Bus Bulletin

Bus Bulletin is a notification system used by the Transportation Department to notify parents and students of bus delays or other bus related concerns. The primary contact number for all registered bus riders is auto-enrolled to receive Bus Bulletin notifications. If you have any questions or concerns about Bus Bulletin, please contact the Transportation Office at 478-994-6205 or at mystop@mcschools.org.

Bus Rider Registration

In order to improve the safety and efficiency of transportation services for all eligible students, Monroe County Schools requires parents/students to register for transportation services prior to using a Monroe County school bus. Each spring, a pre-registration process will take place for the upcoming school year. Students who require a change to their transportation services during the school year should submit the request through the school’s front office. It is critical that a student’s home address is kept up to date at all times.

Wait Period

New students or students who request a change in transportation service will be routed as soon as possible. In order to ensure student safety and route efficiency, changes in transportation service will require a 1-5 school day waiting period before service begins.

Single Stop Service

Students must have one established AM transportation address and one established PM transportation address. The AM address can be different from the PM address, but both must remain the same each day of the week. Students with approved special situations such as split custody can obtain a bus pass from their school’s front office on the days they need to go to the home of a secondary guardian.

Bus Passes

Bus passes must be approved by a school administrator and may be issued for emergency situations and situations of split custody. Bus passes will be issued for no more than 10 consecutive school days. Bus passes can ONLY be issued along an existing route path. They cannot be used to alter the planned travel path of a route. To request a bus pass, a parent/guardian must submit a written letter to the school’s front office.

Route Freeze

At the beginning of the school year, bus route paths will be frozen for the first 10 days of school. If a student has not registered prior to the route freeze date, the student may ride the bus with an approved bus pass to a designated location along an existing route path.

For the safety and well-being of our children, Monroe County’s Student Transportation Department follows Georgia Department of Family and Children’s Services (DFACS) guidelines in the bus delivery of younger students to their homes at the end of the school day. Under DFACS Guidelines ★ Children 8 years and younger cannot be left alone. Therefore, a bus driver must make visible contact with a parent or guardian before leaving the child at home. ★ Children 9-12 years old can be left alone for up to two hours. ★ Children 13 and older can be left alone without adult supervision. In delivering younger children to their homes in the afternoon, bus drivers communicate with school personnel to determine safe drop-off conditions. Should a bus driver deem they cannot leave a child in a safe situation, the driver will contact school personnel, attempts will be made to contact the parent or guardian, and if necessary the child will be returned to their home school. Parents with questions or concerns about these guidelines may contact the MCS Student Transportation Department, the Family Services Coordinator & Homeless Liaison, or their child’s school administrators.

A student must ride their assigned school bus route to and from school. Parents/Guardians should not request that a child be allowed to ride a bus on which he/she is not regularly assigned except in emergency situations. When there is an emergency situation the student will bring a note from the parent or the parent will call the administrator with the reason for the emergency. The note should be given to the office upon arrival at school and include a daytime phone number to reach the parents. The administrator will make a decision to grant or deny the request. If approved by the administrator, the signed note must be presented to the driver. Telephone call-ins or any electronic message for bus transfers will not be accepted.

School Bus Stops

Bus stops are established at various locations throughout the county. Parents should see that their children arrive at the designated stop well before the scheduled pickup time to avoid missing the bus. Parents/Guardians are reminded that the responsibility for the supervision of their children between the home and the bus stop, and while waiting for the bus arrival, rests with them. Students who misbehave at school bus stops are subject to the school student discipline code and bus discipline code.

Field Trips

Field trips are planned to supplement and enrich the total instructional program. In an effort to ensure student safety, transportation is provided by Monroe County school buses. A donation will be requested to help pay for the trip.

Bus Route Information

Parents and/or students can use the My Ride K-12 website or mobile app to find bus route information and to track their child’s bus. To access My Ride K-12, please follow the instructions below.

How to access the My Ride K-12 website

1. Using the Chrome browser, go to My Ride K-12

2. If you do not already have a registered email, click ‘Register’.

3. To register, enter your email address, password, and name.

4. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email. Click on the link in your email to confirm your registration through the My Ride K-12 website.

5. Log in, then find a student by going to My Students and clicking ‘Find Student’ from the Select Action drop-down menu.

6. Enter the unique information required by your district to find your student. Repeat this step to add additional students. If you need assistance, please contact your school district.

7. Once you have linked to a student, click on that student’s profile to see all relevant transportation information.

8. To share a student link with another person, select a student and click the ‘Share’ button.

9. Enter the email of the person you would like to share with. That person will receive a confirmation email that will automatically link them to the shared student(s). Recipients must register with My Ride K-12, if they have not already done so, to access the student information.

How to access the My Ride K-12 mobile application

1. Download “My Ride K-12” from the Google Play Store or the Apple

App Store.

2. After the app installation is complete, open My Ride K-12.

3. When prompted to find your school district, search for Monroe County Schools - GA. If you need assistance, please contact your child’s school.

4. Once you have selected your district, you will proceed to the login page. If you do not already have a registered email, click ‘Register’.

5. To register, enter your email address, password, and name.

6. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email. Click on the link in your email to confirm your registration through the My Ride K-12 website.

7. Log in, then find a student by going to My Students and choosing the + button. This will present the Add Student screen.

8. Enter the unique information required by your district to find your student. Repeat this step to add additional students. If you need assistance, please contact your child’s school.

Note:

Your child must be properly registered for the bus and the school system must have your correct address for My Ride to function properly. My Ride will not work for students who are using a temporary bus pass, riding a transfer bus, or attending an after school program. If the information you see in the app is incorrect, please contact your child’s school and update your information.

Important Bus Stop Safety Information

1. Always plan to arrive at your bus stop at least 5 minutes prior to the arrival time.

2. If you arrive late, never attempt to chase or flag down your bus.

3. If a student has missed the bus, he or she should never attempt to travel to another stop location. Parents should never follow a bus or attempt to drive their student to another bus stop.

*Please email mystop@mcschools.org or call the Transportation Office at 478-994-6205 if you need assistance.

Monroe County Guide to Pupil Transportation

Administrators, teachers, bus drivers, parents, and students are mutually responsible for maintaining a safe, convenient, and economical school transportation system. The safety of students is the primary concern of the Monroe County Board of Education. Per Monroe County of Board of Education Policies JCDAD and JGG, eligibility of students to be transported shall be deemed a privilege dependent upon proper conduct and the extension of courtesy and obedience to the bus drivers by all riders at all times.

The Monroe County Board of Education requires that students conduct themselves in a manner consistent with established standards for classroom behavior. This is also the expectation for students who are car riders or who may walk to school. When infractions of transportation rules occur, which require disciplinary action, students may be temporarily or permanently denied riding privileges depending on the severity of the infraction. The building principal or his/her designee shall administer discipline within the framework of the transportation rules of conduct and the Discipline Policy of the Monroe County School System. Revocation of riding privileges is not an action to be taken lightly. The administrator charged with bus discipline at each building is instructed to work with teachers, students, drivers, and parents to develop the kind of self-discipline that leads to mature responsibility.

Monroe County Board of Education rules, violations, and consequences include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Students will follow the directions of the driver promptly and cheerfully.

2. Students should be at the bus stop 5 minutes before the bus arrives, waiting in a safe place, clear of traffic and 12 feet from where the bus stops.

3. Students will wait in an orderly line and avoid playing.

4. Students will cross the roadway in front of the bus after the bus has stopped, students must look at the driver for a hand signal, and the students look in both directions for traffic.

5. Students will signal the driver with a waving motion if something is dropped outside the bus and wait for the driver to give a signal before picking up the object.

6. Students will move directly to the first available or assigned seat when entering the bus. Keep aisles and exits clear.

____________________

Level II Violations

1. Excessive horseplay, mischief, shouting, yelling, screaming, or excessive noise

2. Unacceptable language or gestures

3. Failure to cross 12 feet in front of the bus

4. Leaving the seat/standing while the bus is in motion.

Water is allowed on school buses but only in metal or plastic bottles or containers with lids.

In serious matters, even on the first violation, a student may be refused all bus transportation. Gross disobedience or misconduct providing grounds for suspension from riding the school bus includes:

Willful injury or threat of injury to a bus driver or to another rider.
Willful and/or repeated defacement of the bus.
Willful and/or repeated use of profanity.
Repeated willful disobedience of the bus driver’s directives.
Such other behavior as the administration deems to threaten the safe operation of the bus and/or its occupants.

Class One Violations: All incidents involving the police.

Assaults or threat of assault on the school bus driver or other riders.
Chasing or running beside a moving bus.
Fighting.
Holding onto/or attempting to hold onto any portion of the exterior of the bus.
Possession or ignition of any type of fire, matches, lighters, or detonation of a pyrotechnic device on the school bus.
Making false accusations against the bus driver.
Opening any emergency exit, or exiting, or attempting to exit from a moving bus.
Possession of a handgun, knife, other weapon, ammunition, or look-a-like weapon.
Sexual harassment in any form including but not limited to words, gestures, or actions.
Tampering with, or vandalism (in excess of $50) of, the school bus (restitution will be made.)
Theft or robbery.
Unacceptable sexual conduct.
Using or possessing alcohol, tobacco, e-cigarettes, non-prescription drugs or paraphernalia.

Class Two Violations:

Excessive horseplay (mischief)
Failure to cross ten feet in front of the bus.
Leaving the seat/standing while the bus is in motion.
Shouting, yelling, screaming, or excessive noise.
Tripping or pushing a student on board the school bus.
Extending head, arms, or legs out of the window while the bus is in motion.
False identification and/or information or refusal to provide the driver with the student’s name.
Occupying more spaces in a seat than is needed, and refusing to allow another passenger to sit down.
Pushing or shoving another student at or near a moving bus.
Tampering with emergency equipment including lighting system, radio, and fire extinguisher.
Throwing or shooting an object, or objects, in the bus, at the bus driver or out the bus window.
Willful damage to the property of other students.
Open opposition to and defiance of the bus driver (argumentative, insubordination, or disrespectful behavior).
Unacceptable language or gestures.
Failure to cross 12 feet in front of the bus.

Class Three Violations:

Failure to follow the driver’s instructions.
Blocking the school bus aisle.
Bothering (poking, pushing, annoying behavior, etc.) other bus riders.
Eating or drinking on the bus.
Leaving or throwing paper or other debris on the bus.
Not meeting the bus promptly.
Possession of radios, tape recorders, or electronic games.
Putting arms, hands or heads outside the windows while the bus is stopped.
Riding an unassigned bus without permission or using an unassigned bus stop.
Riding while under the suspension of transportation privileges.
Dress Code Violation.

MONROE COUNTY BOE POLICY REMINDERS— WEAPONS AND EXPLOSIVES (BOE Policy JCDAE) According to law O.C.G.A 16-11-127.1, it is unlawful for any person to carry, possess, or have under his control any weapon or explosive at a school building, school function, on school property or on a bus or other transportation furnished by the school system. Violators, upon conviction, are subject to a fine not to exceed $10,000, imprisonment for not less than two nor more than ten years, or both. In addition, students violating this section of this policy are also subject to in-school suspension, suspension, or expulsion depending on the severity of the violation. Students who violate the law will be reported to the proper authorities as required by law - the Sheriff's Department and the Monroe County Superintendent of Schools.

Investigation of Student Misconduct:

Due to the fact that we cannot predict all possible violations, any violation not addressed will be evaluated on a case by case process. The school administrator will determine the class of the violation. The principal is primarily responsible for investigating behavior problems, which occur while the pupils are en route to and from school. The principal or designees may conduct an investigation of the pupil or pupils involved in the bus problems and, if necessary the bus driver, if a student commits offenses of different classes during the same incident, the consequences associated with the more serious class of offense will be applied.

Bus Cameras

Most of our buses are equipped with digital video cameras. At times some bus riders are monitored to help control discipline. Parents may produce a written request within three days of the student’s discipline to view the video only when it is used as evidence in determining the innocence or guilt of the student. School bus video will only be viewed by the school system transportation director, appropriate administrative personnel, the bus driver, and school resource officers, or other appropriate law enforcement agencies. Video segments revealing unlawful actions may be brought to the attention of law enforcement agencies.

Parents must not board the school bus for any reason. It shall be unlawful for any person to disrupt or interfere with the operation of any public school. This includes the operation of the school bus. Penalty for disrupting public school: may result in a misdemeanor. The bus is an extension of the classroom. Persons who have been advised that minor children are present and who continue to berate, insult, or abuse any public school teacher, public school administrator, or public school bus driver in the presence and hearing of a pupil while on the premises of any public school or public school bus may be ordered by any of the above designated school personnel to leave the school bus, and upon failure to do so such person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $500.00.

School Bus Stops

Bus stops are established at various locations determined by the transportation department. Parents should see that their children arrive at the designated stop 5 minutes before the scheduled pickup time to avoid missing the bus. Parents/Guardians are reminded that the responsibility for the supervision of their children between home and the bus stop, and while waiting for the bus arrival, rests with them. In the event the bus is delayed the Parent/Guardian is responsible for the supervision of the children and if necessary transporting the children to school. Students who misbehave at school bus stops are subject to the school student discipline code and bus discipline code.

Monroe County Achievement Center

2024-2025 Student Handbook

TITLE IX, SECTION 504, and AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

SECTION 504 PARENT RIGHTS

MTSS (Multi-Tiered Systems of Support) Program

MESSAGE FROM MR. LINDSEY

STUDENT HANDBOOK EXPECTATIONS

CHAMP STUDENT EXPECTATIONS

BELL SCHEDULE

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

RIGHT TO KNOW PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS OF TEAACHERS AND PARAPROFESSIONALS

CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS

STUDENT DATA PRIVACY

SCHOOL VISITOR/VOLUNTEER PROCEDURES

MONROE COUNTY SCHOOLS TOBACCO POLICY

RETURNED CHECK POLICY

PARENT ACCESS

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

GRADE PROMOTION AND RETENTION

GRADING SCALE

GRADING PERCENTAGES

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

GRADUATION PARTICIPATION

REPORT CARDS AND PROGRESS REPORTS

STATE MANDATED TESTS

ASVAB

HOSPITAL HOMEBOUND SERVICE

SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS

ATTENDANCE POLICY

MAKE-UP WORK

ALTERNATIVE LEARNING DAYS

MONROE COUNTY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE COUNCIL

CHECKING IN AND OUT OF SCHOOL

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

WATER SAFETY

STUDENTS IN GOOD STANDING

WITHDRAWAL FROM SCHOOL

STUDENT USE OF TOBACCO/VAPING DEVICES

CELL PHONES/ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICES

CELL PHONE USE ON GEORGIA STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENTS

DRESS CODE

TRANSPORTATION

SCHOOL BUS TRANSPORTATION

HALL PASSES

MEDICATION

IMMUNIZATION

JUNIOR/SENIOR PROM

HOMECOMING DANCE

TRANSCRIPTS

CERTIFICATE OF ATTENDANCE FOR DRIVER'S LICENSE

DELIVERY OF FLORAL ITEMS TO STUDENTS

VISITORS

LOST AND FOUND

SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAM

JURISDICTION OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION

STUDENT SUPPORT PROCESS

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

MONROE COUNTY BULLYING POLICY

DETERMINATION OF DISCIPLINARY ACTION

AUTHORITY OF THE PRINCIPAL

METAL DETECTOR SEARCHES

PBIS

PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION - DISCIPLINE PROCEDURES

DISCIPLINE POLICY

TECHNOLOGY

ONLINE LEARNING PROGRAM

MONROE COUNTY SCHOOLS ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY

STUDENT EMAIL

DISCIPLINE POINT SYSTEM

MONROE COUNTY SCHOOLS ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY AGREEMENT FORM

PARENT CONSENT FOR STUDENT'S ACCESS TO GOOGLE G-SUITE FOR EDUCATION

GOOGLE WORKSPACE FOR EDUCATION NOTICE TO PARAENTS AND GUARDIANS

STUDENT/PARENT HANDBOOK AGREEMENT 2024-2025