School District of Springfield
                                                                        Township
                                                                        Administrative Rule--810

                                                Student Transportation

            Students and other occupants of the school bus or school owned vehicles are expected to obey all rules of proper conduct and decorum, and show respect for all persons on the school bus or school district vehicle for all activities and at all times.  Appropriate disciplinary measures will be imposed for all misconduct in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct and/or other violations of law.  The student(s) shall obey all instructions of the school district employee(s) responsible for the school bus or school district vehicle.  The school district employee or contracted employee driving the school bus or school district vehicle shall be described below as the driver.  The following priority list of services shall be established for the transportation department:

            a.         transporting students to and from school.
            b.         transporting students on field trips and curricular related
                        activities.
            c.         transporting students to athletic contests or other student
                        activities.

A.        General Bus Behavior

1.         The driver shall may assign seats and ensure that proper behavior is maintained on the school bus or school district vehicle.

2.         If the driver judges that he/she is not able to maintain appropriate order on the school district bus/vehicle while it is still on school grounds, the driver will contact the school principal or designee, or radio the conditions to the Director of Transportation.  If order cannot be restored to the satisfaction of the school administrators then the trip will be cancelled and the school shall notify the students' parents/guardian by phone to come to the school to pick up their student.

3.         In instances where the bus/vehicle is no longer on school grounds, and misbehavior occurs, the driver will stop the vehicle in a safe location off the highway and attempt to reestablish appropriate behavior.  If the disruption continues,

            the driver shall contact the Director of Transportation by radio and request the Director of Transportation or designee to come
            to meet the bus/vehicle to address the situation.  The Director of Transportation or designee will determine whether the situation may be brought under control for continued travel or whether, in consultation with the school administration, the trip should be canceled and the students should be returned to the school for their parents/guardian care and custody. The driver shall complete a Bus Conduct Report and all offending students shall be subject to discipline for their offenses according to the Student code of Conduct.

4.         For any event or incident involving the student(s) and other occupants during use of a school district bus/vehicle, the driver is responsible for completing a Bus Conduct/Accident Report, as appropriate within four (4) twenty-four (24) hours (or sooner) of such event or incident.  In those situations where the bus driver is incapable of completing such report because of illness or injury, the Director of Transportation will be responsible for completing such forms.  The appropriate copies should be forwarded to the school, student's parents/guardian, the school principal and the Business Administrator as shown on the forms.  The Superintendent shall be notified of all accidents and all cases of serious misconduct in a timely manner. 

5.         In an extremely rare instance where the police must be brought into to address the situation by the Director of Transportation, the Director of Transportation or designee will meet the police and the bus/vehicle.  The course of action to be taken will be dictated by the severity of the offense.  The police may take the students to the police station, or the students may be transported in the district vehicle or another vehicle back to the school for their parents/guardian care and custody.  The school will determine the future student bus/vehicle privileges of a particular student based on the provisions of the Student Code of Conduct.  The driver shall complete a Bus Conduct Report.

B.        Transportation for Special Education Students

            Special Education students who are assigned to a work-study program or other educational program at an off-campus location may be transported to an assignment when space is available on the bus/vehicle transporting students to the Eastern Center for Arts and Technology when the schedule and route are approved by the Director of Transportation and when such
transportation does not interfere with transportation to the Eastern Center for Arts and Technology.
                                                                                                                       
C.        Early Dismissal Days-Private Schools, I.U./Consortium Classes

1.         Written notification of the following year's school calendar and the dates for early dismissals from the Director of Transportation will be sent to all private schools, all public school districts with Intermediate Unit special education classes and consortium special education classes by June 1 of each year.  This notice will assist our district and other districts in planning transportation routes.

2.         Private and public schools are entitled to the same number of early dismissal days each year as the Springfield Township schools, but although the law does not require that the days have to be the same, serious attempts should be made to make the calendar of districts concurrent.

3.         Private and public schools must provide the Director of Transportation with a written list of the early dismissal days that are scheduled for the following school year by August 10th.  If the list is not received by the Director of Transportation by August 10th, no early dismissals will be scheduled for that school.

D.        Student Athletics and Activity Groups

1.         Transportation will be provided for student athletics and activity groups, subject to availability of vehicles and drivers, until funds specifically appropriated for each student activity group in the General Fund Budget are exhausted.  At that time transportation shall cease until special permission is granted by the Superintendent following notification to the board of the need for a transfer of funds to cover the proposed additional expenditures.

2.         The administrators of student activity funds may pay for additional student activity transportation from funds earned by, donated by, or given to pupils by PTA/PTO's and other support groups.  Charges shall be made from the appropriate principal's activity account.  Such funds shall not come from school district appropriations but shall be subject to all audit requirements of the PDE and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 

3.         Transportation to athletic and other student activities will be provided within the Greater Delaware Valley Region.  Transportation beyond this area may be provided for athletic
            playoffs or for other reasons with the prior permission of the Superintendent, upon the recommendation of the building principal.

4.         Student spectators for regularly scheduled student activity/athletic events and playoffs may be transported on the school bus/vehicle if there are sufficient numbers of students interested in such transportation.  The Director of Transportation will determine the number of vehicles to be utilized.  Student fees will be used to offset expenses of transporting such spectators and will cover all such costs.

5.         All bus/vehicle requests including field trips should be forwarded in writing to the Director of Transportation as early as possible but generally at least fourteen (14)  twenty-one (21) days prior to the event.

E.         Field Trips

1.         Bus/vehicle transportation may be canceled for field trips at the discretion of the Director of Transportation if a driver is not available, or in emergency situations.  Cancellation will occur after consultation with the school principal.

2.         No more than five (5) school district employees and/or volunteers shall ride any school bus on any field trip as chaperones.  In the unusual event that more than five (5) chaperones are required the staff sponsor shall notify the principal in advance and where appropriate the Superintendent shall be notified.

3.         School busses/vehicles shall avoid travel on expressways and turnpikes unless such routes are deemed necessary by the Director of Transportation for a safe and expeditious field trip or event.

4.         Field trips out of state should be made with contracted bus services.  Plans for use of chartered busses must be submitted to the Director of Transportation's office eight (8) weeks before the trip is scheduled.  All such trips shall have the prior consent of the Superintendent of Schools.

5.         For field trips in a school district employee's personal vehicle, such vehicle must bear a current vehicle inspection sticker and
            minimum vehicle insurance protection for all occupants.  Vehicle operator must have a valid driver's license.  Driver and passengers must use seat belts.  The field trip request must indicate mode of transportation for the trip.  The employee shall notify the building principal of any such trip.  The principal is responsible for assuring that all school district employees using personal vehicles on field trips meet the inspection, insurance, and license requirements outlined above. 

6.         When school district employees are authorized by the school principal or designee to use their personal vehicle for a field trip with students, the employee's personal automobile insurance is supplemented in the event of a liability claim by the appropriate liability or errors and omissions insurance of the school district.  Any claims paid will be subject to the decisions of the employee's carrier and the district's insurers.  In all such cases the employee shall:

            a.         have a valid operator's license.
            b.         have a current inspection sticker.
            c.         assure that driver and passenger(s) use seat belts.
            d.         assure that the vehicle is operated safely and within all
                        requirements of the law.

7.         If necessary a school district employee may request the use of a school district vehicle for a field trip, subject to the approval of the principal and the Director of Transportation.

8.         If a field trip must be rescheduled after it has been approved by the School Board, the Director of Transportation and the school principal shall determine an appropriate time for the rescheduling of the field trip.  No additional approval is required.   However, the school principal must notify the Superintendent of the new date.