To enhance safety, video and audio recording devices have been installed on all buses and may be in operation at any time.
Bus Assignments
Students may only ride their assigned bus, using their assigned stop. Parents or guardians may notify the school that their student needs to use a different bus stop up to 3 times per semester; the school will issue a one-time bus pass for each request. If different or additional transportation assignment is needed, please make a request via the Extended Parent Portal (look for Space Available) or contact the Transportation department.
Safety Rules While Waiting at Bus Stops
Students must be standing at their assigned stop five minutes before the scheduled departure time. The bus must depart at the time shown and cannot wait for late students.
Students must wait for the bus in a safe place, well off the roadway, 10’ beyond where the bus stops. Students may not play or wait in the street or on private property.
Students must wait until the bus comes to a complete stop, with red lights flashing and door open, before moving toward the door of the bus.
Students must enter the bus in an orderly manner, immediately sit in their assigned seat, and buckle their seatbelt (on buses with installed seatbelts).
Never run into the street to chase a bus.
Safety Rules After School
All students must be on their assigned bus prior to departure time.
Once the driver has closed the door and the lead bus has started to move, late students will not be allowed to board the bus.
Never run after the bus. Once buses have started to depart, do not enter the bus parking area.
Be alert to traffic when exiting the bus at stops. If crossing the street wait 10 feet beyond the bus for the driver to signal a safe crossing.
Do not cross the street behind the bus. School bus drivers and other motorists can see students behind the bus.
Always follow instructions from the driver when crossing the street or leaving the bus drop-off location.
Safety Rules While on the Bus
Follow the instructions of the school bus driver. The driver, transportation staff and the school have full authority to assign seats. The driver has authority to require objects that may be unsafe or hazardous to be placed in a safe area or secured in the student's backpack. All riders should observe the following:
Treat everyone with courtesy and respect.
Remain seated and keep your head and arms inside the bus at all times.
If the bus is equipped with seatbelts, riders are required to wear them at all times.
Do not use inappropriate conduct or objectionable language.
Do not abuse or bully others on the bus.
Do not consume food or drink while on the bus.
Keep your belongings in your backpack. It is especially important that sharp instruments such as pencils and pens be kept in a backpack/bag.
Removal of Bus Privileges
School bus transportation in Colorado is a privilege. There is no state requirement for school districts in Colorado to provide transportation for regular education students. Transportation may be suspended or discontinued indefinitely for willful misconduct or endangering the safety of the school bus or its occupants.
Minor violations of bus rules are handled on an individual basis between the rider and driver. If a student engages in unsafe behavior, preemptive action may be taken by the Transportation Department and/or the school administrator.
School buses are known to be the safest means of transportation to and from school. However, please understand that the bus often has twice the number of students than a classroom. Additionally, in the bus the adult is driving a large vehicle and has his or her back to the students!
Items Prohibited on the Bus
Non-service animals
Glass containers
Weapons of any kind (including toy, model, and decommissioned)
Explosive items
Tobacco or vaping products
Matches and lighters
Any federally non-approved item or substance
Balls are prohibited unless placed in a suitable closed container such as a backpack, duffel bag, or drawstring bag
Large Items (band instruments & props, athletic items, school projects, etc.)
Large items are routinely allowed on buses only if they are small enough to be held in the student's lap or placed on the floor between the student's legs. An item not meeting the description above will not be allowed without individual approval by Transportation. Parents are asked to contact transportation at least one week in advance if they are considering having their student carry a large item on board a route bus.
The following considerations will always prohibit a large item on a route bus:
No item may take up an entire seat; if allowed, it must sit between the student and the window.
No item may protrude into the aisle at all.
No item may protrude more than 4 inches above the seat back.
The space between the seat and the seat-back in front of it is 7-9 inches, and the height of bus seat backs is 40-44 inches.
Skateboards and portable scooters are prohibited unless enclosed in a fabric bag and meeting all requirements listed above.
Flags are prohibited unless they break down and fit completely in a closed bag.
Drill Rifles are never allowed, whether model or decommissioned.
Even approved large items cannot be transported when a bus is operating at or near full capacity. Such items may be denied entrance onto a route bus at any time, because student safety always has priority over equipment.