Change to Normal Transportation

County policy states that school personnel shall take the following steps in the case of children not picked up at the end of the school day or returned to school by the bus because no one is home to meet them. Parent(s), guardian or emergency contacts will be contacted for pick up.  Repeated failures to pick your child up or multiple returns by the bus service may result in further actions by the school. 

The bus ride to and from school is an extremely important part of our students’ instructional day. For your child’s safety and the safety of others, we need to assure that everyone understands bus safety.

If a student does not follow the bus rules, the driver will talk with him/her and explain what rule has been broken.  If the driver observes further problems, he/she will write the information down and send a discipline notification to the parent(s) along with a follow up call to explain the bus problem.  Once the bus driver has called the home and sent the written discipline referral home to the parent(s), any future problems will be sent to the office with the following consequences:

• Discussion with child on appropriate bus discipline (by an administrator);
• Contact with parent(s)
• Referral home for parent signature with future steps written on form;
• Bus suspension ranging from 2 to 15 days;
• Rule 12 notification – This is a part of the Gwinnett County Discipline Program and could result in referral to a discipline panel.

For routine transportation questions or information, please contact the Transportation Supervisor for the school your child attends.

North Gwinnett Transportation Supervisor

Glenda Elko

Phone:  678-482-1048

Email Glenda Elko

More information regarding transportation is available on the Gwinnett County website.

We encourage you to communicate with your child’s bus driver, but please be mindful of the driver’s time as he/she has other children waiting for the bus to pick them up, and the driver needs to get these children to school on time!

Additionally, most of our drivers have three to four back-to-back routes servicing the tiered school starting times. Getting behind schedule can truly cause a domino effect!

We recommend that communication be written, and that on the rare occasion that it may be necessary to speak with the driver, please do so at his/her side window.

It is unlawful for any person to disrupt or interfere with the operation of any public school bus. Since the driver is conscientious of the safety of the children on the bus, we do not allow adults to enter the bus. Any person violating this Code section (GA 20-2-1181) shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

Teach your child these six important bus loading and unloading safety procedures:

1. Teach your child to stop on the bottom step and check carefully for vehicles approaching from the rear before stepping off of the bus. Unfortunately, motorists will pass stopped school buses—yes, sometimes even on the side that children get off from.
2. “I see the driver and the driver sees me!” Explain to your child that they need to cross far enough out in front of the bus that they can see the driver and the driver can see them. The driver will signal students to cross when all is clear and safe.
3. Stop and check for traffic. Even though the driver has indicated it’s safe to begin crossing, your child still needs to stop and look for motorists before entering the open traffic lane.
4. Avoid wearing clothing or backpacks with dangling items, long drawstrings or straps that could get caught in the bus door.
5. Don’t distract the bus driver. The driver is always watching for the safety of the students on the bus, and as they are getting on and off the bus.
6. VERY IMPORTANT! Explain to your child that if they drop something as they are crossing the street; they must get the attention of the bus driver by waving both hands in the air. If the driver doesn’t notice, leave the object. Only pick up the object when the driver has acknowledged and given you permission to pick it up. It is best to keep all items in your book bag to avoid dropping loose items.
   
   
   

Students will annually receive instruction in emergency evacuation procedures.  Bus managers will read bus emergency procedures to students starting the first week of school and conduct a simulated bus evacuation drill, with monthly reviews to enhance the safety of the children being transported.  The evacuation process will be held only on school grounds.  Students will be evacuated from a bus ONLY when they are in more danger on the bus than they would be outside the bus.  All students will be trained on how to safely evacuate a bus.  Bus managers will appoint and train bus emergency helpers starting the first week of school.  A permission slip will be sent home for parents/guardians to sign and return.  We encourage all parents to help instill in their children the importance of participating in the bus evacuation drills and taking drills seriously.