On a daily basis, Center Cass School District #66 transports just over 1,100 students on 14 buses to 3 different schools. Although this number may seem large, it is but a mere pixel in the big picture that is pupil transportation in Illinois and beyond. In the state of Illinois, more than 1,100,000 students are transported by school bus each day where over the course of a year more than 138,000,000 miles are travelled on Illinois roadways. The job of driving a school bus bears a great amount of responsibility to carry our precious cargo through various road and weather conditions each school day of the year. We at District #66 have a wonderful group of dedicated school bus drivers that take great pride and care in transporting all of our students to their respective schools and various field trip destinations.
The week of October 15-19 2012 is National School Bus Safety Week bringing the theme “I see the driver-The driver sees me.” During the week students will be reminded of all school bus rules including various safety tips regarding approaching the bus as well as proper entrance and exit procedures. In addition, all District #66 students will participate in a proper school bus evacuation instructional class and drill by the end of October. Capping off school bus safety week, we will be dedicating Friday October 19th as bus driver appreciation day to honor our dedicated group of drivers. I invite all parents and guardians to help reinforce all school bus safety discussions during this week.
Students riding a bus should always:
- Arrive at the bus stop five minutes early
- Stand at least 5 giant steps away from the edge of the road
- Wait until the bus stops, the door opens and the driver acknowledges you before stepping onto the bus.
- Be careful that clothing with drawstrings and book bags with straps do not get caught in the handrail or door when exiting the bus.
- Check both ways for cars before stepping off the bus.
- When crossing, always walk in front of the bus, never behind the bus.
- When crossing, be sure the driver can see you and you can see them.
- Stay in your seat and sit quietly so that the driver is not distracted.
- Never attempt to pick anything up that falls under or near the bus.
Things parents should know about School Bus Safety:
- School buses are the safest form of highway transportation
- The most dangerous part of the school bus ride is getting on and off the bus.
- The loading and unloading area is called “The Danger Zone.”
- The “Danger Zone” is the area on all sides of the bus where children are in the most danger of not being seen by the driver. A good rule of thumb is to stay 10 feet away from the bus on all sides whenever possible.
The staff at District #66 reminds you to use extra caution when driving in all school zones by observing the posted speed limit, paying extra attention to bus and student traffic and abstaining from using cell phones. Please also remember to help keep our children safe by using caution around all school buses and never attempt to outrun a school bus stop arm. Thank you for working together to keep the safety of our children the #1 priority, have a happy School Bus Safety Week!
