B OARD OF E DUC ATIO N  Stephen Rothschild, President Dave Spiess, Vice President Vicki Donovan Lyle
Julie Hoffman
Jim Nusbaum

 S YLVANIA S CHOO LS 
Adam Fineske, Superintendent
Lisa Shanks, Treasurer/CFO
Keith Limes, Assistant Superintendent Operations

Tim Zieroff, Assistant Superintendent Academics

Sylvania Schools
Student Transportation Handbook

EVERYBODY HAS A JOB IN
SCHOOL BUS SAFETY

 Scho o l 
Northview HS	 P ho ne 
419-824-8570	 P r incip al 
Steve Swaggerty	
Southview HS	419-824-8580	Kasey Vens	
Arbor Hills JHS	419-824-8640	Mellisa McDonald	
McCord JHS	419-824-8650	Josh Tyburski	
Timberstone JHS	419-824-8680	Mike Bader	
Central Elementary	419-824-8610	Amanda Ogren	
Highland Elementary	419-824-8611	Mark Pugh	
Hill View Elementary	419-824-8612	Chad Kolebuck	
Maplewood Elementary	419-824-8613	John Duwve	
Stranahan Elementary	419-824-8614	Jeremy Bauer	
Sylvan Elementary	419-824-8615	Julie Gault	
Whiteford Elementary	419-824-8616	Andrew Duncan	

 TRANSP ORTATIO N OFF ICE
Neal Applin, Director
419-824-8686 / 824-8789 (fax)
7400 Cougar Lane
Sylvania, Ohio 43560

Delays/Closings: 419-824-8696
www.sylvaniaschools.org

2017 - 2018

Dear Parents/Guardians:

About 22 million children ride to and from school each day in 350,000 buses in this country. Traveling on a school bus is the safest mode of transportation, but it takes everyone of us to help keep it that way - and ensure the safety of every child.

Our goal has always been  safe t y f ir st  for the students of Sylvania area schools. Buses are inspected regularly; drivers are trained and retrained; bus stops and routes are reviewed, all to ensure the safest and most efficient operation we can provide for your children.

The transportation for our school district has become very complex and costly. We currently transport to and from over 40 schools in the greater Toledo area. We
must revise and update all the bus routes yearly to meet the ever-changing trans- portation needs of the district and increase our efficiency. Some of the
factors that affect overall operations of the transportation system stem from the increasing number of students being transported to an increasing number of schools in the area.

In our community, we are sometimes faced with inclement weather or congested traffic. Both of these situations may affect our schedules. We appreciate your patience and understanding when bus schedules may be temporarily modified.

We also ask your support in the area of bus discipline. The safety of all the chil- dren is of primary importance to each of us. Please help your children to ride safe- ly by reviewing their job as a rider noted in this document. It is also important to review the safe bus rules/regulations with your child periodically.

Thank you in advance for your help and support.

Neal Applin
Director of Transportation

Alternate Transportation Requests
CHILD CARE/LATCH KEY:
Transportation will be provided for students enrolled in the child care/latch key programs as long as the child care/latch key facility is in the attendance boundary of the home school the student attends. (Established day care/latch key facilities will submit roster lists of student enrollment). Parents must also submit a written release to the Transportation Office giving permission to transport their child to/ from an area other than their place of residence.

AFTER-SCHOOL NON-RELATED ACTIVITIES:
Students will not be transported to any outside after-school activity, other than child care/latch key/
baby sitter programs; school-sponsored trips, etc. Examples of after-school non-related activities include: gymnastics, swimming lessons, Girl/Boy Scouts, work places (other than established work programs through the schools), music lessons, religion classes.

OPEN ENROLLMENT:
Transportation will be provided for open enrollment students as long as it has been determined there is room on the bus. Students must come to an established stop on the route to be picked up. Approval from the Transportation Department must be completed before students will be permitted to ride. Permission will be granted on a temporary basis, i.e. depending on size of load and seat availability.

OTHER TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS:
Parents requesting a change in their child’s transportation assignment on a short term basis must submit the request in writing to the office or contact the Transportation Office directly. Requests will be honored if it is determined there is room on the bus and written request is received in a reasonable time period. In the event of an emergency, a phone call to the Transportation Office will be accepted.

STOPS/ADDITIONAL STOPS REQUESTS/SPECIAL ROUTING:
Requests to add stops to routes may be considered, however, please respect that our decisions take into account the safety and timeliness and various needs of all the children. The majority of routes
will remain as written. Buses entering cul-de-sacs; courts and lanes will occur only if those areas are
long enough to permit buses to circle around the end of the area safely. Buses are not permitted to backup into driveways or the immediate area to exit. Buses will make home pick ups (stopping at driveway entrances) for students with disabilities or students living on roads deemed unsafe or hazardous. When and where possible, stops are grouped together to enhance student safety.

School Bus Handbook	Page 1

DELAY/CLOSING HOTLINE: 824-8696	Page 6

SYLVANIA SCHOOLS
Transportation Student Release
2017 - 2018

School Student is Attending:   	Grade: 	

SYLVANIA SCHOOLS
Student Misconduct Referral

Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms.  	:

Date:   	 School:   	

Student Name:  		 Home Address:   	Phone:   	 
Parent/Guardian:   	

is a passenger on our school bus which transports pupils to the Sylvania district and/or the required private/parochial or charter school. This transportation is provided at State and local expense admin- istered by the local Board of Education and regarded as a convenience to you and your student. The safety of all pupils on this bus is of utmost importance. Every precaution must be taken to ensure that they arrive at their destination safely, efficiently and economically. Bus driving is a difficult task and anything that happens to divert the driver’s attention affects the safety of everyone on the bus. It is therefore absolutely necessary that students riding on the bus conduct themselves in the best manner possible. Your cooperation is earnestly solicited.

Daycare/Babysitter:                                                                                                            Address:                                                                                   Phone:                                Effective Date:                                                                       
Permission is given to transport my child named above to the daycare/babysitter address
listed above for the 2015-2016 school year. Please check only one box below.

Bus Driver’s Signature	Bus #

Your student has received this misconduct form with the reasons for the report checked below.
 Pa ren t s/ Gu a rd i an s a re req u est ed t o  si gn  th e form  an d  ret u rn  it  wi th  you r  c hi ld  t o th e bu s  d ri ver. 

 	Be on time at the bus stop/point of safety (5 minutes before actual time scheduled)
Crossing in front of the bus as it approaches the loading stop without waiting for proper signals
 	Improper unloading procedures—once off the bus, move away to the designated place of safety
 	Stay in seat taken upon entering the bus; moving from seat to seat is forbidden
Firearms / Weapons

Fighting and/or horseplay

Throwing litter on the floor and/or out windows

 TO SCHOOL ONLY
  FROM SCHOOL ONLY

 	Obscene language or gestures	 	Head/arms outside the window
 	Smoking or lighting flammable items	 	Tampering with emergency equipment
 	Eating and/or chewing gum	 	Shouting and/or loud noises

  TO AND FROM SCHOOL

Any change to this release will need to be communicated in writing by the parent/
guardian to the school and to the Transportation Department as needed.

Damaging personal / school property
 	Gambling
Personal disrespect to the bus driver
Other

Shouting and/or loud noises
 	Disobeying driver instructions
Noise at railroad crossings

(Parent/Guardian Signature)	(Date)

NOTE: Onl y consecutive Monday-Friday requests within the child’s home elementary attendance area and to SCS Childcare will be considered. Please allow for a three (3) advance notice of any transportation change.

Sylvania Schools
Attn: Transportation Department
4747 N. Holland Sylvania Road, Sylvania, Ohio 43560
419-824-8686 / 419-824-8789 (fax)

School Bus Handbook	Page 5

PENALITIES FOR MISCONDUCT
First Referral:	Principal notification, signed referral by parent and student.
Second Referral:  Three  to ten day suspension of bus privileges. Conference if deemed necessary.
Third Referral:    Suspension of bus privileges for the remainder of current semester/trimester, minimum of thirty (30 days).

NOTE:  If the offense is deemed serious by school officials, any of the preceding steps may be superseded and the next step enforced and permanent loss of bus privileges may be the result.

I HAVE READ THIS MISCONDUCT REPORT AND HAVE COUNSELED MY CHILD ACCORDINGLY.

Signature of Parent or Guardian

DELAY/CLOSING HOTLINE: 824-8696	Page 2

School Bus Safe-Riding Rules

1.  Students shall arrive at their assigned bus stop at least 5 minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive
2.  Students must wait in their designated place of safety and away from the road

3.  Behavior at the school bus stop and on the bus must not threaten life, limb or property of any individual
4.   Students must go directly to an available or assigned seat (drivers are authorized to assign seats)
5.  Students must remain seated keeping aisles and exits clear

6.  Students must not use profane language
7.  Eating and drinking on the bus is prohibited (State Law)
8.  The use of tobacco at the bus stop or while on the bus is strictly prohibited
9.  Students must not throw or pass objects on, from or into the bus
10.  Carry-on items are allowable if they fit on students’ lap, on the floor under the seat, or secured
in a safe place (oversized musical instruments, i.e., bass drums; tuba’s, etc. cannot be transported on the bus with students)
11.  Students must leave or board the bus at locations at which they have been assigned, unless written parental and administrative authorization in writing has been given

DRIVER’S JOB:
To be in good physical condition

Pre-trip the bus every day

Be as close to the schedule time as possible

To obey all laws/procedures
Drive safely at all times

PARENT’S JOB:
To  have children at the bus stop 5 minutes before the scheduled time
Support the driver if behavior problems occur
To obey all laws

Keep phone numbers current
Parent/guardian should plan to be home to welcome children, especially grades K-3
Have an alternate plan in the event you are unable to be home after school

12.  Students must not put their head, arms or other body parts out the bus window. Belongings are
not to be thrown around the bus or out of the windows
13.  Students may not use the emergency exits unless permission has been given by the bus driver/
administrator in charge of the bus
14.  Students must be QUIET at all railroad crossings. No loud or disruptive behavior is permitted.
15.  When getting on/off the bus, students who must cross the street or highway are instructed to WAIT
until the driver has SIGNALED for them to cross. Students must remain visible to the driver at all times
16.  Wait for the bus to come to a complete stop and the door is opened before attempting to get on or off the bus
17.  The following are strictly prohibited to be transported on a school bus: pets or other animals,
alcoholic beverages, drugs, tobacco, ammunition, explosives, firearms, knives, glass containers or any
other dangerous materials or objects. For questions, please call the Transportation Office
18.  The use of electronic devices such as ipods, cell phones, etc will be allowed at the driver’s discretion as long as they don’t distract the driver. Phones must be on silent mode and no photographs are allowed
19. Cooperate with the driver and keep the bus clean

THE STUDENT’S JOB:
Leave home early enough to arrive at your bus stop 5 minutes before your scheduled time
Wait for your bus in an orderly manner in your designated place of safety
Enter the bus in an orderly manner and take your seat promptly
Follow the instructions and rules of the bus driver
Remain seated until the bus arrives at school or your designated bus stop
Keep aisles clear at all times

Remain quiet and orderly, mirror classroom behavior
Be courteous to your school bus driver and fellow passengers

Be alert to traffic when leaving the bus; wait for the driver’s instructions as needed

School Bus Handbook	Page 3

DELAY/CLOSING HOTLINE: 824-8696	Page 4