I. Purpose
To promote the safety and security of preschool and kindergarten students when released from Prince George’s County Public School buses
II. Background
Safe transportation and dismissal of students from buses are essential to support the educational objectives of the Prince George’s County Public School System. There is a shared responsibility between the school system and parents/guardians to see that students are supervised adequately upon leaving the school bus. These procedures provide general guidelines and are to be enforced in a given situation consistent with the good judgment of those responsible.
III. Procedures
To support the safety of students, parents must be informed of the procedures. Parents are expected to accompany preschool and kindergarten students to and from bus stops. When preschool or kindergarten students are not met at the bus stop by a parent, neighbor, sibling or other caretaker, or when a situation appears to be unsafe, the bus driver may return the student to school, unless the bus driver receives a different instruction from an authorized representative from the Department of Transportation. Should the driver arrive at a bus stop and an adult is not present on a repeated basis, the student shall be at risk for suspension and/or termination of transportation service and/or the parent/guardian may be referred to child protective services.
- Drivers and bus attendants are required to identify preschool and kindergarten students and assign them to sit in the front of the bus. Drivers and bus attendants must seek assistance from school staff when the grade level is unknown. School staff and transportation staff are required to support school bus drivers by providing the names, drop-off location, and phone numbers of preschool and kindergarten students.
- The school staff is responsible for providing the routing office of the Transportation Department with student information prior to a preschool or kindergarten student riding the school bus.
- The school staff will equip students with noticeable brightly colored lanyards with hanging ID badges that include their name, grade, drop-off location and phone number. This will be worn the first 2 weeks of any new transportation. Parents must be informed that these badges are to be returned to the school at the end of the two-week period.
- The routing office is responsible for providing the school and bus lot staff with student names, drop-off location and schedule.
- Parents and guardians are responsible for students before they board the bus and upon release from the bus. It is required that parents accompany their students to and from the bus stop.
- If the parent is unable to escort the student from the bus stop at the end of the school day, the student must be met by a guardian or other adult, sibling or student sent by the parent to accompany the student to his/her residence or other pre-arranged after school location.
- It is recommended that parents familiarize their student with those who will accompany the student from the bus stop when parents are not able to do so. The person meeting the student must be recognized by the student.
- If a person who arrives to accompany a student is questionable or the student is unfamiliar, the driver shall contact the transportation office via bus radio for instructions that may include returning the student to the school.
- Students not met by someone may be returned to school and the parent or guardian will be contacted by the school. Should the driver be instructed to return the student to school, the parent or guardian will be expected to come immediately to the school to pick up his/her student.
IV. Related Policies and Procedures
V. Maintenance and Update of These Procedures
This Administrative Procedure originates with the Department of Transportation and will be updated as needed.
VI. Cancellations and Supersedures
None
VII. Effective Date
August 15, 2014
About This Procedure
Last Revised: August 15, 2014
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