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Bus Information - Rules and Procedures

Eligibility for Bus Transportation: 

The St. Mary Parish School Board operates 61 school buses transporting approximately 5,000 school children twice daily.

  • Students living at least one mile from their assigned schools are eligible for bus transportation.
  • Bus transportation is limited to students enrolled in St. Mary Parish schools.
  • Adults are not permitted to board district buses for any reason. 


Regulations for Students:

In order to facilitate safe and efficient bus transportation, the following regulations for students have been established:

  • Be Ready:
    • Students must be on time at a designated stop.
    • Buses may arrive 10 minutes before or after the published time.
    • Buses are only required to stop if students are waiting in the designated bus stop area.
  • Follow Instructions:
    • Students must obey the driver promptly and cheerfully.
    • Students must obey and respect instructions from the bus patrol individual on school duty.
    • Students should obtain permission from the bus driver before opening windows when it is cold or raining.
  • Respect the Bus:
    • Students should keep the bus clean and sanitary.
    • Purposeful damaging, cutting, or breaking of school board property will result in disciplinary actions.
    • Offenders will be required to pay damages before returning to school.
  • Respect Others:
    • Students should avoid causing trouble by teasing, pulling hear, scuffling, or using unfit language, all of which can result in suspension from bus transportation.
    • Students should maintain a normal conversation tones and avoid loud talking.
    • High school or junior high school students who participate in a fight on a school bus will be arrested and discharged to parents at the police station.
  • Safety First:
    • Students should keep arms and heads inside bus windows at all times, and nothing should be thrown out of bus windows.
    • Students should remain in their seats while the bus is moving; only the bus driver can give permission for a seat change.
    • Students should refrain from blocking the middle aisle.
    • Students are not allowed to ride another bus without permission from the district's Transportation Department and from the bus driver. 
    • Students should not board a bus with the following items: alcohol, tobacco, matches, cigarette lighters, obscene materials, drugs, pets, glass objects (excluding eyewear), weapons (including knives), objects too large to be held on a student's lap or placed under the seat. 
    • Students cannot board a bus with the following musical instruments: marching trombone, flugel horn, marching baritone (in gig bag), euphonium (in gig bag), bell kid, or snare kit (in square case).

Complaints or concerns regarding bus transportation should be addressed to the administrative staff at the child's school.

 

*Information summarized from "A Guide for St. Mary Parish Public Schools"