Behavior Expectations

Please see your child's school handbook for annual expectation updates.

Please contact your child's principal or assistant principal  

regarding student conduct on the bus and student discipline issues.

Bus drivers have complete charge of students riding the bus and 

will report misbehavior to the principal. The principal or assistant 

principal is responsible for disciplining students for bus misbehavior. To help maintain order on the bus, bus drivers have the authority to assign a special seat on the bus to any student.

For the safety of all students who ride the bus, students are expected to obey the following rules: 

1. Students must use only the bus and the bus stop assigned to them.

2. Students may not enter or leave the bus at any place except the student's regular bus stop or school unless the student has a note from home that has been approved by the principal or assistant principal.

3. Students who must change buses at any school must follow the rules of that school.

4. Students must stay in their seat while the bus is in motion. Students may not reserve seats.

5. Students must keep the center aisle of the bus clear at all times. Items such as book bags must not block the center aisle.

6. Students must obey all bus safety rules and the directions of their bus driver

7. Students are not allowed to transport balloons, flowers, glass containers, or animals (dead or alive, including insects) on the bus.

8. Students are not allowed to consume food or drink on the bus.

9. Students must not litter the inside of the bus, throw anything out of the window, or cause damage to the bus.

10. Students must obey all rules listed in the "Behavior Code" section of this handbook while riding a school bus.

**In addition to the rules listed above, Georgia law prohibits students from committing the following acts while riding a school bus:

• Acts of physical violence.

• Bullying.

• Physical assault or battery of persons on the bus.

• Verbal assault of persons on the bus.

• Disrespectful conduct toward the bus driver or other persons on the bus.

• Unruly behavior.

• Using any electronic devices during the operation of a bus, including but not limited to, cell phones, pagers, audible radios, tape or compact disc players without headphones, or any other electronic device in a manner that might interfere with bus communications equipment or the driver's operation of the bus.

• Using mirrors, lasers, flash cameras, or any other lights or reflective devices in a manner that might interfere with the driver's operation of the bus.

If students violate any of these rules, the principal or assistant principal may take disciplinary action, including suspension from riding the bus for as many as ten (10) days and suspension from school for as many as five (5) days. If bus misbehavior is severe, a disciplinary hearing may be called and students may be suspended or expelled from the bus or from school.

If a student is found to have engaged in bullying, physical assault or battery of a person on the bus, Georgia law requires the student's parent/guardian to meet with school officials to develop a school bus behavior contract for the student. If a student causes damage to a school bus, the student will be suspended from the bus and/or from school, and will be required to repay the cost of any damage to the bus.

Fighting on a school bus is among the most serious offenses committed by students. Students who fight endanger themselves and everyone riding the bus by causing the bus driver's attention to be diverted. Fighting on a school bus may result in immediate suspension from the bus and/or from school with no prior warning or prior disciplinary action being taken and can result in detention by law enforcement personnel.

Video/audio recorders are placed on school buses for the purpose of aiding supervision. Video/audio recordings may be used as evidence that misbehavior has taken place.

School administrators will follow the Discipline Plan as outlined in the Handbooks for Brantley County Schools.