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:
Students must use only the bus and the bus stop assigned to them.
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.
Students who must change buses at any school must follow the rules of that school.
Students must stay in their seat while the bus is in motion. Students may not reserve seats.
Students must keep the center aisle of the bus clear at all times. Items such as book bags must not block the center aisle.
Students must obey all bus safety rules and the directions of their bus driver
Students are not allowed to transport balloons, flowers, glass containers, or animals (dead or alive, including insects) on the bus.
Students are not allowed to consume food or drink on the bus.
Students must not litter the inside of the bus, throw anything out of the window, or cause damage to the bus.
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.
It is the goal of Brantley County Schools Transportation Department to provide safe and efficient transportation to all eligible students within the school system. Our focus is to achieve maximum efficiency on each route while still keeping student safety as our first and main priority.
As stated in the above policy, each case will be looked at individually and the SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS WILL BE OUR FIRST PRIORITY.
The following guidelines will be adopted when planning school bus routes:
1) Bus stops shall not be located any closer than one tenth of one mile apart.
2) Buses shall not deviate from the trunk route onto a side road that is less than one half of a mile long.
3) Students will walk a maximum distance of one half of one mile to a designated bus stop.
4) Each student must have a safe and direct walking route to each bus stop.
5) Each and all routes will be designed and monitored by the Transportation Director and Route Coordinator and each extenuating circumstance will be looked at on a case by case basis. The Transportation Director will make the final decision on all route and stop locations.
6) Buses shall not travel on any private or non-county maintained roadway.
7) Buses shall not travel on any road where there is no safe place to turnaround.
8) Bus Stops shall not be located at a place that is deemed unsafe or potentially hazardous, due to road conditions, traffic patterns and volume, posted speed limits, or near a registered sex offender.
9) Routes and stop locations can and will be changed at any point during the school year when the Transportation Director deems necessary. Parents and students are to be notified, in writing, of any change that may affect the transportation of a student.
10) Students with special needs, who have an IEP stating specific transportation requirements, will be exempt from normal route planning procedures and all specific transportation needs for any such student will be met, as prescribed by law.
Contact your school or the Transportation Department for information regarding the assigned bus stop location and approximate pick-up/drop-off times for your residence. Students should be at their assigned bus stop five minutes before the scheduled pick-up time.
Generally, drivers are able to complete their routes according to schedule. However, the bus can be delayed by factors such as mechanical problems, weather, roadwork, and traffic accidents. Also, drivers are better able to maintain their schedule when students are at their assigned bus stop on time.
Contact the Transportation Department 912-462-5159 if you have questions or concerns regarding your child's bus route or bus driver.
The guidelines given below are designed to promote student safety at the bus stop:
NEVER BOARD THE BUS UNTIL THE DRIVER MOTIONS TO DO SO!!
Students who must cross the road to board a bus should never do so until the bus has come to a complete stop, the proper warning signs are displayed, and the driver motions for students to cross.
Students MUST look for traffic in all directions before approaching the bus.
Students should cross the road in front of the bus, never cross the road behind the bus.
Students should always stand a safe distance from the road. TWELVE FEET OR MORE.
Before exiting the bus, students should stop at the bottom step and look to the right for traffic that is attempting to pass on the door side.
Students who must cross the road after exiting from the bus MUST cross at least twelve (12) feet in front of the bus and ONLY after the driver has motioned them to proceed to the edge of the center line. The student(s) will then receive another signal from the driver, prompting them to look in both directions for traffic and quickly cross the roadway. Students should not stop moving until they are at least 12 feet off the road. Do not stop to check mailboxes.
Students should never run to or from the bus.
Students should be at their assigned bus stop FIVE MINUTES prior to the scheduled arrival of the bus.
Parents should:
Make sure your child is at the bus stop five minutes early. Never be late. Haste increases the chance of accident. Review bus safety rules with your child and stress the necessity of observing them. The bus driver is an employee of the school system and merits the respect and courtesy due all school personnel. Teach your child to obey the bus driver. Actively cooperate with school officials and school bus drivers regarding appropriate conduct of your child at the bus stop and on the bus. Student behavior on school buses is considered an extension of classroom behavior. Students whose conduct affects their safety or the safety of others on board will be subject to disciplinary action. Parents play an important role in educating children on the rules of school bus safety. Remind your child to walk on the shoulder of the road on the way to and from the bus stop, where possible, and not on the traveled portion of the road. Remind your child to wait in a safe place, at least twelve feet off the road, until the bus comes to a stop. Students should not move toward the bus until the bus and all traffic have stopped and the driver signals them to do so. Students should stop and look before crossing the road when preparing to board or depart the bus. It is very important to look - do not expect approaching traffic to stop. Periodically remind your child of the importance of mannerly and orderly behavior at the bus stop. Periodically check on students at the bus stop. Accompany very young children to the bus stop and meet them on their return from school when possible.
Motorists should:
Watch for children at bus stops and as they get on or off the bus. DO NOT attemp to pass a School Bus that is displaying red flashing lights and an extended stop arm. Use special caution during school hours and around school speed zones. Always watch for the unexpected.
Brantley County Schools
Transportation Department
79 Davis Street
Nahunta, GA 31553
Phone: 912-462-5159
Fax: 912-462-8346
Staff List – Transportation
Jack F. (Jeff) Johns Jr. – Director of Transportation
jeff.johns@brantley.k12.ga.us
Overall responsibility of student transportation.
Developing and maintaining bus routes and operations.
Recruiting, hiring, retention and evaluation of all bus drivers and monitors.
All operational responsibilities within the Transportation Department.
Oversight of all support functions within the Transportation Department
Oversight of all field trip operations
Supervision of all Special Needs buses and routing
Maintains all bus-to-base and bus-to-bus communications devices and protocols.
Organization and function of office staff and administrative procedures.
Administration of the Bus Driver Training Program through the Training Department.
Dustie McMillan, Secretary and Dispatcher
dustie.mcmillan@brantley.k12.ga.us
Work with drivers on route adjustments to facilitate efficient operation.
All incident and accident processing.
Dispatch Assistant to the Director of Transportation
Purchasing
Maintains personnel files and paperwork
Patricia Smith, Assistant Secretary / 3rd Party Tester
patricia.smith@brantley.k12.ga.us
Assists the Transportation Director with modifying and maintaining all bus routes.
Work with drivers on route adjustments to facilitate efficient operation.
Maintain Student Information Rosters.
Morning dispatcher.
Facilitates the Bus Driver Training Program
3rd Party Examiner. CDL Examiner for all prospective bus drivers.
Evelyn Hickox – Lead Trainer
evelyn.hickox@brantley.k12.ga.us
Responsible for classroom instruction of new school bus drivers and monitors
Responsible for all behind the wheel training of new school bus drivers
Develop training programs and presentations for all drivers and monitors
Maintain all training files as prescribed by the GaDOE
The Student Information Form will be sent home by the bus driver. Please fill out completely and as accurately as possible, as this will enable the Transportation Department to maintain pertinent information about your child. Please return to the bus driver as quickly as possible, or mail to:
Brantley County Schools Transportation Department
79 Davis Street
Nahunta, GA 31553
Student safety is our first priority. Brantley County Schools Transportation Department is committed to teaching our students safe riding and evacuation procedures. Twice each school year, all buses will conduct an evacuation drill on one of the school campuses. Students will be instructed how to safely and effectively evacuate a school bus in the event of an emergency. By clicking the link below, you can view the Safe Riding and Evacuation Procedures handout that each child receives at the beginning of the school year.
Loading and Unloading Procedures
Safe Riding and Evacuation Procedures
Please view the following files for important safety tips and information in regards to school bus stops.
SCHOOL BUS SAFETY TIPS
