Twice a year students are required to practice bus evacuations. It is federally mandated that these skills occur at the beginning of each school semester. We practice on school buses with the students' regular driver. Usually this will cause the students to be about fifteen minutes late going home, but the fifteen minutes spent with the driver and students may be the most important. It could save your child’s life. We strongly encourage students to pay close attention to the driver for instructions. This is NOT the time for horseplay or visiting friends. As a parent, you can help by reinforcing the importance of remaining quiet and listening to the driver. An emergency can be frightening enough, but when there is chaos and fear, someone may be needlessly hurt.

The Transportation Department and Schools regard poor behavior as being extremely dangerous, and students may be suspended from riding any buses.

Please don’t allow your child to confuse bus evacuations with playtime. We need more heroes, not victims.

 Bus evacuations for Live Oak will be March 8, 2021 and Bus evacuations for Branford will be March 9, 2021.

Instructions For Riding Suwannee County Buses

1. Stand off roadway while awaiting bus.

2. Keep arms and heads inside windows.

3. Cross the roadway immediately in front of the bus, when signaled by the driver.

4. Unnecessary conversation with the driver is DANGEROUS.  Please remain quiet.

5. Outside of ordinary conversation, classroom conduct is to be observed on buses.

6. The driver is in FULL charge of bus and students.

7. The driver has the right to assign pupils to certain seats if necessary to promote order on the bus.

8. Use of tobacco products is strictly prohibited.

9. Students must be on time; the bus cannot wait for those who are tardy.

10. Any person caught damaging a bus by scratching, writing on walls, or cutting seats will pay for damage.

11. No throwing, fighting or playing on the bus at any time.

12. No eating or drinking on the bus.

13. Students may not use cell phones while riding school buses to and from school.  Cell phones may be used upon returning from a field trip or an extracurricular activity beyond normal school hours.  The teacher/coach and the bus driver will jointly give permission for students to call parents to give an estimated time of arrival.

Consequences Of Unacceptable Behavior

The intent of these procedures is to provide a student's parent or guardian an early opportunity to assist in correcting their child's inappropriate behavior; to give the bus drivers assistance with inappropriate behavior; to establish consistency in student penalties at the school level; and to speed up the entire correction process.

All bus incidents requiring disciplinary consequences shall be referred to the school administrator.

Step 1: Initial Contact with Student: If student shows inappropriate behavior, the driver or monitor will speak with the student to correct behavior.

Step 2: Parent or Guardian Contact: If inappropriate behavior continues after speaking with student,  the driver shall seek help from the student's parent or guardian.

Step 3: Supervisor Contact: If inappropriate behavior continues after speaking with student's parent or guardian, the driver shall seek help from transportation supervision.

Step 4: School Referral: If inappropriate behavior continues after involving transportation supervision, the driver shall complete a school referral and submit to school administrator along with documentation of student management history. Behaviors that are serious in nature and/or considered a significant disruption to the safe transport of students, referrals to school administration may take place prior to parental contact.

School Bus

Know the Danger Zones

• Stay out of the danger zone at all times!

• Remember — if you can't see the driver, the driver can't see you!

• Never go near the bus unless the driver has given you the signal to come!

• Never, ever walk or play behind a vehicle!

• When you go near the bus, always, always be sure you can see the bus driver!

• If you drop anything in the danger zone leave it. Never, never stop to pick it up!

• Every child must know the DANGER ZONES around the school bus.

• Children should never enter the DANGER ZONE unless the driver has given them permission.

• If a child can touch the bus, he or she is too close.

• If a child must cross the street, know all the rules to cross safely.

• The 10 Giant Step rule is a good measurement for children to identify the DANGER ZONE around the school bus, particularly when crossing in front of the bus.

• When near a bus, the children must have the attention of the school bus driver.

• Children should never play around or near school bus vehicles.

• When leaving the bus, children must walk directly home.

Getting On and Off the Safe Way

• Always be on time with your school things tucked safely away.

• Never run to or from the bus.

• Wait for the bus at a safe place away from the road.

• Wait for the bus to stop before approaching to get on.

• Remember if you can touch the bus, YOU ARE TOO CLOSE!

• Your driver will tell you when to get on.

• Walk up the steps, one at a time, using the hand rail.

• Never push or shove.

• IF YOU DROP ANYTHING IN THE DANGER ZONE LEAVE IT. NEVER, NEVER STOP TO PICK IT UP!

• Sit facing the driver, feet in front of you.

• Keep the aisle clear at all times.

• ALWAYS LISTEN TO AND OBEY YOUR SCHOOL BUS DRIVER!

Getting Off the Bus

• Use the handrail.

• Do not push or shove.

• Walk, don't run away from the bus.

• Never go behind the bus.

• Go right home.

Safety Smarts

Crossing the Street after Getting Off the Bus

• If you must cross the road after getting off the bus, use the 10 GIANT STEPS as a guide to take you out of the DANGER ZONE at the front of the bus.

• Be sure you can see the driver and that the driver sees you.

• Watch for the driver's signal that it is safe to cross.

• Stop when you reach the edge of the bus.

• Look and listen both ways to be sure it is safe before you cross.

• IF YOU DROP ANYTHING IN THE DANGER ZONE LEAVE IT. NEVER, NEVER STOP TO PICK IT UP!

• Walk, never run across the street.

• Go right home.

Crossing the Street to the Bus

• If possible, have an adult help you cross the road.

• Before crossing, be sure you can see the stop arm and lights flashing.

• Wait for the driver's signal before you start to cross.

• Look and Listen both ways to be sure it is safe before you cross.

• Walk, never run across the street.

• STAY OUT OF THE DANGER ZONE AT ALL TIMES!

• IF YOU DROP ANYTHING IN THE DANGER ZONE LEAVE IT. NEVER, NEVER STOP TO PICK IT UP!

Emergency Evacuation the Safe Way

• Listen to the driver's instructions for the correct exit.

• Be calm, quiet and don't panic.

• Leave your belongings behind.

• Exit seat by seat alternating rows.

• Leave the bus quickly without pushing, or shouting.

• Walk to a safe place and stay together.

Railway Crossing Evacuation

• Listen to the driver's instructions for the correct exit.

• Go away from the tracks as far as possible in a direction (at a 45 degree angle) toward the train to avoid being hit by debris from the crash.

• Go to a safe place and stay together.