For safety reasons, the following rules have been developed:

• The student must show his/her bus pass to the driver upon boarding the bus.
• Students must obey the bus driver at all times.
• Noise on the bus is to be kept at a reasonable level. No shouting or other loud noises on the bus or out the windows is allowed.
• Students must remain seated at all times. Aisles are to remain clear of feet and other items.
• The bus must be kept clean at all times.
• Eating and drinking are not allowed on the bus.
• Students waiting to board a bus should stand a safe distance from the curb until the bus comes to a complete stop and the doors are opened. Pushing or shoving while waiting to board the bus is not permitted.
• In case of an emergency, all riders are to remain seated in the bus, unless otherwise instructed by the driver/other adult in authority.
• Each student must ride only the assigned bus. A student will not be allowed to ride an alternate bus.
• If a student disobeys the rules, s/he is issued a Bus Conduct Report. A member of the Transportation Department notifies the parents of the situation and forwards the report to the student’s principal.

Corrective Discipline
Infractions of the rules result in the following actions:

First - phone call to student’s parents/guardians

Second - suspension of transportation privileges for one day

Third - suspension of transportation privileges for three days

Fourth - suspension of transportation privileges for five days

Fifth - suspension of transportation privileges for thirty days

Sixth - suspension of transportation privileges for remainder of the school year

NOTE: Discipline may carry over to the next year.

More Serious Infractions
In cases where more serious disciplinary problems occur, the following procedures are followed:

• The driver reports the incident immediately to the Transportation Supervisor and fills out a discipline report.
• The Transportation Supervisor immediately reports the incident to the building principal.
• The principal meets with the student, and a member of the Transportation Department contacts the student’s parents/guardians with the intended plan.

Transportation service may be immediately suspended for the following severe bus conduct infractions for a minimum of five days. Transportation privileges could be suspended for the entire semester or school year depending on the severity of the incident and the number of previous discipline infractions the student has had. The Transportation Supervisor and the student’s principal determine the extent of the corrective action.

These incidents include:

• Fighting or threatening others on the bus
• Using profanity or obscene gestures toward the bus driver or others on the bus
• Throwing or shooting items in the bus or out the windows
• Igniting fires, smoking, or the use of a controlled substance on the bus
• Severe safety distractions such as pointing laser lights at the bus driver or other students on the bus
• Putting hands, arms, and other parts of the body outside the windows
• Any activity on the bus that could severely jeopardize the safety of the students on the bus
• Vandalism
• Harassing behavior

In cases where severe conduct infractions occur, the Transportation Department may send a representative to the bus to remove the child or children involved. Students who feel they are being treated unfairly in a transportation matter should report the matter to the principal.

Contact Information
Transportation Dept.
2109 Grand Ave.
West Des Moines, IA 50265
(515) 633-4902

Video Systems
Video systems are used to monitor student behavior on school buses. The video can be used as evidence in a student disciplinary proceeding. The tapes are considered student records, subject to school district confidentiality, board policy and administrative regulations.