033 – Code of Conduct for Bussed Students

Every student is expected to behave in accordance with the expectations of the Ontario Code of Conduct, other Board Policies pertaining to Codes of Conduct, and (033) Code of Conduct for Bussed Students policy while travelling on the school bus.

Consequences of NOT abiding by the Code of Conduct for Bus Students are outlined in (026) Progressive Discipline for Infractions on a School Bus.

1. Every student is expected to behave in accordance with the expectations of the principal at the pick-up and transfer points, while on school premises, and while travelling on the school bus.
2. Every student will follow the driver's directions and cooperate with and assist the patrols in carrying out their duties.
3. A student, or parent/guardian if the student is under age 18, is responsible for compensation for any damage or destruction to school buses.

Students must:

1. Arrive at the bus stop 5 minutes and no earlier than 10 minutes before pick-up time.
2. Stand well away from the road until the bus is stopped
3. Line up in a single file, and when the bus is stopped, board the bus in an orderly fashion using the handrail.
4. If it is necessary to cross the road to board the bus, wait for the driver's direction before crossing and stay at least 3 meters in front of the bus when crossing.

1. Remain seated until the bus comes to a stop.
2. Leave the bus in an orderly fashion using the handrail.
3. Immediately continue up his/her laneway if it is directly beside the door of the bus.
4. If it is necessary to walk to his/her laneway, remain at the stop, a safe distance from the bus (3 paces) until the bus has departed.
5. If it is necessary to cross the road, line up in single file and when everyone is off the bus walk along the shoulder for 3 meters. When the bus driver indicates it is safe to proceed, cross the road while continuing to check for on-coming traffic.

A Student Shall:

1. Follow the driver’s instructions.
2. Obey the bus patroller.
3. Be courteous and respectful at all times.
4. Keep off the travelled portion of the road on the way to the pick-up point.
5. Ride only the assigned bus.
6. Be picked up and discharged only at designated stops
7. Keep books, lunch boxes and bulky items on his/her lap.
8. Leave windows closed, unless authorized by the driver to open them.
9. Keep arms and head inside the bus at all times.
10. Not carry potentially dangerous or objectionable objects and/or materials.
11. Not eat or chew gum on a school bus.
12. Remain seated while the bus is in motion.
13. Remain seated while the bus is in motion.
14. Be held responsible for damage done to the bus due to vandalism or other improper behaviour.

A student must be aware that serious or repeated misconduct will be recorded and that the report may be placed in the Ontario Student Report folder. A student must also be aware that such conduct may result in the loss of the provision of transportation according to (026) Progressive Discipline for Infractions on a School Bus.

On February 1, 2010, new legislation (Bill 157) came into effect in Ontario which requires school staff to report to the principal when they see students engaged in potentially inappropriate behaviour.

Inappropriate behaviour is defined as follows:

306.(1) A principal shall consider whether to suspend a pupil if he or she believes that the pupil has engaged in any of the following activities while at school, at a school related activity or in other circumstances where engaging in the activity will have an impact on the school climate:

1. Uttering a threat to inflict serious bodily harm on another person.
2. Possessing alcohol or illegal drugs
3. Being under the influence of alcohol.
4. Swearing at a teacher or at another person in a position of authority.
5. Committing an act of vandalism that causes extensive damage to school property at the pupil’s school or to property located on the premises of the pupil’s school.
6. Bullying.
7. Any other activity that is an activity for which a principal may suspend a pupil under a policy of the board.

310.(1) A principal shall suspend a pupil if he or she believes that the pupil has engaged in any of the following activities while at school, or a school-related activity or in other circumstances where engaging in the activity will have an impact on the school climate:

1. Possessing a weapon, including possessing a firearm.
2. Using a weapon to cause or to threaten bodily harm to another person.
3. Committing physical assault on another person that causes bodily harm requiring treatment by a medical practitioner.
4. Committing sexual assault.
5. Trafficking in weapons or in illegal drugs.
6. Committing robbery.
7. Giving alcohol to a minor.
8. Any other activity that under a policy of a board, is an activity for which a principal must suspend a pupil and, there in accordance with this Part, conduct an investigation to determine whether to recommend to the board that the pupil be expelled.

The legislation includes the following clause:

5.3 The individuals referred to in subsection (5.2) are individuals who are not board employees who come into direct contact with pupils of a board on a regular basis in the normal course of:

1. Providing goods or services to the board;
2. Carrying out their employment functions as an employee of a person who provides goods or services to the board; or
3. Providing services to a person who provides goods or services to the board.

This then, will apply to bus drivers. This does not appear to represent a substantial change in practice but it certainly makes the duties clear.

The full text of Bill 157 is available at: Click Here To View Bill

For clarification, the above noted new reporting requirement does not replace the existing Report of Student Misconduct on Bus Form (TF017); it establishes a second reporting requirement specific to the limited group of transgressions identified above.