. We will continue with this component of the Safe Rider Program while the other components are being developed. If a child needs to be removed from the bus or returned to school the following will occur:

• If disturbance occurs before the bus leaves school, the student is provided with 2 options: Correct behavior and continue home or be removed from the bus and stay at school with staff supervision and call parents
• If disturbance is in the field, Driver would call field coordinator. Field coordinator would meet the bus and assess the situation, field coordinator would remove student from bus and return student to school and escort to staff development room where staff member is waiting.

• Staff member would log the student in and document time of arrival and reason for return.
• Staff member would call the parents.
• Parents are then required to pick up student at school and briefly meet with staff member to address concern and sign student out using the log book. Parents would receive information on the Safe Rider Program in brochure form.
• If a child chooses option 2 or is removed from bus more than once, student will be suspended from the bus for 2 days. If behavior is severe, administrative consequences would also be used.

This proposal is designed to be used as an effective tool to keep students from acting up in the afternoon on the bus ride home. Our goal is to transport Barber students safely to and from your home. 

 Thank you again for your support.