The majority of our students are transported on buses each day.  Knowing that your child will at some point ride a school bus, all parents of students should be aware of transportation rules.  To assure a safe system, the following bus rules and procedures have been adopted by the Lakewood Public Schools.  All temporary or permanent bus stop requests must be submitted through the Transportation department not through the school or teacher.  

According to Michigan Law no school district is required to provide transportation.  Bus riding is a privilege and convenience provided by the Board and the State of Michigan.

Though the district assumes the responsibility of furnishing transportation, the Board recognizes that the responsibility of safety and supervision must be shared by the district, parents, and students.  It is expected therefore; that students will conduct themselves on buses in a manner consistent with the rules of conduct normally required of pupils at school and shall adhere to specific administrative regulations governing conduct on school buses.  It is further expected that parents shall be duly informed of student conduct requirements and shall cooperate with the school in seeing that their children's behavior meets the standards set by the school. By law, only when the child boards the bus do he/ she become the responsibility of the school and such responsibility ends when the child is delivered to his/her regular bus stop at the end of the day.

While the responsibility for student discipline shall be primarily that of the building principal, any student’s actions which compel prompt and immediate attention shall be the responsibility of the bus driver.

If the basic rules of safety and good manners are not followed, bus riding privileges may be suspended by the superintendent, the building principal, or the bus supervisor.

Parents will be notified of any reported violations of these basic rules:

1. Students shall be at the designated bus stop ready to board 5 minutes before the bus arrives.
2. After exiting the bus and following proper road crossing procedures, students shall leave the area of the bus immediately so the driver can continue on the route.
3. No student shall stop the driver from driving the bus safely.
4. No student shall stop the other passengers from having a safe trip.
5. Destruction or tampering of public school property or personal property will not be permitted.
6. Students’ personal conduct on the bus will fall under the same guidelines as are stated in the student handbook.
7. Open flames, alcoholic beverages, street drugs, weapons, or tobacco products will not be tolerated on the bus and will result in an automatic suspension of riding privileges.