Rules

Bus Discipline

1. Transportation is a privilege.
   Students who fail to comply with the rules may be suspended and/or removed indefinitely from his/ her bus if the violation warrants. More serious incidents may involve suspension from school and possible police action.
   
   
2. Bus Incident Report
   The form will provide a record of infractions of the Bus Discipline Policy. All infractions that pose a threat to the safety of our students will be documented and copies will be forwarded to the parent/ guardian, school principal, the Transportation and Safety/ Security departments.
   
   
3. Infractions and Consequences
   Level One: Reported on Incident Report form by the driver/ monitor: eating/ drinking on bus; refusal to stay in seat; yelling and shouting; failing to obey reasonable requests of driver/ monitor; bullying other children; pushing or shoving in line; possessing sharp objects; placing body parts or other items out the window; throwing objects out of window and littering on bus.
   
   Level Two: All Level two infractions listed below are extreme and warrant no less than a five-day suspension from school bus privileges. In addition, the Principal will determine other disciplinary action under the Cambridge Public Schools Rights and Responsibilities: Threatening to attack another student; stealing or possessing stolen property; fighting or attacking another student; defacing and/ or vandalizing school bus; possessing a weapon or an object used as a weapon; possessing illegal substance (drugs, alcohol, etc.); possessing or lighting matches, lighter; any incident that violates Massachusetts General Laws or poses a threat to the safety of students.
   
   All Level Two infractions require notification to the Director of Safety and Security; also, copies of notifications must be sent to Transportation Office.
   
   
4. Notification of Parent/ Guardian
   The school principal will notify the parent/ guardian of a problem that the student is having on the bus; a copy of the Incident Report is provided for this purpose. A principal may determine when a meeting with parent/ guardian and the child is appropriate.
   
   Level One, first offense: A copy of the Incident Report will be sent to parent/ guardian, and telephone contact will be made.
   
   Level One, second offense: A letter will be sent to home with a copy of the Incident Report, and an office conference will be requested.
   
   Level One, third offense: Suspension required; a letter is sent to the parent/ guardian, and an office conference requested.
   
   Level Two incident: All offenses require suspension; a letter is sent to home; an office conference is required. The principal or Director of Safety and Security may proceed with further appropriate actions on serious incidents.
   
   
5. Additional Rules
   In addition to the list of Level One and Two infractions, the following rules are important and should be adhered to:
   
   Children should step on the bus quickly and be seated at once; they may not play personal radios or tape decks while on bus; students may not distract the driver or block the driver’s view. Animals are not allowed on school buses. Properly tagged students in grades K-2 will not be allowed to leave a bus unless there is an adult or older sibling whom the child recognizes at the the bus stop.