 
T HE REAL WORLD BIG YELLOW BUS DRIVER

Written and Published by Mr. Sam

SmashWords Edition

Copyright 2012 by Mr. Sam

12/2013 Revision

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite online bookstore and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

***

Publishing an Ebook affords more control over the writing and publishing process than traditional publishing channels and all savings go directly to the cost of the book. Ebooks are way better, faster and so much lower-cost to write and publish. It's a win-win situation for authors and readers.

Special thanks to Ms. Bird and Ms. Calhoun for all their time and advice. Thanks to the parents, byb drivers and educators who spent time listening and answering questions about how best to deal with student discipline issues and why. Without your help the time to master student discipline issues would have taken a lifetime.

And, thanks to both Mr. Shaw and Mr. Woodley for their individual inspiration and motivation without which this book would not have been possible.

Cover Art by Rita Toews

Bus Photo by Mario Spann

PREFACE

Strategies presented in the Real World Big Yellow Bus Driver will improve discipline, reduce referrals, increase safety, increase parental involvement and improve both the recruiting and the retention of big yellow bus (byb) drivers. Everyone having an interest in public education should read the Real World BYB Driver.

The Real World BYB Driver addresses important issues of driver and student retention as well as student safety. The number one reason people refuse to become a byb driver and the reason many driver's quit is their inability to effectively deal with student discipline. Some believe schools simply failed to provide sufficient support regarding student discipline issues. While others were unable to reconcile byb driver compensation with the rigors of managing student discipline. The truth is byb drivers are paid way less to transport the "precious cargo" than other commercial drivers are paid to transport gravel, junk cars, and soda. After reading the Real World BYB Driver everyone should begin to appreciate what it takes to be an effective byb driver in the real world of public schools today.

Once you realize how student discipline uses an inordinate amount of time and resources then you begin to understand the byb driver's reality where her focus may be more on students who refuse to act safely than operating the byb. Such students create an avalanche of time consuming issues not only for byb drivers but for school administrators and parents as well. Student distraction from the safe operation of the byb is the number one safety concern of school bus drivers everywhere. Seeing drivers quit out of frustration moved me to write this book using real world strategies that effectively deal with student discipline in today's public schools.

The strategies dealing with student discipline on the byb produced a paradigm for keeping students in school and graduating on-time. Thinking about all the up-to-the-minute interaction and information a driver receives from students and parents, I began to understand how supporting the byb driver adds value to schools. The byb driver's knowledge base about students and their specific situation should lead to contemporaneous and relevant revisions on how best to work toward that student's success. Whether aboard the byb or in the class room, an opportunity exists for public schools and big yellow bus driver collaboration. With the pressure to produce more on-time graduates, the demand for public schools to think outside the box is reaching critical mass. This book provides real world strategies to manage student discipline while suggesting a paradigm where the byb driver's role goes beyond commonly held strategies of typical transportation practices.

Byb drivers want students to succeed. We work very hard to set them up for success. We work all the time at keeping them on the byb while some students work just as hard trying to get kicked off. From a tactical standpoint, the Real World Big Yellow Bus Driver explains why you should do this and not something else. The book uses real world examples of commonly encountered student issues. Solutions are based on easy to understand reasoning for solving discipline problems. From this approach you understand how to work through the issue when given the facts and the rules to reach a real world solution. A solution that supports the byb driver, student safety, student success and the success of the school.

While many students comply with byb safety rules others simply refuse to act safely requiring a more robust and real world strategy. A strategy that keeps more students riding to school every day on the byb. The Real World BYB Driver is unique in providing real world solutions to real world issues.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION: HONEST AND PRACTICAL ADVICE

STRATEGY

INSIDE THIS BOOK

LOVE IT OR HATE IT. IT'S HERE

BASICS

CAUTION

BALANCE

CHAPTER 2 ORGANIZATION, CONSISTENCY AND FAIRNESS

WHY ORGANIZING THE BYB IS IMPORTANT

SCHOOL VERSUS BYB

IT'S IN THE DETAILS

SECTION 2.1 ENVIRONMENT MATTERS

WE CARE AND IT SHOWS

ORDER AND CONSISTENCY

CHAPTER 3 BYB DRIVER AS LEADER

ORDER EQUALS SAFETY

SUMMARY, CLEANLINESS AND ORDER

CONSISTENCY

INSERT "BYB DRIVER"

SECTION 3.1 AUTHORITATIVE TEACHER PARADIGM

CORRECTING MISBEHAVIOR

AUTHORITATIVE DRIVER

SECTION 3.2 PENALTY BOX

CHAPTER 4 ASK PARENTS FOR HELP. DEVELOPMENTAL THEORY

PARENTS LOVE THEIR KIDS

SECTION 4.1 DON'T BE THE WEAKEST LINK

SEE FOR YOURSELVES

SET 'EM UP FOR SUCCESS

EXAMPLE OF MOTIVATED PARENTS AND SCHOOL

UNCOOPERATIVE PARENT

CHAPTER 5 REFERRALS. THE REAL STORY

SECTION 5.1 REFERRALS CLOG-UP THE SYSTEM. PRINCIPALS & REFERRALS

GET ADVICE

BYB REMOVAL

UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE

CHAPTER 6 COACHES HELP

EXPLAIN TO PARENTS CONSEQUENCES OF NOT FOLLOWING SAFETY RULES

THE CHOICE IS CLEAR

CHOKING

SAFETY LINKAGE

NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND (NCLB) & STUDENT SAFETY

EXCLUSION OF BYB DRIVER'S

DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH BYB EDUCATION

SECTION 6.1 SHAPING STUDENT PERCEPTIONS: BYB ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

THE MESSAGE

SECTION 6.2 THE EFFECT OF INCONSISTENCY

THE EFFECT OF CONSISTENCY

CASE EXAMPLE: EFFECT OF ORDER AND CONSISTENCY

SECTION 6.3 INCONSISTENCY AND NO ORDER. CASE EXAMPLE

CHAPTER 7 DO AS YOU SAY AND SAY AS YOU DO

LEAD BY EXAMPLE. GOOD EXAMPLE THAT IS

DRIVER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION

SECTION 7.1 ORDER AND CONSISTENCY EQUALS STUDENT SAFETY

ORDER AND CONSISTENCY EQUALS DRIVER SAFETY

BYB DESIGN DOES NOT SUPPORT ORDER AND CONSISTENCY

NO BYB STANDARDS FOR CLEANLINESS AND SANITATION

CHAPTER 8 THE TEACHER AND BYB DRIVER ROLES. COMPARE & CONTRAST

TEACHERS ARE GREAT

HANG IN THERE BYB DRIVER

CONSEQUENCES FOR THE BYB DRIVER

OTHERWISE, SAFETY IS NO MORE THAN A DUMB WORD

FLYING WITHOUT A NET

CEDAT FORTUNA PERITIS

CHAPTER 9 ORGANIZING THE BYB

KEEP IT CLEAN

SECTION 9.1 HOW TO CLEAN

SERIOUSLY, A VACUUM

SECTION 9.2 DON'T KEEP IT A SECRET

CONSEQUENCES OF A DIRTY BUS

NO ONE CARES

SECTION 9.3 GARBAGE BEGETS GARBAGE

EXPLAIN THE RULES

EXAMPLE

PASS THE TRASH

SECTION 9.4 BACKPACKS

KEEPING THEM ON THE BYB. NO FOOD. NO DRINK

SECTION 9.5 CANDY FROM TEACHERS

EXAMPLE

SOLUTION

SECTION 9.6 WINDOWS

WHY WINDOWS

HEADACHES

LEAVE THOSE WINDOWS ALONE

MOLD ISSUES

BLOOD BORNE STUFF

VOLUNTEERS WELCOME

CHAPTER 10 ASSIGN SEATS. FOR SAFETY'S SAKE

HOW TO ASSIGN SEATS

SETUP SEATING

ARRANGING

BACK OF THE BUS

NO GIRL-BOY SEATING

JUST START SOMEWHERE

SECTION 10.1 CHANGE IS REQUIRED

HOW TO LEARN NAMES

WORK PAYS OFF

ACCOUNTABILITY

NOTECARDS. WINDOW OR AISLE?

SECTION 10.2 PAIRING STUDENTS. COMPARTMENTALIZATION

WE PROMISE, WE'LL BE GOOD

WELL BEHAVED ON AISLE

SECTION 10.3 PEAS AND CARROTS

EXCESSIVE NOISE

SECTION 10.4 SCHOOL REQUESTS FOR SEATING ASSIGNMENT

NOT BEHIND ME

SEATING CHART

SECTION 10.5 REVISE, REVISE, REVISE

COVER DRIVER

CHAPTER 11 CONSISTENCY AND ORDER

OH, MAN!

SECTION 11.1 SAFETY DRIVES THE BYB RULES

SAFETY

SECTION 11.2 COMPARTMENTALIZATION

NO STANDING

RETURN TO THE SCHOOL

SECTION 11.3 DRESS CODE

SLOWING DOWN TRANSPORTATION

CHAPTER 12 BYB FAIRNESS DOCTRINE

BE FAIR AND CONSISTENT

SECTION 12.1 UNDERSTAND STUDENTS

ELEMENTARY

INTERMEDIATE

JUNIOR HIGH

HIGH SCHOOL

POWER KID

POST RULES

FAIRNESS

SECTION 12.2 FAIRNESS EXAMPLE

WHY

REASONING

TERRORISTIC THREATS AND FIGHTING

CHAPTER 13 ADHD

SECTION 13.1 THOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS

SECTION 13.2 STRATEGIES FOR STUDENT DISCIPLINE BEFORE DOING A REFERRAL

TALK

SECTION 13.3 PREEMPTIVE MOVES

SECTION 13.4 DISENGAGE AS TO DISCIPLINE ISSUES

NO THREATS. JUST THE FACTS

INCLUSION

PARENTS

ON THE BYB

EXAMPLE

SECTION 13.5 DIRECTIVES

WRITTEN ONLY

SECTION 13.6 CHAIN OF CUSTODY

EXAMPLES

EXCEPTIONS TO DIRECTIVE

EXAMPLE

LIABILITY

REFERRAL

FOLLOW THE RULES FOR RIDERS

RULES KEEP US SAFE

FOLLOW THE RULES

CHAPTER 14 EFFECTIVE REFERRALS

PRINT PRINCIPAL'S NAME

REFERRAL PRIVACY

RULES KEEP US SAFE

WRITING REFERRALS

JUST THE FACTS

SECTION 14.1 INCLUDE

DON'T

TIED TO SAFETY

SECTION 14.2 WRITE THE REFERRAL

TRANSLATION

IT'S ALL ABOUT SAFETY

SECTION 14.3 DISRESPECTING THE BYB DRIVER

BULLYING AND UNWANTED ATTENTION

SECTION 14.4 REFERRALS COMPLETED

CHILD PROTECTIVE AND WELFARE SERVICES

CHAPTER 15 MCKINNEY-VENTO ACT

SECTION 15.1 LEAD BY EXAMPLE

QUIZ

NO GRAFFITI

COMPLY OR ELSE

SAFE PLACE PULL OVER

IF YOU HEAR MY VOICE

STATISTICS

PRACTICE EVACUATIONS

MEET AND GREET

CHAPTER 16 AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS

FEMALE VERSUS MALE BYB DRIVERS

PREGNANCY

SECTION 16.1 DEATH

CHAPTER 17 IN CLOSING

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CONTACT MR. SAM ON-LINE
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION HONEST AND PRACTICAL ADVICE

This book is about the realities of driving a school bus. This is an honest look with honest advice of how to be a safer and more efficient driver of the big yellow bus (byb) by managing student discipline issues. This is not a book with generalizations and advice that is outdated, out of touch and, so vague as to leave the reader wondering how to accomplish something. All the witty sayings and catchy phrases will not make the byb a safer experience. Yeah they're cute, but I live in the real world. I need real world advice and how-to's that I can apply today. I also want to know why I should do this and not that.

STRATEGY. We have to employ a strategy of managing students enroute and getting on and getting off the byb to ensure the student is none the worse for the wear and tear of growing up in America today. A strategy for every morning and every afternoon. Most byb drivers get up at 4:30 am, are on the byb around 5:45am, leave to get the first student by 6am and is doing her best to ensure the "precious cargo" arrives safely and on-time. My goal in writing this book is to make it even better. God bless the byb driver!

INSIDE THIS BOOK you will find specific methods, steps and words you can use to deal with everyday byb driver concerns and issues. The techniques and strategies contained in this book are taken from many driver experiences, personal observations, long discussions with educators and trainers and good old trial and error. Lots of trial and error from a lot of drivers and educators. After reading this book you should not have to go into a lot of trial and error. This means you save both time and energy getting the job done. After reading this book you should not have to worry much about student discipline aboard the byb. You will have a real world strategy for just about every situation.

Teachers, aides and principals have also contributed to the mental math necessary to determine a fair and reasonable balance in effectively dealing with modern inner city public school issues. Understanding why things are the way they are in public schools is so important when crafting a consistent approach to typical byb issues.

Issues that quite honestly cause many good drivers and teachers to quit. In fact, the perception by most people is that driving a byb is probably the worst job ever. The stress induced by students, their parents and today's public education system make retaining bus drivers, as well as teachers, a real struggle. Everyone should read this book who has anything to do with public schools. Bus drivers, aides, parents, teachers, principals, transportation managers and supervisors to name a few. Just about every public school student will ride a byb sometime in their life. Properly managing the byb is critical to both the efficiency of public schools and student safety.

LOVE IT OR HATE IT. IT'S HERE. After reading this book schools and parents should be able to discern which byb is being properly managed and which one's are not. Drivers will either love or hate this book because it will either support their current way of doing things or not. Bus managers, I hope, will consider improving the current pay, benefits and support provided their drivers and staff. It's time for a shift toward properly compensating byb drivers transporting the "precious cargo." Right now, you have to be okay with getting paid one-third as much to transport children as other commercial drivers get for transporting gravel, concrete, soda, and junk cars. And, you gotta have your head on straight, not be a selfish person and be willing to adapt to the conditions of the day.

BASICS. Byb drivers, like educators, have to be able to strike a proper balance, adjust to the conditions of the day and reach a reasonable conclusion as how best to proceed in the best interest of all their students. The best byb driver's are a combination: psychiatrist, cop and politician with a great sense of poise. You have to have your heart in the right place otherwise, you'll probably just give up in frustration and do something else. Oh yeah, and if you're the type of person that's in a hurry, then this is definitely not the job for you. Because everything about the byb should be directly related to safety. It's all about student safety!

Most byb drivers gain knowledge through years and years of experience. But given the reality of today's work environment and the turn-over rate of byb drivers- years of experience is a luxury ill afforded when coming to terms and mastering student discipline aboard the byb. This book will fast-forward both your understanding and your skill set.

So select positive attitude from your mental menu and open your eyes, ears and mind because the following is a real world practical how-to for dealing with common issues confronting the school bus driver. Straight-forward and bold. The why's and the wherefores. Honest, practical information that can be used time and again to improve your skills as a professional school bus driver. Things that will certainly make your job easier and the student's lives better for having had you as their byb driver.

CAUTION. This book will not make you more popular with some students, but that's not one of the goals when you're a byb driver. Student safety is the primary goal. Remember, you can never be the students friend because that undermines your position and authority as the #1 leader aboard the byb. In emergencies that's critical. Day-to-day it's extraordinarily important to be the undisputed leader. You must maintain a professional distance without being distant. Be friendly without being their friend. Why? Because byb driver's are adults and students are not. It's that simple and that complex. Be supportive but don't show favoritism. And don't play with them. They have parents and peers to play with and they don't need you. It just undermines your credibility with the students and kills your authority.

BALANCE. Just remember you gotta strike a balance in everything you do as the byb driver. The byb driver's number one job is the safety of all students. Even the one's you find difficult and downright demanding of your time and attention. We aren't the parents but we can care for them without crossing the line. Our duty is to look after students even though they're huffing and puffing that we're too strict. It's all about safety. After all, students are the reason the byb driver exists at all. Without students you have zero need for buses or schools for that matter.

CHAPTER 2 ORGANIZATION, CONSISTENCY AND FAIRNESS. Let's get started. Three fundamental principles apply when managing the byb: Organization, consistency and fairness. Keep these three fundamentals in mind at all times and you won't get lost in the weeds. And, be up front with why the rules are important to student safety. You have to connect the rules with student safety and be able to talk about the rules and how they apply in any given situation.

WHY ORGANIZING THE BYB IS IMPORTANT. Let me talk about why organizing the byb is so important. Organizing the byb is quiet simply, trying to mimic the school environment as closely as practicable. Why? Because public schools have about a thousand years of experience dealing with all kinds of students. They're the experts. And despite what some may claim, I personally believe they do a great job given all the modern day constraints placed upon them.

SCHOOL VERSUS BYB. Now consider the school environment when compared to the bus environment. The typical school, whether rural, urban, suburban, large or small is always clean and organized. In fact, there's a strong correlation between student performance and school environment. These two themes, cleanliness and order are evidenced everywhere you look. These are common threads that run throughout the fabric we call the public school system. The walls, the floors, the ceilings, the outside of the school convey a meaning to everyone. Safe and sound is the message. Your child is a part of something that's important and professional. You can see it, feel it and you can smell it. The normal school environment says, we care. We will work with you toward your success.

IT'S IN THE DETAILS. How does attention to such order and cleanliness affect the child? Order and cleanliness send out powerful messages. Subtle but understood by all. Even the pre-schoolers get it. The message is being a part of this brings great reward. But along with great reward are great expectations. Expectations that the rules must be consistently followed otherwise consequences for straying outside the rules occur. Structured learning interspersed with some fun activities is common place. This message is at the same time both nurturing and uplifting because it's a pleasure being warm in the winter and cool in the summer, fed and tended to by friendly faces that you trust and see everyday. The consistency is very reassuring to a student. Students trust those who actively look out for them. They know what to expect. No surprises or mood swings allowed here. Consistency is the key. Same place, same time, clean, well-lit, orderly, what's expected is clearly stated, consequences of straying too far outside the expectations are dealt with fairly. Byb drivers and teachers are looking out for the students. It's this way all across America.

SECTION 2.1 ENVIRONMENT MATTERS

Consider the following:

"Successfully managing a school environment is a necessary and essential educational investment. Yes, investment. Research increasingly shows that there is a clear link between environmental quality of schools and educational performance:

• Facility management systems determine environmental quality in schools.

• The quality of the school environment shapes attitudes of students, teachers and staff.

• Attitudes affect teaching and learning behavior.

• Behavior affects performance.

• Educational performance determines future outcomes of individuals and society as a whole".

See,  Healthy School Environment and Enhanced Educational Performance, Charles Young Elementary School Washington, DC by Dr. Michael A. Berry, Principal Investigator, January 12, 2002

***

Yes, school is a place not only for learning to read and write and do math but a place where children can become acclimated to the real world that awaits. If all goes well they can explore and make errors without falling off the edge of the world. As long as the student remains within the general confines of the framework of rules designed to both maximize learning and getting-along with others she will grow into a great American. It's really the one and only place where just about every child will come together at the same time in their life for substantially the same purpose; becoming self-sufficient and well- adjusted. Acquisition of important skills. Ready for whatever comes their way.

WE CARE AND IT SHOWS. Now further consider, if the school environment is clean and orderly then students have a perception that the teachers and administrators care about them. The message received is that someone has gone to a lot of time and expense to make this school the best it can be. Believe me when I say, they get it! They may not show it on the outside but they get it.

However, if the school were dirty, disorganized and operated in a dangerous manner, the perception is these people don't care whether or not I succeed. They don't lead by example. As such, environment drives consistent results. Students rise to expectations as evidenced by their surroundings.

When expectations are low they seek that level. However, when expectations are high, but fair and understandable, then they seek the higher level.

ORDER AND CONSISTENCY. Another example of this order and consistency can be easily observed when primary and elementary students walk in single file one behind the other. They can be seen marching in the halls, to and from the cafeteria, the gym- even to the byb. And always, the teachers, aides and principals are present and ready to guide a student should they break rank or stray too far afield. No pushing, no cutting in line and no running. Single file they march toward their destination. Led by the leader, their teacher, all the way to the finish. This is a beautiful illustation of leadership.

CHAPTER 3 BYB DRIVER AS LEADER. Being the leader means you are charged with both the well-being and care of someone elses loved one. Their pride and joy. It's important to keep in mind your reponsibility to do your job. It's a lot of responsibility but with patience and a positive attitude we learn how to be better each and every day. And student's will recognize it. Will they express their new understanding? Probably not. But that's okay. Byb driver's, like teachers, do their duty as they should with little expectation of external praise or reward. The pay is less than ideal, the days long. So we just do the best we can with what we have and try to do better every day. Being a byb driver is a thinking activity. It's a skill. But, until now, it's unlike any other skill you've probably heard of. And I believe that the role the byb driver plays is not only misunderstood but highly under estimated.

ORDER EQUALS SAFETY and safety flows from consistency. You know what to expect. No surprises. It's a routine. Something many student's do not have at home. This order and consistency create a feeling of well-being especially among younger students; knowing what's expected and that no adult is gonna be acting out or "going off" on them for no readily apparent reason. The role-models here exhibit zero personal problems. No mixed messages. The educators are good people and everyone wants to associate with good people. And byb drivers are good people too.

SUMMARY, CLEANLINESS AND ORDER lead to consistency. Consistency leads to better overall safety for the byb students. Safety has to be learned so the byb driver is charged with teaching safety rules and enforcing them aboard the byb. Think about it. A byb without this structure will have discipline problems all the time. No doubt about it. Discipline problems lead to driver distraction and slows down transportation. Running the route slower means you run late and parents begin to worry. In the morning you run late and the school begins calling dispatch and students miss their breakfast. Late in the afternoon will get parents calling. The problems just snow ball from that point onward. Student discipline problems cause many byb drivers to quit out of frustration.

CONSISTENCY. Understand that the byb driver must take the affirmative step toward consistency in everything she does. The goal is, no surprises. Every morning and every afternoon the byb is clean and orderly just like every day before that. And the byb driver is the same and so are the rules. On-time every time at the bus stop. Students see getting picked-up and delivered on-time as a reward for following the rules. The effective byb driver should explain that connection between students following the rules and the byb driver being on-time every time. Don't keep it a secret. Tell students that when they follow the rules on the byb they support the efficiency of the byb. The rules keep them safe and on-time. For both parents and students safety supports consistency. Parental involvement is critical to safety aboard the byb. More on parental involvement later.

The lack of cleanliness and order aboard the byb further prevents being safe and on-time. Why? Because there are too many obstacles between the byb driver and any learning taking place regarding safety aboard the byb. Just consider trying to explain any rules to a bus load of screaming or loud talking students. Or consider how difficult it would be to focus on safe driving with students tearing up the seats, eating and littering and, in general, acting badly aboard the byb. No driver can honestly proclaim that excessive noise and boisterous passengers do not affect their ability to operate a 17,000 pound commercial vehicle as safely as a quiet bus load of students. Unless the driver uses hearing aides and simply turns them off. Absent deafness, the need for students following the rules is paramount.

But even deaf drivers suffer from visual distractions. Unless the driver simply becomes oblivious to what's happening aboard the byb it's downright dangerous. In this case the driver is very negligent in both leadership and care of students aboard the byb. Bad things can happen aboard such a bus and usually the parents call the school to complain about alleged sexual abuse, bullying or physical injuries. This scenario is probably occurring way more often than bus officials would like to admit. But I guarantee that it does occur.

Well behaved students are a result of the byb driver keeping the bus clean, keeping the byb organized, and enforcing the safety rules. So organization, consistency and fairness are the three fundamentals of managing students aboard the byb. These are the three columns supporting both student discipline and safety. Low or no discipline means you will most certainly have low or no safe transportation. Low or no discipline means you will also have low or no consistency in arriving on-time at the school in the morning and the bus stops in the afternoon. So how do you conduct yourself in a manner that produces the best results. Consider the following description of the Authoritative Teacher.

INSERT, "BYB DRIVER". Consider the following description and in your mind replace the word teacher(s) with byb driver(s).

SECTION 3.1 AUTHORITATIVE TEACHER PARADIGM. (Think, "Authoritative Driver",AD)

"Authoritative teachers (AT's) set high standards and hold high expectations; enforce rules and standards in a firm, fair, and consistent manner; and promote autonomy by encouraging students' active participation in decisions regarding their own behavior. AT's use punitive and reactive strategies when needed, they focus more on the use of positive, proactive techniques for increasing the likelihood that students will exhibit appropriate behavior willingly rather than begrudgingly."

Meaning, that more often than not, focusing on a handful of students that consistently break the rules will be seen and appreciated by the other students as being both fair and looking out for everyone's safety aboard the byb. You may have to get a few students off the bus before peace consistently occurs but often times, it just means using seating assignments to alleviate pressing problems. This is a battle of attrition not guerilla warfare. The byb driver is in it for the long-term and the number one goal is safe transportation. That's not only a commitment but a way of life. Clearly signal what your goals are then go about making them happen. Don't waste time and effort with a lot of extraneous discussion. Actions speak louder than words. Give the rules and the options for not following them. Then mete out the consequences fairly and swiftly.

"...Warmth, acceptance, and support are delivered without strings attached and thus are not conditioned upon a student's behavior." An example of this for byb drivers is a clean, well maintained bus that's on-time in the AM and PM. Low or no referrals and no parent complaints.

Authoritative Driver's, AD's, strive to develop a positive relationship with every student on the bus, and promote positive relationships and a sense of community among the students themselves. AD's create a climate where students follow norms for appropriate behavior out of respect for the byb driver and one another. This means that by focusing upon a few, at least in the beginning, the byb driver will achieve an overall sense of community among the students that safety is the goal. Following the rules keep us safe.

Additional prevention strategies used by AT's (AD's) include the following:

"Establish and maintain close communication with each student's parents or caregivers, and work hard to get the parent's support." Byb drivers must develop parental relationships to be effective at keeping students safe, attending school and reduce referrals.

"Create a physical environment that's conducive to safety." That's a clean sanitary bus.

"Establish predictable procedures and routines." On-time everytime and enforce the rules.

AT's"...frequently monitor student behavior and respond immediately to signs of misbehavior. Use praise and rewards strategically to maximize effectiveness in improving behavior while minimizing the risk of diminishing intrinsic motivation. One key to doing this is by using praise and rewards in an informational rather than controlling manner...". Explain the rules and then the consequences for breaking them. Act right away to enforce order and discipline. Be fair and honest. Let the little things go for now but tighten-up as soon as possible.

For the byb driver talking to students about why the rules exist and frequently reminding them why their behavior is good or bad is critical. Do not disparage a student and remove any incentive to do better. Tell them they can and will do better. And don't threaten any consequence for not complying with the rules. Rather than threaten, explain the options for not complying with the rules. For example, if you do not sit down in your seat then you will be required to move to another seat. For littering and eating aboard the byb simply let the student know that you are fully aware of that student breaking the rules and the next time the student may be moved to a different seat. Do not threaten referrals at this point. In fact, do not threaten anything. Point out options for not complying with the rules.

CORRECTING MISBEHAVIOR

AT's "...guide rather than control students. They view disciplinary encounters not merely as situations that may require punishment as a means of correction, but as opportunities to teach appropriate behavior and help develop self-discipline and prevent future behavior problems."

See, National Association Of School Psychologists Discipline: Effective School Practices, George Bear Authoritative Teacher Paradigm in PDF format.

AUTHORITATIVE DRIVER.(AD) The point here is to be more of an authoritative driver (AD). Actively seek out opportunities to praise student's while keeping an eye open for violations of safety rules and delays transporting the students to and from school. The AD will be fair, consistent and predictable as to enforcing rules and the code of conduct. And the AD will use reward and punishment appropriately.

For example, knowing that two friends like sitting together on the byb is knowledge that the AD can use to enforce rules. If the two friends break the rules then the option for the first violation is to consider re-assigning seats. In other words, split them up. Point this out to the students. The very next violation simply re-assign the seat of one of the students and it's done. The warning was clear to follow the rules or else. Realize that everyone on the byb sees the rule violations and will recognize that the consequence was fair and predictable. This may also mean pulling over in a safe place and having one of the friends come to the penalty box for a time-out.

SECTION 3.2 PENALTY BOX. Punishment is not just referrals. Punishment can also be re-assigning a seat. Moving the student to the penalty box up-front, moving the student farther back on the byb or, separating best friends who break the rules. More on this later in Chapter 10, Assigning Seats. Suffice it to say, seat re-assignments are an essential skill AD's master.

CHAPTER 4 ASK PARENTS FOR HELP. DEVELOPMENTAL THEORY. The AD will develop and promote parental involvement and ask for help in dealing with student issues aboard the byb. This is known as the developmental theory. You actively develop a professional relationship with parents in order to set the student up for success, not failure.

Remember this, parents should not only hear the bad stuff but the good stuff too. For every call about something negative try to make one call about something positive. For example, if the student will not follow the rules and the parent works with you to correct the problem then be sure to call back and thank them for their help. Be certain to say that you appreciate their help and how working together will keep the student safe. When a student has a good day and behaves well tell the student thanks and call and thank the parents as you can. Or have the student tell the parent that you said they had a great day. This is not only recognition but being a professional. It builds relationships and creates a win-win dynamic between the driver, the student and the parents. All benefit because all have the same goal of keeping the student safe. Remember, it's all about safety.

PARENTS LOVE THEIR KIDS. Now please remember this about parents in general. They love their children. Despite a parent's current position or that they may have missed opportunites when they were in school, they want their children to have a better way of life. It does not matter whether that parent has a criminal background or not. Has a job or not. He loves his children and wants what's best for them. If you discuss the safety of the child with the parent in a respectful and reasonable way the parent will work with you more often than not. Ask for their help in the very beginning. Most will see you trying your best to take care of their child and will work with you. Again, they will work with you but you have to take the first step toward developing the relationship with the parent. Call them on the phone or perhaps go visit in-person. In-person visits are very powerful because the parent sees a person who takes time from their day to actually come to their home to discuss their child. This is doing and not just saying and kick-starts the driver-parent relationship. There are books and articles galore on the power of developmental actions for teachers. There are zero books for byb drivers.

SECTION 4.1 DON'T BE THE WEAKEST LINK. For me, almost anything can be accomplished when people's attitudes are cooperative and open. Doing something that just benefits you is neither working together nor toward a common goal. Because it just benefits you. No one else, just you. So, think about this: it's what you do, not what you say that counts. Deeds speak more powerfully and affect others more profoundly than any words on any page or uttered from any person could ever do. If you don't believe me guess who consistently scores number one on the "most trusted people I've ever known list"? You guessed it, Mom. She did it through work and being there all the time. Parents love their kids and byb drivers should be quick to understand this. This is a common ground that you and the parent can work together to improve the student's chances of having a safer ride. Think about it.

SEE FOR YOURSELVES. Some people say one thing but do another all the while making excuses. You know who I'm talking about. They're everywhere. All anyone need do to verify who this person is need only take a look inside the classroom or byb. Such a person will consistently be inconsistent, out-of-step with order, discipline, safety and school strategies for student success.

SET 'EM UP FOR SUCCESS. Working together with parents and the school will yield the best result as to student discipline. When parent, school and bus driver are joined together for a common result, the student has to follow the rules. There is no escape hatch or wiggle room. When the byb driver crafts such a relationship then student conduct will be both predictable and routine. Trying to do it alone will generally not work. Just hoping that the school and parent will do their respective jobs is also insufficient. The byb driver has to join together with the parent and the school in working toward the primary goal of both student safety and success. Each has to agree that student safety is number one on the list of required conduct then work toward it. Don't be the weakest link in this chain of setting the student up for success. Be the strongest link and cultivate a well-disciplined and safe byb environment in record time.

EXAMPLE OF MOTIVATED PARENTS AND SCHOOL. When the parent really needs the student to be transported to and from school because of that parent's work schedule then everyone must work toward resolving a student safety issue. The most common scenario is when the parent is unable to leave early from work to pick the student up and has to be at work before school opens in the morning. In this case a parent has a lot of motivation to help ensure the student follows the byb rules. And the school really doesn't want the student staying past the school closing time so they're motivated too. Also know this, schools get paid for attendance not absences. It's important that each student gets to school everyday. Again, schools get paid for attendance not absences. Keep this in mind when trying to get a student kicked-off the byb. Realistically, barring drastic behavioral problems, the student will not be removed from the byb when the parents express they are simply unable to transport the student to and from school. In other words, when the byb is the sole means of getting the student to and from school odds are against the byb driver that a student will be kicked off unless a severe safety issue occurred, such as, but not limited to, weapon, fighting, bullying, accident and the like.

However, when severe safety issues exist, absent parental help, the school will have to seek assistance from child protective services who may, in extreme circumstances, remove the student from the parents home. The parent is required by law to provide a safe and secure place for the student to be delivered to every day after school. A daycare or church location are common alternatives to leaving the student home alone. But these cost money and many parents cannot afford such additional expenditures to already tight budgets. In this example, when all parties agree on the best interest of the student- that is, student safety, then a proper course of discipline is readily had in a relatively short time. All are motivated to act to solve the discipline problem.

Also there is another form of parental motivation that exists. This is rarely talked about but is for some parents a huge motivatior. I'm talking about parents who receive some form of government benefit for the child living with them. When a child protective agent calls to inquire about an issue with the child, the parent will be most willing to cooperate and correct the problem or risk losing the child and the government income. This is a fact of today's life in America. One not discussed but certainly a factor related to parents cooperating in finding a solution to the problem. Essentially, the parent does not want to lose the benefits so they get busy fixing the problem. Like, right now. Loss of money makes these parents very motivated to work out a solution. Be aware of this condition.

UNCOOPERATIVE PARENT. When a parent or care-taker is unwilling or unable to honestly do their part in correcting the student discipline problem then the byb driver will have to do referrals. Be certain that you go out of your way to discuss this option with the parents over and over again. The same principle in dealing with discipline aboard the byb applies to parents. Give clear options and wait for them to act accordingly. Absent corrective action then no option exists but referrals. The safety of the student is paramount. The school must have documentation about the student discipline problem and safety issues before any incident occurs. Keep in mind that there is a time limit when dealing with parents and students. Students who consistently exhibit high-risk behavior that will cause them harm must be written-up. Explain to the uncooperative parent that it's a likely option and why.

CHAPTER 5 REFERRALS. THE REAL STORY. So far, barring an uncooperative parent scenario, two of the three key elements already exist to solve most student discipline problems without using referrals. The third element is the byb driver herself. Many believe that the byb driver need only write a referral to get the student in line with the byb safety rules. However, referrals are limited for a number of reasons. First, referrals are only as good as the paper they're written on. Meaning, if the school official ignores the referral there's really no other option but to keep doing referrals. Or the parent calls and pleads to keep the student on the byb. You know when this happens when you wait and wait but nothing happens to the student. This is common. Second, referrals are a last resort in most instances. Other options should be fully explored before a referral. More on other options follow.

Remember, the best and most long lasting way to get the student to abide by the safety rules is to speak with the parent and to also briefly discuss it with a school official. The parent is the key. So if you can only speak to one, then the parent is preferred. This is also the fastest, most efficient way to get the job done. A lot of referrals simply clog up the system and slow down the process of getting students to be safe aboard the byb. The referral process, for the most part, is solely dependent upon how the principal's day is going and the time of year. Generally schools are very reluctant to remove byb riding privileges until after they have submitted the total student head count for that campus. Student head count goes to funding for the next school year. Without head count there can be no funding. So dealing with referrals before mid-November will usually lead to little or no response from the school. Absent some drastic discipline problem this is the way it is, so accept it.

Know that once a referral leaves your hands it may or may not be handled to your liking. The principal may lend very little support to the referral and signal this to the student. Who now is actually worse for having gone through a process whereby an itty bitty slap on the wrist was all the punishment received. Now you have unwittingly created a bigger mess than when you started using a referral that may have been poorly crafted or one of thirty referrals you did for that day. You have to understand how the referral process actually works. In written form the referral process looks certain. But in the real world, the time constraints and just paper work overload suffered by the typical principal will leave the byb driver searching for some other way to get the discipline problems resolved. Or, she just gives up and quits driving. Quitting is very common due to what many byb drivers perceive is a lack of school support. A disconnect between the byb driver and the school administrators.

SECTION 5.1 REFERRALS CLOG-UP THE SYSTEM. PRINCIPALS & REFERRALS. Consider this, a typical principal works on average, twelve hours daily and spends up to nine hours dealing with discipline problems. On a really busy day the principal will resort to a triage type of determining which referrals to work on and leave the others alone. This is a natural reaction to being overrun by referrals from both teachers and byb drivers. There are literally hundreds of referrals done each and every day. Add to this the on-going discipline problems happening in the school minute-to-minute and this all adds up to a crazy day for the principal dealing with issues that, quite frankly, can more often than not, be solved in the classroom or aboard the byb. With the proper knowledge base and motivation, anyone can master resolving discipline problems. Most people just need some help on concepts and honest straightforward advice on how things really work. That's all.

So the option of using a referral as the first step just after a verbal warning needs to stop. Too many referrals from a byb driver is a clear signal for help. Referrals are a last resort, not the first step to handling discipline problems. With rare exceptions: guns, knives, drugs, fighting, bullying and the like. Don't ruin your credibility by writing a bunch of referrals because the last thing you want to do is get the reputation of using referrals to cover-up your lack of skill. You and everyone associated with you look bad. So heed the advice of this book and apply it and you'll be one of the best byb drivers ever.

GET ADVICE. Again, if you need help ask for it. Don't deny that you need help on handling discipline aboard the byb. This is the driving force behind my writing this book. Every byb driver goes through a learning curve regarding discipline management. A trial by fire so to speak. The pain and suffering is absolutely unnecessary. Many byb drivers quit out of frustration about discipline. And that's a shameful commentary on the state of affairs in our public school system today. But it's the truth. So remember this, you can't know everything and that's okay. But needing to know something and not finding out, that's not okay. Use all available resources. Hang in there and be persistent. You will master this discipline thing once you understand and apply the Real World BYB Driver strategies.

Last, beware of the trite sayings and out-of-touch one-liner how to's. People that say something very generalized such as, "you have to train them better" or, "write them up", either have a kindergarten route, an assistant, or both. You need someone who is thoughtful and inciteful enough to understand your specific student discipline problem and give you specific words and specific directions that you can apply right now. Which, again, is the whole point of this book!

BYB REMOVAL. Simply removing the student from the byb is a short-term solution. It does however, send a strong message to other students that they had better obey the rules otherwise they will lose their byb riding privileges too. Pay attention to those students who change their behavior once they see that others have lost their byb riding privileges. These are the students that have parents that have no other option but to use the byb to transport their child to and from school. This is a big clue as how best to manage those students. Focus on developing those parents right away. Students become way easier to manage when they know you and the parent talk.

Next is an example about an unintended consequence of kicking a student off the byb. Please consider this when using referrals. Do not however see the following example as a reason to justify not using referrals. Referrals are a tool that should be used. Just do so from a reasoned and thoughtful strategy. Not out of desperation. You have lots of options before using referrals.

UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE. A junior high student was repeatedly a problem aboard the byb. Constantly breaking the rules and exhibiting high-risk behavior. The byb driver and the school decided together to revoke the student's bus riding privileges. The parent, who did not have a car, a job and herself dealing with a severe disability, got an old bicycle for the student to ride everyday to and from the junior high. One day the student was hit by a car while riding her bike across a bridge on the way to school. She had to cross the bridge to get to school. There was no other way but to cross the busy bridge. She barely survived the hit and run accident. She has to spend the remainder of her life walking with a cane and due to the head injuries she suffered is now forever educationally challenged. See Chapter 15, McKinney-Vento Act.

I give you this example to point out the fact that everyone should carefully weigh the consequences of barring a student from riding the byb. Yes, the student only needed to follow the rules and there would have been no problem. And yes, the student got herself kicked off the bus because she refused to follow the safety rules.

But consider that our primary duty is to keep the student safe. It is sixty times more likely that a student is injured or killed while riding or walking to school than aboard the byb. Could there have been any other steps taken before revoking her riding privileges? I can tell you about ten other steps. It's academic now and moot. No more about should'a, would'a, could'a, but to say, you have to think strategically about the consequences. You have to approach misconduct and measure your response to it. Don't be an egomaniacal byb driver. Don't take stuff personally and don't overreact. Let some things go. As if you never heard it. Think stratigically. Don't act on emotions or based upon what you perceive is an attack on your authority. If you become irritated take some time to think through the appropriate response, if any. Remember this is not a competition. It's all about the student's safety. Unless you can specifically tie the perceived bad conduct to causing an accident, injury or disruption to safe transportation, then odds are you will waste both your time and the principal's when writing a referral.

Last, knowing now what we didn't know then would have dramatically changed the ultimate decision. So remember to consider the total circumstances and exhaust all options before removal. And remember that the student is statiscally safer aboard the byb than going to and from school by any other means. Consider carefully how the student will honestly get to and from school should the privilege of riding the byb be taken away. Consider whether or not the parent can really afford to transport the student to and from school or make other transportation arrangements. The only way to do this is to know the parents and the student. Knowing what the student environment is all about at any given moment goes to making good sound decisions regarding how to effectively deal with common discipline issues.

Now understand, I'm not saying kicking students off the bus is improper. It isn't. I am saying consider exercising all other options before student referrals and revoking a student's riding privileges. Seat assignments can do a lot and so can building relationships with the school and the parent. Exercise these options first. Exhaust all other practicable options first before the referral.

CHAPTER 6 COACHES HELP. Another example of working with the school to correct student discipline issues is asking for help from the coaches. Often times, playing sports is a big reason for showing up everyday. Get to know the coach and call upon them to help out with byb issues. The common goal is keeping the student on the byb so the coach will have a player everyday. Remind the coach that when a student is removed from the regular byb it usually means they're removed from the byb that takes the players to games. This is a typical consequence of not following the rules aboard the byb during the regular route. A phone call to the coach about that star football player giving you trouble will stop the problem that day. I gurantee it or your money back!

EXPLAIN TO PARENTS CONSEQUENCES OF NOT FOLLOWING SAFETY RULES. When talking with parents you have to offer advice and be specific as to what rules are being broken and the effect of breaking those rules. Begin by saying you need their help and how you and the parent have the exact same goal for the student and that's being safe and successful.

Paint a picture of the consequences of not following safety rules. Say, if the student is standing while the bus is in motion and you have to slam on the brakes to avoid a collision or animal in front of you that child is going to be launched over the seat and into the aisle. Maybe through the windshield. Then an ambulance will have to pick them up and take them to the hospital. Later at the hospital you will have to endure seeing the parents and loved one's crying and stressed out over the child. Paint a graphic picture that's easily followed by the parent.

THE CHOICE IS CLEAR. For me, if it comes down to either going to the hospital and dealing with the pain of seeing the parents crying over the student or the student being removed from the byb, I'll take the removal over the hospital any day. Be vivid in your description to students and parents about the dangers of not following the rules. This serves the dual purpose of both informing and creating an image that a parent will be more likely to work with you to prevent their child's injury or death.

Another example is when a student destroys a seat, makes a big mess or is eating on the byb. These are fairness issues in general. If one student eats or tears up the byb then it's not fair for the others to not follow suit. Or, in the alternative, you should point out that no one else is breaking the rules just this one student. Why should one student be allowed to act this way while others are required to follow the rules. Parents and students recognize the fairness of enforcing rules equally among all.

CHOKING. Now eating is definitely a choking issue. Does it happen. Yes it does. And when it does the student will generally just slide down in the seat out of view and quietly suffocate. Point this out and the fact that only ten minutes of not breathing will likely affect the student's brain function or worse, death. No one wants this. Point out that within a few minutes the bus ride is over for that student and they can eat and drink to their heart's content. But not aboard the byb. To date, I can find no reports of a student dying from thirst or famine aboard a byb in America. Common sense says it doesn't happen. So save the food for consumption at home.

SAFETY LINKAGE. Many people intuitively understand the connection between breaking the rules and the consequences that follow. Rules apply at school and on the byb. Including rules for getting on and getting off the byb. In fact, the byb is a rolling version of the classroom where substantially the same rules apply. Without the byb many public school students would not go to school. A well managed byb gets students going in the right direction in the morning and keeps them there in the afternoon.

NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND (NCLB) & STUDENT SAFETY. The byb experience when done right supports both the school and the parents. No Child Left Behind simply means that we are commited to doing what is right and necessary for the proper care and development of the student. We support both their safety and education. And so it should be aboard the byb. Cooperation between the byb driver, parent and the school propels the success of a safe and efficient school bus operation. It also goes straight to employee retention. All three players have a common cause. Student safety and education. One player without the other two will struggle. If the students aren't present then the school loses big time. It's a two-way street. Byb's rely upon the schools and the schools upon the byb. Discipline aboard the byb supports both the student and the school's success.

EXCLUSION OF BYB DRIVER'S. But listen to this. In some schools that the byb regularly goes to byb driver's are forbidden to come into the school building. Even to escape the summer heat or winter cold. Forced to wait aboard a cold or hot byb because the school is late releasing students. Coupled with a no-excessive byb idling policy beyond a few seconds, it makes for a long wait.

I ask. Is this right? Is this the way to build a cooperative team spirit. What ever happened to being considerate toward others that play on the same team. Where's the security issue to just step inside to warm-up or cool-off. Because the byb driver has an extensive annual background check, school ID and the like, I don't see the security risk. The security checks of most school employees are much more relaxed than the rigorous background checks routinely done on byb driver's and assistants.

Regardless, it is what it is. This is not openly talked about. But believe me when I say, the byb driver's treatment at certain schools can be rather heavy-handed and demeaning. Nothing says you don't count and we look down upon you like stay away from here treatment. This is received by most byb drivers as discriminatory and alienating. Sad statement on team-building but it needed saying. And the fact that the byb drivers interact minimally with teachers at such schools is concomitant with such off-putting policies. In fact this is just dumb and totally unnecessary! I hope that in some manner this book begins a dialogue regarding the byb driver's role in student retention and success.

DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH BYB EDUCATION. When was the last time a byb driver appreciation dinner or recognition took place. You would be hard pressed to find many recognition events regarding the byb driver. Why is this? Is it the short time the byb driver is available to interact with school officials. Maybe, but the lack of continuous byb education and information flow to school personnel is most likely the real reason. It would be an improvement over current practice to require teachers and others to ride along on the byb to experience first-hand byb driver skills. And vice a versa. Minimum ride time per year is what we could call it. Of course, many students adjust their behavior accordingly when the teacher or someone they don't know rides along. But, for me, that's a risk I'm willing to take. Teachers need at least annual in-service byb education regarding fundamental safety rules and why they exist. It would go a long way in building byb driver relations with schools. Often times plain misunderstanding and not knowing why byb rules and strategies exist complicate the communication and cooperation between byb drivers and teachers. Coaches should also be included in this process.
SECTION 6.1 SHAPING STUDENT PERCEPTIONS: BYB ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

Consider next that the byb is both the first and the last school experience of the day. It matters a great deal whether or not students perceive the byb as a good or bad place. Is the byb a place of consistency and safety like school? Or a haphazard rolling piece of metal that's hot in summer and cold in winter. A place that conveys scant attention to it's environment. A place students must endure while going to and from school. A place that so differs from the school environment that it undermines it's own credibility. Keep in mind all children are required to attend school. But not to ride the byb. But ride they must. For many students have no other transportation to and from school. As such the byb and schools are inextricably intertwined. Each depends on the other. Both seek a safe and efficient process whereby a student transforms into a great American.

THE MESSAGE. Now think about this. Who cares about following the byb rules when there's litter or gum all over the floor or the bus smells like a wet dog. There's stuff literally growing on the ceiling, on the floors and between the seats and walls. There are bugs crawling around the seats. Is this just something students have to endure because they really have no other option? They have to go to public school by law and for many, the only transportation for them is aboard a rolling petri dish of infectious disease and putrid goop between the seats and walls. I ask, is this the best we can do?

SECTION 6.2 THE EFFECT OF INCONSISTENCY. Also consider that when the byb is late or early and the driver's change as often as the days of the week how it must affect students. They don't know you nor you them. The message is clear. The byb is no way like my school and the response is, I really do not take the rules on the byb seriously. A student takes the attitude of who cares because the byb environment screams out that it's caretakers do not care whether the bus is more like the school environment than not. This message is inescapable.

THE EFFECT OF CONSISTENCY. Now consider an alternative message from a byb that is just like the school environment. This byb environment says we care and you should too because the byb is just like the school. Orderly and clean. You must follow the same rules of the classroom. Show respect for the school and the byb. Both are important to your present and your future. Students get it! From the youngest to the oldest. It may be on a subconscious level, almost subliminal, but they get that order hates chaos. Order and chaos cannot co-exist at the same time in the same place. Order is the only path that takes you to your destination- Safety. Order yields postitive student discipline and safety.

CASE EXAMPLE: EFFECT OF CONSISTENCY. Next consider this real world example. When students with reputations of destroying the byb and littering it and causing disruptions were placed on a byb with an environment matching the school how those same students began following the rules, not littering and not causing problems. They began to take pride in being a part of the byb experience geared toward safety. The driver in this example never before met the students but applied the principles and suggestions contained in this book with outstanding results. Organization, consistency and fairness were the three fundaments from which the byb driver operated.

SECTION 6.3 CASE EXAMPLE NO CONSISTENCY AND NO ORDER. Now, consider another real-life example where a byb that's not like the school had different results. These were for the most part well-adjusted students with low or no past history for disruptions or destruction of byb's. These students recognized this byb as not like the school and within a short time began doing what they're expected to do. Explore other possibilities, including, but not limited to, tearing up the byb, disrupting, horseplay, excessive noise, and doing pretty much whatever they wanted. Problems escalated and the driver quit. Over time several drivers covered the route with limited success. Some days were good but most were unbearable. Until one day a driver arrived and followed the model of being more like the school environment than not. She was an Authoritative Driver and her strategy of organization, consistency and fairness once again produced outstanding results. Parental involvement became the norm not the exception. Referrals were rather rare and students once again got with the positive and upbeat byb and school environment. She took the long view and had an end game. Student safety and success through effectively managing the byb environment.

CHAPTER 7 DO AS YOU SAY, AND SAY AS YOU DO. Whether we're talking about teachers, administrators, counselors or byb drivers each must do as they say and lead by example. Teachers enforce rules of conduct and students are expected to consistently comply. This is a condition that must happen before any learning takes place. It's the sine quo non so- without which there is none. Order clears away obstacles to learning. Learning produces safe behavior. And always remember, it's all about safety on the byb.

LEAD BY EXAMPLE. GOOD EXAMPLE THAT IS. Byb drivers have to create and maintain an environment conducive to the safe operation of the bus. They must also nurture the student's sense of fairness, respect and order. Again, byb drivers, like educators, have to lead by example. When a byb driver is perceived as lackluster students will be less receptive to obeying the rules of safety. Low or mediocre standards will produce low or mediocre results.

A group of students with haphazard rules and boundaries will not learn the right way to do something. In fact little to no learning takes place because the students are out of control. They won't sit still long enough to hear anything important. There are consequences in life for not following the rules. For a failed school experience it means mediocrity and often regret later in life for not having taken advantage of earlier opportunities.

It also means mediocrity and regret for the byb driver for having done the wrong things when the opportunity was presented everyday. The byb driver has to have honor and integrity toward the student, the educators and her fellow co-workers. The scrutiny of criminal and driving background checks do not cover integrity. It comes from your internal compass. It's a bearing line you follow because it's the right thing to do. Little oversight is required for byb drivers imbued with this trait.

DRIVER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION. For most byb operations drivers are difficult to recruit. Recruitment should be on-going and substantive. Further consider how a vicious cycle occurs when driver recruitment is not on-going. Lack of drivers will create a lot of dysfunctionality in the bus scheduling process. In fact, you cannot schedule a bus when you have no driver. The key to managing a bus operation is depth. You get a lot of driver depth when you recruit, train, compensate and support them. You also retain excellent drivers when you continuously train and educate using strategies directed toward alleviating student discipline issues. This has to be a real world on-going and continuous educational process.

The worst scenario is a bus operation that is short-handed and spends low or no time recruiting and educating drivers how to deal with student discipline. The school's perception of the byb driver's role is often based upon the byb driver's professionalism. Continuous driver training and quality improvement always improves the byb driver's level of professionalism. Absent good faith recruiting, training and compensation the byb driver will not move to the next level where she rightfully belongs. Continuous quality improvement practices, process control, feedback mechanisms, cross-talk and hard-work on the part of upper management would solve such issues. However, to many what makes good sense is to some bewildering.

SECTION 7.1 ORDER AND CONSISTENCY EQUALS STUDENT SAFETY. It's now recognized by regulatory agencies that driver distractions rank as the #1 or #2 top driver safety issues. It is not unheard of for a cover driver when asked specifically about turns made along a particular route for her to reply, "I'm not sure because I had so many problems with student's that I just don't remember the details of the route."

ORDER AND CONSISTENCY EQUALS DRIVER SAFETY. In fact, if the truth be known, some drivers spend a lot of time looking in the passenger mirror trying to manage student discipline behind them. That's very unsafe. Who's driving the byb when you're looking in the passenger mirror? The answer is, no one's driving. Can you say, assistant? Bus assistants are few and far between nowadays. The reasons most cited are training, compensation and student discipline problems. Minimum wage really doesn't provide sufficient incentive to get up at 4:30 am then come back at 2pm. Four hours times minimum wage equals about $20 take-home or $400 a month. Can you say government subsidies.

BYB DESIGN DOES NOT SUPPORT ORDER AND CONSISTENCY. I've yet to see a byb that has a built in place for row numbers, student seating assignments or seating charts. I think there's one in Nova Scotia but it's just a rumor. Most states require seating charts posted on the byb. Today we use notecards taped over seat rows and mailbox numbers stuck to the walls. It's what the byb driver has to do to organize the byb. This book is really a wake-up call on how to transport students despite all the discipline problems in today's public schools. But byb drivers need design improvements to help with fundamental organizational matters aboard the byb.

The byb right now is also difficult to clean and sanitize. Students necessarily make a mess, especially when it rains or snows or they vomit. The close quartered environment is also conducive to the of spread of flu and viruses making cleanliness more of a priority. Dust is everywhere and no adequate process exists to clean the air filtration systems aboard the byb. Often the floors and walls need to be hosed down due to mud and snow accumulation. This is not allowed because the sub-flooring is plywood instead of some other waterproof material. In fact, compared to overall safety design, minimal investment has gone toward improving interior design to help manage student discipline.

While drivers certainly appreciate the overall school bus safety design, we could certainly use some interior design improvements as well. Unless you clean the byb after each run it becomes a chore most byb drivers cannot do on a regular basis. The current byb interior design lends no real world help to managing student discipline. Hopefully byb manufacturers will consider interior design improvements that directly facilitate and support the byb drivers commitment to managing student discipline, and by extension support reducing student referrals while increasing attendance.

Consider just a seat assignment improvement. When ever the byb goes into the shop for maintenance or repair we need a simple way to quickly remove all the 3x5 seat assignment note cards and seating charts. Why not provide at least three mounted holders for the 3x5 notecards over each row. Now all that's necessary to take the seating assignments with us is to remove the 3x5 cards and place in the mounted holders in the loaner bus. Right now we tape 3x5 note cards over each row so making removal impractical. Or how about some type of peel and stick (magnetic) notecard holders that can be easily removed and placed on the loaner bus. Seat assignments are extremely important to the overall success of managing student discipline aboard the byb. Such a simple design change would dramatically improve byb organization and student discipline.

NO BYB STANDARDS FOR CLEANLINESS AND SANITATION. Schools are subject to state inspections and certifications. So is the byb. But most byb's have no mandated sanitation requirements. Hopefully byb administrators will realize the connection between organization, consistency and fairness as it relates to student discipline issues and incorporate appropriate cleanliness standards for transporting the "precious cargo."

CHAPTER 8 THE TEACHER AND BYB DRIVER ROLES.COMPARE & CONTRAST. Next, consider the following comparison and contrast. Unlike the classroom teaching experience, the byb driver has her back to the students all the time, spends a most of her time looking out the windows, and averages upward of 60 students in a constantly moving byb. Now we don't have to teach them reading, writing or arithmetic. But we do have to keep them from being late to school, late going home, kidnapped or damaged in any way. Keeping them safe and sound despite distracting us, talking loudly, horseplaying, tearing up the byb, fighting, cussing and in general delaying progress of the byb. The safety issues a byb driver faces on a continuous basis is not only challenging but often misunderstood. In fact just ask others if they would like to drive a byb and they exclaim, "No, way! Why, you ask? Because of all the kids and the other cars on the road and most of all it doesn't pay anything for all the headaches that come with it." This is a very common response.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying teachers have it easy, they don't. Rather it's a difference of doing a job inside versus outside the school. One does the job within a well defined anchored-to-the-earth location while the other is moving all over the place. Teachers and administrators face a myriad of challenges that last all day long while the bus driver's challenges are short-lived in comparison. Public education is a hard gig without a doubt. I see teachers looking on the verge of having a nervous breakdown from dealing with students all day long. I've seen drivers like that too.

The byb driver and the teacher have more in common than you think. Both have to successfully do their respective jobs. Both have to be on-time and further safety and learning. Teachers have more formal education and training than the typical byb driver. But many may be surprised to learn how many byb drivers have advanced degrees and experience well beyond what's necessary to drive a byb. Driving the byb is not so easy either. Reasons not to drive a byb probably exceed reasons to drive the byb. As evidence, I point to the fact byb drivers are hard to recruit and retain. Yet another real world issue I hope this book solves.

TEACHERS ARE GREAT. Despite this- here we are. For a lot of reasons. But that's not the reality that distinguishes the role the teacher and byb driver play. Both important roles to be sure. Leadership roles where developing hearts and minds are at the core of the matter. My intent is to point out a difference where each plays their part in the never ending saga called public education. We get students to and from the school and take care of field trips. Teachers and administrators do everything else. Like one million other things!

HANG IN THERE BYB DRIVER. As such, know this, danger is everywhere for the uninformed and ill-prepared byb driver. Burnout, beat-downs and cussings to name a few. Regardless, we play an important role in that student's journey to becoming an adult in what seems like a crazy world. Important traits like being able to sit still and be quiet are learned attributes that both teachers and byb drivers strive to achieve, right? Both are important components of a student's experience. Both are prerequisites to learning. Whether how to do some math or how to be safe aboard the byb.

CONSEQUENCES FOR THE BYB DRIVER. Out of control students are downright dangerous given the flood of stimuli a driver absorbs every second she's driving. Not to mention all the other drivers in a rush, on the phone, texting, tree limbs, parked cars, other byb's, students loading and unloading to name a few. Just the size of the byb in and of itself presents challenges and limitless opportunities for errors, incidents and accidents. Danger zones, blind spots, turning radius and braking require much more skill than that of a typical driver. Distractions by students who will not sit down, moving from seat to seat, will not get out of the aisles, eating, drinking, tearing up the seats, walls and floors, causing a ruckus and in some instances intentionally trying to cause an accident. An accident is imminent given such an environment. It's just a matter of time until we have to turn and face it.

OTHERWISE SAFETY IS NO MORE THAN A DUMB WORD. Can you say, lawsuit. Can you say, lose my commercial license. Outbursts, spraying strong perfumes, playing with phones, mp3 players and a general attitude of we don't have to behave or listen to you because the byb isn't really an important part of the school experience is a very dangerous perception. When dirty and disorganized, the byb is viewed as just a late arriving dirty ole thing that's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. "I can't wait until I turn sixteen and get my own car." Yeah, well good luck little pal- working part-time at a minimum wage job and getting a loan to pay off that car at today's prices. Good luck!

FLYING WITHOUT A NET. As mentioned the vast majority of byb drivers are all by themselves. Unlike the school environment where other adults are just on the other side of the wall or in the next room or standing outside in the hallway. Everyone knows where a teacher is located just about every minute of every school day. The byb is harder to find because she's constantly moving. Plus teachers have their own squadron of maintenance, custodians, medical personnel, administrative support and fully festooned cops ready, willing and able to respond as needed.

The byb driver is generally alone. The chief cook and bottle washer. But we kinda like it that way, right. Wrong! Can you say, bus assistant. Can you also say not in the budget or they had something better to do than show up for work today. Nevertheless it is what it is. Despite the odds, we usually make it every morning and every afternoon. When the downs far exceed the ups many byb drivers quit.

CEDAT FORTUNA PERITIS. Skill trumps luck. And without a coherent and consistent strategy for managing students, whether classroom or byb, we're just guessing about how to be effective in any given situation. Order and consistency will more often than not achieve the ultimate goal of safety aboard the byb.

CHAPTER 9 ORGANIZING THE BYB. Go buy 3x5 notecards, clear scotch tape,  mailbox numbers, 32 ounce mop n'glo, sponge mop, 5 gallon bucket, long bristle broom with plastic bristles, mild cleaning solution, putty knife and duct tape. You may buy some plastic recipe card holders that you can cut apart and tape on the walls then place the 3x5 notecards in. Makes changes a lot easier. Click,  plastic recipe card holders to see examples. Where are we going with all this? In a nut shell: Keep it clean, seating chart, assign seats yesterday, post rules, enforce rules, don't argue, do talk a lot about safety and explain why.

KEEP IT CLEAN. Clean inside the byb all the time. While you're waiting to pick-up students in the afternoon, during athletic trips or anywhere you have down-time waiting for students. As discussed above, if you want students to follow the same rules of conduct as in the classroom then you have to mimic the way the classroom looks, smells and feels. Everything you do has to be safety oriented. Students have allergy issues so beware of using a cleaning product that exacerbates a student's allergies. Before you pick-up the first student you have to clean, organize and have assigned seats ready to go.

SECTION 9.1 HOW TO CLEAN. Clean the floors: sweep, mop and lay down a coat of mop-n-glo wax by doing the following. Raise the seats and clean between the walls and seat frame. Get all the gunk out and paper and gum. It's a lot of work when no one has been maintaining the byb. Use a long bristled (plastic, not straw) broom and a mild solution of water and some kind of mild cleaner. A cleaner that you don't have to rinse more than once. Use the putty knife to remove gum and gunk too. Just let all the gunk and gum fall on the floor and sweep it all up at one time then mop. 7 or 9 mil Nitrile rubber gloves can be purchased by the box at Harbor Freight for cheap. Get the heavy blue or black ones.

For really tough jobs use odorless granules of tsp (tri-sodium phosphate) diluted in water. It can be purchased from a Home Depot or Lowe's or your local hardware store. Just dip the broom into the solution and scrub the crevices and seat frames. Mop the entire floor with clean water to remove any remaining gunk cleaned out from between the seat frames and walls. Once all this is done you just check to see if students are using the seat crevices as a trash can and maintain that level of cleanliness. For getting gum off the floor use Goof Off that can be purchased from Home Depot or Lowe's. It smells like lighter fluid so use the appropriate personal protective gear. Keep the bus well ventilated.

For old buses the stair treads and risers will probably need caulking. Just buy some black silicone caulk and clean and dry the crevices where the stair treads pulled away from the risers then caulk. Let dry at least 24 hours before waxing or cleaning. You need to fill all floor crevices otherwise you'll struggle to clean the byb floors. Mop water will infiltrate to the wood sub-flooring causing mold, mildew and dry rot. These will emit odors and may cause allergic reactions. So bite the bullet now and caulk cracks and crevices on the byb floors.

SERIOUSLY, A VACUUM. Once the initial byb sealing and cleaning is done you may want to invest in a battery powered stick vacuum from  Amazon.com for about thirty-five dollars. The Eureka Quick Up 2-in-1 vacuum works well. Don't expect the same power as a vacuum with a cord. And the battery may last only fifteen minutes. Buy an extra battery for about twenty dollars. This vacuum makes a statement to students getting on the byb that you attend to their environment and to not trash the byb. And it's a lot faster than sweeping and removes a lot of the small allergy causing dust particles that cause respiratory problems.

SECTION 9.2 DON'T KEEP IT A SECRET. Again if safe to do so, let the students see you sweep or vacuum and checking the seats. This reinforces that you're not only monitoring for trash and food but that you care about the environment they have to ride in. Also, if the byb is clean and ordered before they get aboard then all damage and all garbage can be directly tied to specific students occupying that row. Warn first. Move them second. Call parents third. Then write them up as necessary.

It costs money to fix seats and wall damage and some school districts give tickets to parents for such damage. Damage to the byb's interior is considered the driver's fault. You should be looking at the condition of the seats during child checks. Damage to seats will be found right away and should you decide to do a referral put that the seat was not damaged before the student was sitting there because your habit is to check the seats during your child check and that your byb is highly maintained to the point that you recognize new damage and graffiti. Then remember to have the seat repaired immediately or tape it over using silver duct tape. The tape clearly identifies the damage was seen and recognized by the byb driver. The next time the student sits in that row they understand that you are monitoring the damage and will often times stop damaging the seats. Check the seats and floors during the child check and raise seats to determine problems of eating and trashing the byb after route. When you find evidence of trash and such let those students know that you are fully aware of the violations and explain the options for continuing to break the rules. Also explain why the rules are important to everyone. Make a general announcement to everyone aboard to follow the rules and why it's important along with the consequences.

CONSEQUENCES OF A DIRTY BUS. Now consider when the byb is dirty and littered and damaged then it's really not fair to enforce the rules for no food, no litter and damage to the seats. In fact, referrals for damage and litter are a waste of time on a dirty byb. How do you know that someone else didn't do it? You can write it up but if the student tells the principal someone else did it and the byb is always dirty, the student will not get in trouble. Especially if the principal gets aboard the byb and sees that it's a dirty waste dump.

NO ONE CARES. If that happens then you just lost your credibility, not only to the principal, but to all the students. Even if you saw the student eating and tearing up the seats, because the byb is already a wreck, what difference does it make when some more litter and trash is added? Or more damage? No one cares. No one! So lead by example and clean the byb. Close off all excuses.

SECTION 9.3 GARBAGE BEGETS GARBAGE. Everyone loses because you failed to close out every excuse that a student could reasonably use to get off the hook. And other students see this as an open invitation to do whatever on the byb. You gave away control. The students only had to sit back and wait for the opportunity. Keeping the byb clean and ordered propels you to a higher credibility rating and supports the principal's trust and support she has toward you. The principal more likely trust your position one-hundred percent over a student's response to a referral. A clean and ordered byb forecloses any avenue of escape from the consequences. Think about it. If your habit is to maintain and to consistently keep something organized then the odds of anyone claiming it was already messed up is without merit. In other words, once you have a reputation of keeping the byb organized and clean, no one will believe otherwise. It's all about consistency that leads to undisputed driver credibility then to improved discipline and safety. Your professional habits have created a level of trust on the part of school administrators.

EXPLAIN THE RULES against food, drink and littering the byb. Then recount the work you put into making their byb as nice as possible for everyone. Explain that eating and drinking aboard the byb is a safety hazard due to choking. That if you get choked how you can slide down into your seat and no one knows that you're suffocating. By the time we find out you're in trouble it may be too late to save you. Develop a buy-in on the part of the students to not litter and deface the byb. Rules keep us safe.

EXAMPLE of eating on the byb then stashing the wrappers between the seat and wall is worth telling you. When a student was asked what the rule was about eating on the byb he was well aware of the rule and the consequences. When asked why he was eating on the byb despite the rule, he replied, "I have to eat it before I get home or my parents make me give half to my brother." This is an opportunity to talk about eating and drinking while riding the byb. Explain the safety concern is choking. Then explain that the byb is for all students. When someone throws trash and such on our byb that's not fair to us who follow the rules. The rules keep us safe. Point out that littering and trashing out the byb goes against everyone who has to ride the byb.

After talking with the students parents they agreed doing a referral would better serve as just desserts. The student caught eating on the byb received a referral for breaking the rules. Was not allowed to leave his room for a week. No TV no riding his bicycle. Sometimes referrals are necessary. That student never broke the rule again.

PASS THE TRASH. Another strategy for reducing litter aboard the byb is to simply pass the trash can down the aisle when you arrive at the school or any other place after a trip. Students will begin to associate the practice of passing the trash can with properly discarding litter. It keeps the area between seats and walls cleaner and teaches students to be mindful of littering the byb.

SECTION 9.4 BACKPACKS. Backpacks are a students best friend. They can also be their worst enemy because students will conceal food, drink and other items forbidden to be used aboard the byb. Backpacks are to some students too much temptation to break the rules. Be certain that you direct students who stash stuff inside their backpacks to leave them in the penalty box when entering the byb. This works best with younger students. They can get them when they get off the byb. Do this in the morning and afternoon. Being proactive keeps them riding the byb.

You may also consider giving certain students the task of handing out the backpacks. You might be surprised how a student that gives you problems will eagerly volunteer for this duty. It keeps them occupied and out of trouble plus they help you out. Anytime you can occupy a problem student with a task then the odds go way up the student will be safe.
KEEPING THEM ON THE BYB. NO FOOD. NO DRINK. Look for food and drink. Take them away and tell them they can have them back as they exit the bus. This goes for science projects or anything else that my become airborne should you have to brake suddenly or there's an accident. Stow the items up front in the penalty box. Remind them of the rules and explain food is a potential choke hazard. And should they choke on the food then slide down in their seat and stop breathing for several minutes that they could suffer brain damage or worse, death. Again, it's a safety issue. It's a fairness and sanitation issue too. The byb is not a cafeteria. And the byb driver is not their personal valet. The byb is hard enough to keep clean without students eating and drinking enroute.

SECTION 9.5 CANDY FROM TEACHERS. In many states laws have been passed to ensure students receive better nutrition at school than in years past. The law forbids minimally nutritional foods such as sweets and the like. Some teachers reward students at the end of the last scheduled class with candy. Now think about this. The end of the school day means sugar highs for students and discipline lows for the byb driver. An unintended consequence of this great idea is that the byb receives a bunch of sugared-up amp'd-up off-the-chain students to drive around for about an hour and not hurt or kill anyone. Regardless of what some researchers claim that sugar doesn't cause behavior issues, why take the chance of complicating the pursuit of safety by doing it anyway.

Now, I understand that teachers are with the students about eight hours a day and they really need to provide an incentive to improve student discipline. It's a reward for acting good during the day. And I support that concept. However, why not provide popcorn from Sam's Club or snack crackers? Not candy or any form of sugary snack that's going to put them in harms way aboard the byb.

EXAMPLE. The byb was doing great except on Friday's. Friday afternoons would bring a lot of candy and debris on the floors. Asking where the candy came from students said they get it for being good during the week. That the teacher gives it to them just before they leave class to go stand in the halls while waiting to go out and get on the byb. Okay. Evidently friday's were not difficult due to the students being hyper about the up-coming weekend as much as it was the sugar they consumed just before getting on the byb. The reward from the teacher was a nightmare for the byb driver. The students were absolutely crazy and the byb had to be pulled over several times to deal with the behavior problems. Yet another unintended consequence from what seemed like a great idea. Rewarding good behavior. Everyone's for that, right? I am!

Parents surveyed about giving sugary snacks to their children before they get home was met with a resounding, "No! Do not give my child any sugar! Period!" I guess parents didn't appreciate the teachers reward system as supporting the parenting of the child. Let's see, sugar the kids up then send them home to mom on the byb. Probably not the best parent developmental strategy.

SOLUTION. Using popcorn, pretzels or cheese crackers instead of sugar to reward the students. Better for them and lower cost to the teacher. Problem solved.

SECTION 9.6 WINDOWS. Clean the windows using window cleaner and newspaper. Fast and easy and gets a second use from the newspaper. Also, clean the ceilings and above the windows because you're going to place seating numbers and names in this area when you assign seats. Use the TSP solution and a great big fat sponge or car washing mitt. It makes the cleaning, especially ceilings, fast and easy. Typically, cleaning the ceiling takes fifteen minutes at most using tsp. Clean the windshield and rear door and passenger door glass too. Students will recognize the fact that no big greasy head and hand prints are on the windows.

Clean the dash and drivers seating area too. First impressions are important. Consider that the first thing a student, teacher, principal or parent sees is the driver's area and steps. Remember to use black silicone caulk to seal the stair treads and any other crevices on the floors. Let cure at least 24 hours. The seat should be clean and the area around it should be waxed and organized. Be aware that most principals and administrators walk the buses in the afternoons and quickly look at the steps, driver seat areas and you as they walk by. They form an impression about you and the byb based on this. Keep this in mind when cleaning the byb.

WHY WINDOWS. Clean the windows every day after every trip. The reason you want to do this is two-fold. First, from a safety standpoint, the only safe way to sit on the byb is facing forward, seat on the seat, back on the back and feet on the floor facing forward. Any other way defeats the compartmentalization design of the byb. If you're finding head and hand smudges on the windows and the windows were just cleaned then it means the student was improperly seated. No wiggle room is afforded to students breaking the rules when the byb is kept clean. Point out to students to be properly seated.

Also let students see you cleaning the windows. They'll get a better understanding that messing up the byb then claiming it was someone else will not get any traction with you. Be aware that some students may have an allergic reaction to any ammonia cleaners so you may use a mild solution of water and vinegar instead of a commercial window cleaner.

HEADACHES. Second, when a student rests their head on the window they expose themselves to head trauma from hitting their head on the window when you turn or go over a bump or a pot hole. Tell the students to keep their heads and hands off the windows othewise they could get a headache. Those that do not comply should be reminded frequently and eventually everyone will stay off the windows and the headaches will go away. Keep in mind that when students go home and complain of a headache then go to the emergency room the diagnosis will often come back as a mild concussion. The key word is mild but believe me that the parents will call and say, concussion. My child suffered a concussion on the byb. Sounds really serious. More serious than saying a headache, right? Before it's all said and done you look like a child abuser that inflicts serious head trauma aboard your byb. Avoid this issue. Clean the windows and monitor the greasy spots. Correct students leaving head prints on the windows.

LEAVE THOSE WINDOWS ALONE. Do not let students raise and lower windows unless you specifically approve it beforehand. Why? In the event of a roll-over when the windows are all the way down the students may be ejected from the byb. If you can keep the students inside the bus during an accident they have a far greater chance of minor injury and complete survival than if thrown outside. In America there are only about 6 students killed annually inside the byb. Most students are killed outside. So control the windows and make a fuss about it. This is for their safety. Enforce it regardless of huffing and puffing. Explain why and they'll comply.

MOLD ISSUES. Cleaning the ceiling is important because moisture accumulates on the ceiling causing mildew and mold. If you have a persistent odor problem it's probably due to mold and mildew. The wet dog smell mentioned above. The ceiling, between the seats and walls and the heater coils need regular cleaning just like the floor and windows. Don't be afraid to call on maintenance regarding mold and mildew issues. Certain strains of mold are downright dangerous to humans. So beware of water problems like leaky exit doors and hatches, air conditioners and windows. Have leaks corrected immediately so no one gets sick. Students may have allergies that are triggered by mildew and mold. Keep the byb clean and properly sanitized. Air fresheners will only mask the real problem and will likely trigger allergies. Avoid perfumes, deodorizers and strong cleaning solutions due to allergy issues. Just keep the byb clean and sanitary and the odor problem will abate.

BLOOD BORNE STUFF. Whenever a student vomits or has any problem that could transmit blood-borne pathogens then you should follow the proper procedure necessary for sanitizing the byb. Make it a point to discuss regularly with students to let you know immediately when they feel like sick and they're going to vomit. Pass down the aisle the garbage can with triple, that's right triple, plastic bags then find a safe place to pull over and check on the student. You can also have the sick student move to the penalty box at the next stop so you can monitor the student.

VOLUNTEERS WELCOME. You may also ask for a volunteer to sit with the student. You may be surprised how some disruptive students will volunteer to help when they see someone in need. A regularly disruptive student is then occupied with the task at hand and will probably stop disrupting. Make sure you ask for a volunteer and not just direct someone to help. From a legal standpoint you cannot direct a student to tend to another student or do something unrelated to safety and orderliness aboard the byb. It's a legal liability issue. Just call the student's name and ask if they will volunteer.

CHAPTER 10 ASSIGN SEATS. FOR SAFETY'S SAKE.

Assign seats the very first day. I'll say it again, have assigned seats before you pickup the first student. When the first students get on board ask their name and look on your name list and give them their seating assignment. As the byb driver you have an absolute right to assign seats and move students around to achieve the correct level of safety aboard the byb. On the byb you are the captain. Others, such as a principal, may suggest seating but you and you alone are the final authority as to when and where a student sits. If somone wants to argue about this important right then by all means get another job. Without the right to assign seats you might as well kiss discipline goodbye. It's that important! Seating assignments do a bunch of things toward making the byb safer and your life easier. In fact, a savvy school administrator already knows the power of seat assignments and will work with you.

HOW TO ASSIGN SEATS. Get a list of all student names. Make two lists. One for yourself and make a another copy to record referrals by student name and date of referral. More on that under Chapter 14 Referrals. Put girls on the driver's side of the bus and the boys on the other side. Go buy some mailbox numbers at least two-inches tall and peel and stick them on the wall above each row. Get the square kind because you have to align the numbers straight on the wall otherwise it looks badly. Click this  link of an example of the kind you should use. A typical bus will have 11 rows so numbers 1 through 23 will be needed. Buy at least three packs because you'll need a bunch of the number one.

SETUP SEATING. Boys are odd numbers and girls are even numbers. Row 1 is the first row nearest the front door on the right-hand side of the bus and row 2 is the row directly behind the diver's seat. Row 1 is on the boys side and Row 2 is on the girls side. For now leave at least the first row on each side of the bus for a penalty box. That would be rows 1 for boys and row 2 for girls. Also leave the very back two rows empty if at all possible. If you do not have the available room to leave empty rows don't worry about it; a solution is provided later on.

ARRANGING. The general rule is to seat the best students the fartherest back in the bus. Students in the back are really outta-sight for most of the time. From time to time call out those students names to make sure they're fine and doing well and to remind them you haven't forgotten about them. The most disruptive or needy students should be closest to the driver for easier observation and control. But try not to seat anyone in the penalty boxes. Those are reserved for students that need a time-out of sorts. Or those that need more attention from you. The only exception to the general rule will be discussed fully in Chapter 14, Referrals. If you have assigned seating in the penalty box then seat those students that get off the byb first. The penalty boxes really need to be vacant if at all possible and ready to receive those students needing a time out.

BACK OF THE BUS. For now, essentially, the exception is to use the very back seating to isolate a student who continues to disrupt others. But note, the National Transportation Safety Board has recommended that students not sit in the front or rear most rows of the bus unless those are the only remaining seats. The idea is to "limit injuries in front and rear-end collisons." The back of the bus is especially problematic because even going slowly over a speed bump when the student is not properly seated may cause a student injury. Be aware of these issues of the front and back seats. Use the back seat assignments for students who want an audience for their antics. When seated in the very rear of the bus the disruptive student's audience all have their backs to him. This eliminates that student's antics.

NO GIRL-BOY SEATING. Do not let girls and boys sit together. Too many liability issues. Whatever the reason a student might give can easily be countered with, "you can live a few minutes sitting apart and you'll have all the rest of today to spend time together, weekends, holidays et cetera, but right now you have to sit in the assigned seats as directed. So you have a choice, sit in the seat as assigned or I'll start writing. Whatever your choice, you're holding everyone up so make a decision, we're waiting on you." The only exception is perhaps siblings. An older more trusted sibling may help the younger one.

JUST START SOMEWHERE. In the beginning it doesn't matter who you put where or that you don't know the students names or their prior conduct. Just assign seats and start changing seating assignments as needed. If you know the ages then seat according to age or by stops.

SECTION 10.1 CHANGE IS REQUIRED. Seating charts and 3x5 seating note cards should be easily changeable. Again, using the 3x5 clear plastic  recipe protectors taped to the walls facilitates seating changes. Use white-out to change names. The best drivers constantly shuffle seating assignments because it takes the right seating combination to avoid problems. Any huffing and puffing about sitting next to someone should be met with "sit now and we may make adjustments later. But stop holding us up and sit in the assigned seat. Thank you very much." The goal is safety. Look out for students regardless. Keep them on the byb because they're a lot safer on the byb than anywhere else. Now some drivers use colorful note cards but the white-out makes them look bad. So the result is not ideal. You make the choice but keep in mind that you will be making changes. A lot of changes to get the right mix and achieve the desired level of discipline. Using clear plastic recipe holders for 3x5 note cards allows you to quickly remove and change seating assignments. I highly recommend using these clear plastic note card holders that are taped to the wall and the 3x5 note cards are placed inside.

HOW TO LEARN NAMES. I put everything on computer and make changes after each route or on weekends. It's easier for me to read and quicker to make changes. The more you have to write and re-write a student's name the quicker you learn their names. This is alot of work I know, but you have to get control right away and learning their names assures that they realize you know who they are and where they sit. Letting it linger will allow students to be anonymous and random about where they sit. You will not be able to control bad habits like eating and excessive noise until you assign seats. Learn their names and assign seats. You should begin to know students by sight in a few days. Knowing who belongs on your byb prevents hitch-hiking students that try to sneak aboard to go home with a friend. The point is to know your students. Don't put this off.

WORK PAYS OFF. Seat assignment and seating position is the number one tool for maximizing bus safety while focusing on destructive and disruptive behavior. When students realize they are no longer anonymous they begin acting right more often than not and following the rules with little or no effort on your part. It's work that pays huge dividends toward the student's safety and your peace of mind.

ACCOUNTABILITY. Another reason you must assign seats day one is because you want to show students they will be held accountable and monitored as to following the byb rules. This is their first experience regarding order and what you're all about. It's also consistency in what to expect and also fair because everyone is subject to assigned seating.

NOTECARDS. WINDOW OR AISLE? Using 3x5 note cards write the row number and A for aisle, C for center, W for window. For older students, junior high and up, only two per row will work so it's either A or W. Write the students name where they will be required to sit on that row. Either on the aisle or next to the window.

What difference does it make whether a student sits on the A or W or C ? The reason for the position is that students who can't seem to stay out of the aisle should be against the window and you can put a student of some stature in the center to sort of anchor the row. Students who tend to talk behind the seat should also go next to the window to keep them out of the aisle. Observe a students natural tendencies and seat that student where they are less likely to distract and create a danger to themselves.

SECTION 10.2 PAIRING STUDENTS. COMPARTMENTALIZATION. A student, for example, who will not face forward has no choice if a large student shares the row. She has to sit facing forward in the window seat. There's no room to do otherwise. Using the seating constraints to your advantage should yield good results. Also, don't hesitate to move a student that sticks out into the aisle. Being anywhere other than completely between the seats is very unsafe. If you have to brake suddenly then the student sticking out just a little will be thrown into the aisle. This is the comparmenatlization design of the byb seating. You must abide by it. Otherwise injury or death will occur. Other students getting on and off the bus may trip over the student sticking out in the aisle. Anywhere other than completely between the seats facing forward is not safe.

WE PROMISE, WE'LL BE GOOD. Do not allow friends to sit together unless they first promise to follow the rules and not become excessively loud and distracting. From about sixth grade on up the need to associate with others in school is very important to the individual student. Know this tendency exists and use it to your advantage. An example of friends sitting together and the leverage you have by allowing or disallowing that seating assignment can quite literally be a very powerful message about how to act or not act aboard the byb. Generally do not allow friends and play buddies to sit together or across from each other. The lure of disrupting is too great and leads to a lot of distractions.

For example, two junior high students were best friends and would board and get off at the same bus stop. One day they asked to sit together. They were allowed to sit together under one condition. That they followed each and every rule while on the byb. One warning was all that would be allowed then they would be split up. All expressly agreed on this deal. All went well until one day a bunch of litter was all over the floor of the row they occupied. They were warned to stop eating and littering. It happened again and the next time they boarded the byb they were directed to their new seating assignment. Against the window with a new partner that they didn't particularly feel all that chummy with. The only change that took place was swapping one friend with another student from a different row. Very easy and very effective.

About a week went by and the friends asked and pleaded to sit together again. This was denied. They asked why and were told that it's a trust issue and to take their new seats. Eventually, you may decide to give them another chance to sit together but no warnings about following the rules otherwise the seating change would be permanent, no discussion. As in, forever and ever.

Another example involved two different sets of student buddies who wanted to sit with each other. This was denied until all four agreed to follow the rules every minute of every day while on the bus and not talk too loudly. In other words, do not disrupt the harmony of the byb when seated next to each other. All went well until they began littering candy wrappers and makeup and loud talking despite a warning to stop.

One day all four boarded the byb to find that all their seating assignments were changed. One of each pair was moved so now each of the two friends had a new seat mate. This was an opportunity to not only teach the four amigos that they had to behave and follow the rules but also sent a message to everyone else that the rules will be enforced.

Recall, Authoriative Drivers (AD's) do not seek to punish but teach lessons and provide incentives to following the rules. To add to the lesson above, take advantage of the fact that each best friend was not real fond of having to sit next to either one of the other two friends. No issue of fighting or arguing was present. Under such circumstances such a change would create more problems. Here we needed to solve the diruptive behavior and rule-breaking but not substitute one problem with another.

Note how the need to associate has become both a reward and a consequence for not following the rules and keeping your word. This is fair, consistent and most effective. The naturally occurring teenage personality and clique mentality would serve as just-desserts for all four of them to receive a lesson and understand the consequences for breaking their word. All it took was a simple seating re-assignment. No referral required and the message reverberated throughout the byb.

Generally speaking, referrals are a last resort for the Authoritative Driver. In the two examples above, we had six students being obnoxious and breaking the rules for which many driver's either ignore the bad behavior or write a referral. Neither response by the driver solves the problem. A referral for this scenario will be viewed as simply heavy-handed by school officials thereby undermining the driver's credibility with the school. To the school, the driver is just being lazy using a referral to put more work on the school for what are perceived as minor infractions.

Referrals are important but do not rely upon referrals when you can solve the problem yourself. Think it through and carefully weigh your options before using referrals. Move students to achieve the right mix. This is an effective strategy. Like a game of chess. Seating re-assignment should be your first thought in ninety per cent of discipline issues. Referrals should be your last.

The four students now understand that not following the rules meant losing something that they really want in their lives right now- sitting next to a good friend while on the byb. For the Authoritative Driver that association is a reward afforded only when they follow the rules. The message received is follow the rules and there's no problem. Break the rules and consequences follow.

The message sent to all other students was break the rules and take the consequences. Other students were well aware of the behavior problems. When they see the best friends are now split up on the byb they learn that the Athoritative Driver (AD) really does mete out fair consequences. This builds the AD's credibility and shows that rules are important and consequences do follow.

On a basic level the best friends really broke their word and were disrespctful toward the driver. They were given the privilege of being together on the byb with the understanding that they would follow the rules. Even when they broke the rules, despite their giving their word not to, they received a clear chance to correct their behavior. They did not comply with the rules so from a fairness point-of-view they were re-assigned seats.

Essentially four problem students were neutralized and are now following the rules looking straight ahead during the byb ride. No one really talks and that's too bad. No more problems, no more broken rules and no more sitting next to my best friend in the whole wide world.

Other best-friend pairings work better than ever now. They follow the rules and cause zero problems so they continue to sit next to each other. The above example further solidified following the rules and keeping your word. Eventually, all four students and new seat mates became rather friendly, which I new they would.

WELL BEHAVED ON AISLE. Ideally, only allow well-behaved students to be seated on the aisle. By well-behaved, I mean, one's that if you direct them to move further into the row they will do it right-away. Well-behaved students generally follow the rules more often than not. Move students around until you have a good balance. Remember, do not allow boys and girls to sit together. Too much liability and headaches. This includes boyfriend and girlfriend across from each other on the aisles. Move students around everyday to relieve the across the aisle talking and disruptions. Don't be slow in using your power of seating assignment to keep them safe. No matter how much they huff and puff. Keep them safe.

SECTION 10.3 PEAS AND CARROTS. An interesting result occurs when you have two students who are somewhat challenged. You know who I'm talking about. Try to seat them together and watch what happens. You may assume they would cause double trouble but something occurs rather unexpected. The two go together like peas and carrots. They usually cancel each other out. Both students intuitively recognize similarities that they feel at ease about. They are very similar and very much in tune with each other. They become friends and usually require minimal correction. Just be sure to ask them first and set rules for them sitting with each other. Say, be good or I'll move you back to your old seat.

EXCESSIVE NOISE. Do not allow talking across the aisles, behind the seats or across the seats. The reason again is not only keeping students facing forward but also excessive noise. It's a safety issue. You can't hear the radio if there's too much noise and you need to listen to the radio for safety reasons. Students may only talk to the one's seated in their row. As a result, boys talk to boys and girls to girls. Otherwise, they should just sit still and be quiet. Just like in the classroom. Recurring problems with a student should be a trip to the penalty box. Then rearrange seating to deal with the issue. The second reason is because someone in the back of the bus needing help can't be heard because of all the loud-talking and commotion. Again, it's a safety issue. Generally allow talking but quietly. If you can hear them talking to the student seated next to them, then they're too loud. Tell them so. It's the test for whether or not a student is talking too loudly. Last, when one student is loud another gets louder and the next even louder. They're competing to be heard. The noise level is simply deafening. Stop it right away for everyone's sake. No loud talking. If I can hear you then you're too loud.
SECTION 10.4 SCHOOL REQUESTS FOR SEATING ASSIGNMENT. If a school official asks to place a student in a specific seat, explain the balance you have carefully crafted and tell the one suggesting a change you will have to do some juggling. And don't be afraid to ask why the request to move a student. Ask, is it sexual, bullying, are you being sued, what's going on?

NOT BEHIND ME. Also beware of putting a particularly problem student directly behind your seat or in row 1. You cannot see those rows (rows 2 and 4) directly behind you and, you have limited sight over row 1. While you should try and accommodate the request do not sink your ship in doing so. Be tactful and take time to explain the logistics of the move. Leave it at, "I'll work on it and I'm sure we can come to a good balance." Then be sure to follow-up with the new seat assignment and give a seating chart copy to the school official making the request. If a parent made the request do not provide any other student names due to student privacy. Just tell them it's done and leave it at that.

You may simply ask what will seating the student so close to me accomplish? If the official replies, so the driver can watch them or so the camera can see them better then point out the blind areas you have where students are seated so close and that the camera sees better a little farther back. Also don't forget to point out the very back of the byb. The camera sees good and all the other students are seated with their backs to them. Usually students bother their row mates or those in front or across the aisle. Also keep in mind the accident statistics regarding students seated in the front and rear of the bus. They are more likely to suffer injury than those seated any other place inside the byb.

SEATING CHART

Last, many states and schools require that you have a current seating chart along with an extra copy available at all times during the route. One seating chart must be prominently displayed on the ceiling above the driver's seat and the other kept in a folder aboard the byb. There are two basic reasons.

First, in the event you have an accident in the byb the police, fire department and ambulance personnel will ask to see the seating chart along with the age of the students aboard at the time of the accident. The police keep at least one copy to be filed with the accident report. Don't make the police wait on-scene while you make a seating chart. It irritates them. A current seating chart should also have the date it was last changed. Then it's clear to everyone it's up-to-date.

SECTION 10.5 REVISE, REVISE, REVISE. Second, should you not be able to run your route the driver covering your route needs, I said, needs, a current up-to-date seating chart. This is a huge courtesy for the cover driver. Put yourself in their place. When you agree to cover a route that you have zero knowledge regarding the students names and seats on the bus you need a seating chart to minimize students being anonymous. Generally, when students see they have a different driver, they act up. But knowing that the seats are assigned and the student's name is tied to that seat gives the cover driver the ammunition necessary to transport your students safely until you return. By not keeping a current seating chart you have essentially acted against the safety we preach about all the time.

COVER DRIVER. The best drivers also provide another list of student names in the order they get on or off at stops. Such a list is very important to a cover driver who can use it to not only determine who is getting on or off but when and where they get on or off the bus. Route or turn sheets only tell the cover driver to stop at a particular place. The student stop list also lists students by name for that stop. Students who know that the driver has a list of stops and their names are more likely to follow the safety rules. This is one of those times that the driver should write-up all students that give her problems. When you return to the byb those students should be dealt with by you and the parents for what is essentially a betrayal of trust that they will follow the rules despite your absence.

Also students may get off at un-approved stops when they believe the cover driver doesn't recognize them by sight or does not have a student stop list showing who gets off where. This is an automatic referral at most school districts. The safety issue is a chain of custody matter. When parents begin looking for that child they call the school or bus office first. When no one can tell the parent when and where the child got off the bus then a problem exists. The concern is literally losing a child. Worst case scenario is a child abduction or runaway. It happens more than you think. About three-hundred times each school day. Hence the automatic referral for getting off the byb at an un-approved stop.

CHAPTER 11 CONSISTENCY AND ORDER. All students need consistency and order. Assigned seating satisfies this need. They already know where to sit on the byb when seats are assigned. You do not have to tell them unless you make a change. Don't make them ask you. Tell them about any change you make to their seating as they board the byb. After all you changed the environment, so you need to be the one to tell the student right-away. Don't make them guess. It causes confusion and gives them an opportunity to voice disapproval against you in front of the other students. Essentially, you give away some of your power and control by not being proactive. It's like an unforced error in baseball. You missed the ball. Too many and you ruin your credibility as a reliable player.

OH, MAN! For anyone who disbelieves how much time it takes for a second grader to find a place to sit on the byb need only pick them up in a byb without seating assignments and watch how long it takes to find a seat. Any seat. They will literally wander around the aisle looking and looking in an essentially empty byb until you tell them to just sit right there. Then they ask, "here"? It's maddening. Why? A ton of empty seats. Too many choices. Too much decision-making. And the student is completely lost. Seems so simple for an adult. This is not surprising unless you don't understand the power of organization and doing the same thing the same way day after day. Schools have mastered this. So should byb drivers. Apply the tried and true methodology used in schools across the world. It works well for them and it works for byb drivers too. Order and consistency equal safety for all!

SECTION 11.1 SAFETY DRIVES THE BYB RULES: Common Student Issues and Solutions

SAFETY: you gotta know why it's important. You have to be able to explain it matter of factly in a split second. Explain that no one wants to go to the hospital. No one wants to watch loved one's crying over you. No one wants to explain why a student was injured or killed. No one! Death and injury happen. Not a lot of death happens on the byb, but injury happens too much. Besides, one injury or death is one too many. Be safe. And remember, what happens to the driver will likely happen to the riders!

SECTION 11.2 COMPARTMENTALIZATION

It's the safety design of the byb seats when there's no seat belts. Most byb's have no seat belts, in the event there's a head-on collision, students impact the cushioned back of the seat ahead of them. The problem is it only works when the student has their seat on the seat, back on the back, feet on the floor and facing forward. Standing, sitting on their legs, leaning against the window, laying down, bent over in the seat with their head resting on the seat back in front of them or anything else will lead to serious injury during a sudden stop. Tell students because no seat belts are available the only way to ensure their safety is properly sitting. They must sit upright, seat on the seat, back on the back , feet on the floor, facing forward and are completely between the seats. Everything else is not safe and is wrong. Go over and over this concept with students. It's all about safety.

NO STANDING. Standing is forbidden by law. Most states specify through regulation that standing is forbidden while the byb is moving. It's unsafe and will lead to severe injury. Stop the bus in a safe place and do not move until everyone is properly seated. Do not move the bus at a bus stop until everyone is seated. Tell the students that they are "interrupting transportation" by not being properly seated and for their own safety and the safety of others they must comply. Tell them no one wants to see their loved ones crying over them at the emergency room. Explain the rules and the conseqeunces for breaking the rules. Wait until everyone's seated before moving the bus. You may also call dispatch and have them tell the students over the radio to sit down.

RETURN TO THE SCHOOL. If you just left the school or it's close by then you may decide to return to school and let the principal deal with the matter. Call dispatch and have them notify a school official to meet you where you picked-up the students. You may write referrals on students not complying with the rules as the principal directs. Explain to the principal that despite your explaining the rules and consequences to the students, they would not comply. From both a legal and safety standpoint students cannot stand while the bus is moving. Public school police may write a ticket for interrupting transportation. The parents may have to pay it just like any other ticket issued by a city or state officer.

SECTION 11.3 DRESS CODE. The same rules of conduct in the classroom apply on the byb. Including being properly dressed before boarding the byb. Use your judgment, but a student that is out of uniform while the others are in uniform is not fair. Usually the students butt, mid drift, crotch or breasts are on display and that's not allowed at any public school. Not only do we not want to see this lewd and lacivious behavior designed to attract attention, we also don't want other students to form the impression that it's acceptable.

The strategy here is to wait until you're near the school parking lot before addressing the issue toward the specific students not in compliance. Make certain to speak loudly so everyone hears that it's unfair to let some ride the byb when they disregard the dress code while others comply with the rules. Students get this fairness statement and the fact you challenged it in front of everyone is an authoritative leader's position. Do not accept discussion on this matter and disengage with any discussion of the dress code. State the fairness issue and that the camera saw it then leave it alone for now. Often timing is the key to effective discipline.

You may also have a school official meet you at the school. This situation is easily remedied by addressing it right away and will often stop it from happening again. Do contact the parents and ask for their help. Explain the rule and how unfair it is for everyone else to follow the rules except their child. Further explain that you will have no other option but a referral should it continue. This is a fair approach to working with parents, the school and the student to correct an infraction before it gets way out of hand. The key is to do it now on fairness principles.

Do not refuse to let the student board the byb unless school policy directs otherwise. Give the strategy an opportunity to work. Also, do not let students board then dress while the byb is travelling. They have to be properly seated between the seats, back against the back, seat on the seat, feet on the floor and most importantly be facing forward. They cannot be properly seated if they're getting dressed. Point out that everyone else is dressed and ready to get on the bus and go to school. So why should you get special treatment. Use the penalty box and ask parents, coaches, principals for help before you use the referral. Use referrals when all else fails. But go out of your way to deal with this and don't keep it a secret. Warn the student, discuss with parents, alert principals, discuss the fairness issue before a referral.

SECTION 11.4 SLOWING DOWN TRANSPORTATION. Common examples are walking very slowly to board the bus or walking slowly when leaving the bus. Also saying goodbye to everyone they pass when leaving the byb. Hanging around the bus door before boarding. Boarding the byb then leaving then getting back on when you're trying to pick them up from school. Not being at the bus stop early enough not only slows transportation it may cause a student injury or death when running to catch the byb.

Most of these examples are students being selfish and trying to get attention. Point out that it's unfair for everyone else to wait while you slowly board or leave. Everyone else is at the bus stop and waiting. Everyone else just gets off the byb and walks home. Everyone!

In addition, holding up traffic due to a student being selfish is just unforgiveable. Many parents and citizens hate to get behind the byb for this very reason. They have a deep sense of urgency to make it to work on time so blast through byb stop signs. As such, students slowing down the efficiency of the byb should be dealt with immediately. Not to mention the increase of causing an accident that further slows transportation.

Running to the bus stop is a statistically high risk behavior. It probably deserves a referral first-time. But you may warn then do a referral. Writing a referral depends on the wilfullness of the student when called on this issue. Accept zero talking back or attitude. Why? Most students are hit and killed by passing motorists when they run to or from the byb or when they walk down the middle of the road instead of along the sides of the road or on the sidewalk. Remember, it's all about student safety. Even when they huff and puff about you requiring they act safely- do it anyway-it's all about safety.

Telling everyone goodbye while walking down the aisle in the afternoon should be addressed right away. Just add twenty seconds to each student departing and within six students you've lost two minutes. With sixty students you've lost twenty minutes on maybe an hour route. That's one-third of your time alotted. Don't fool around with this behavior. It's only fair that everyone gets home on-time each day. Address such behavior. Warn once then write-up. Tell the student we want to go home and you're slowing us down. You've had all day to play with others and you have all night to play some more but right now you have to stop slowing down the byb. Say it matter-of-factly and make it a statement with no discussion.

CHAPTER 12 BYB FAIRNESS DOCTRINE. Slowing down transportation can lead to a ticket from school police, loss of bus riding privileges or school detention. It may sound like a little deal but when a byb driver is trying to get students home or to school, it's a big deal. Being late in the morning means missing breakfast. A meal that many students rely upon to make it through morning classes. As the byb driver you have to look out for the best interests of all students on the byb. Not just one or two but everyone. Enforce rules fairly and leave zero, yes zero, doubt in students minds that the rules will be enforced. Take every chance to speak out about unfair student practices that affect everyone aboard the byb. This builds credibility and bolsters how you are sensitive to being fair.

BE FAIR AND CONSISTENT. Enforce all rules all the time. No exceptions. The students are watching and listening. What happens to one is realized by all. Understand this concept. You can often solidify your steadfastness on safety matters and further your authority without being heavy-handed.

SECTION 12.1 UNDERSTAND STUDENTS. An example of understanding where students are during their development into adults is critical when crafting an effective strategy for maintaining order and discipline aboard the byb. Remember, it's all about safety. Students out-of-control are distractions to safe operation of the byb and endanger everyone. Keep this overall consequence in mind when dealing with discipline problems, especially when writing referrals. Always connect student conduct to safety violations. It's all about safety and you must connect the violation to the furtherance of safe transportation. Let's briefly discuss the different age groups.

ELEMENTARY. A pre-k through third grader on a good day has an attention span and a memory of a gnat. They truly do not remember to sit down for longer than thirty-seconds until you have to remind them again. Do not take this behavior personally. They're just being themselves at that age. Now, the saving grace is this, not everyone of these students, up to eight years old, are perpetually off-the-chain. In time each will learn to become the student you desire. But it takes work on your part.

You will have those that do not exhibit such disruptive tendencies and pairing wild students with calm students is a strategy you may use to teach proper self-control aboard the byb. The wild students, after a few weeks, will settle down and be more like the calm students aboard the byb. It takes not only a bus load of patience but parental involvement as well. Also, don't let the principal and teachers off the hook. Share the wealth. After all everyone of the actors benefit from a better behaved student, right? Make it clear how you, the parent, and the school share the same goal of getting them safely to and from school everyday. Everyone wins when this goal is met. But don't kid yourself, learning to sit still and be quiet is an acquired skill. It has to be learned in order for a student to become successful in school, on the byb and in life. Be the Authoritative Driver.

Use the penalty box as needed. Remove backpacks in the mornings and afternoons as needed. Re-assign seating, often. Before leaving in the afternoon check seats of suspected candy eaters and let them know that you found wrappers and the like and to stop it or they may be in the penalty box. Some pre-K and elementary students can never be trusted with backpacks and you should get them into the habit of leaving their backpacks in the penalty box. It's too much temptation for them to break the rules. Explain that you're trying to keep them on the byb by doing this and they'll get the backpacks when they leave the byb.

INTERMEDIATE. Fourth through sixth graders may often be worse than any other students about not following the rules that keep them safe. They tend to be very immature and very mischievious. Sixth graders especially exhibit many immature tendencies that are really intended to test the byb driver's patience. Most, if not all, fourth to sixth graders are testing you when they break the rules and you have to use quick responses in kind to misbehaving students in this age range. The most effective strategy is moving students as needed to acquire the correct discipline aboard the byb. Seating is the single most critical strategy to maintaining discipline and safety among all ages. Intermediate students do not have a well formed clique, unlike junior high students, so you may resort to managing fourth through sixth graders by means of effective referrals rather than repetitive warnings and removing rewards such as sitting next to a best friend. But again, seating re-assignments work very well.

You should continue using seating re-assignments until you get the right mix. The typical fifth grader will understand that they better be good otherwise you will seat them next to a student that others say, has cooties, stinks et cetera. This is the control student. The one others do not enjoy being associated with and a student that never really causes any problems. The well behaved student is often ostracized. You should support this student at all times. They follow the rules and do not bother others so support that behavior. From a fifth grader's perspective, the only thing they can say about such a well behaved student is to personally attack that student. They stink, they have cooties and the like. This is the beginning of the clique system that becomes more pronounced when they reach junior high. Use this reality and seating re-assignments to your advantage. Also use the penalty box as needed. Remove backpacks and the like and check seating re-assignments before leaving in the afternoon.

Remember the control student must be guarded and observed. These are generally the best students. They already get grief from their peers so go out of your way to make it clear to everyone on the byb to not pester this student or else. Refer to that student as your right-hand man or girl. An example of using the control student should be to simply move the disruptive student next to the control student or move the control student next to the disruptive student.

Always place the control student on the aisle and frequently call out that student's name and ask how's it going. This tells the others you're watching and that the control student has a certain status aboard the byb that you recognize as important. The key is you are monitoring the process not playing favorites. The goal is to neurtalize the disruptions and keep everyone safe. Remember it's all about safety.

Do referrals and get some of the worst behaved students off the byb as soon as possible. This sends a message that you're not playing about following the byb safety rules. You mean business and either comply or find another way to and from school. Realistically, students in this age range are all bluff and will cause trouble to the extent that you and the school allow them to cause trouble. Remember, most students riding the byb have no alternative form of transportation. Use this to discuss that they have a responsibility to their parents and care-givers to follow the rules on the byb and in school. How they are expected to rise to the level of educated well behaved young adults. And how doing otherwise just places more demands on their parents and care-givers at a time when money and jobs are hard to come by. Put the responsibility on the students to act right or risk losing their riding privileges.

Track referrals by name and date and after two or three referrals seek out the principal to explain why after so many referrals the student continues to ride on the byb. Point out that it's a matter of time before the student or everyone on the byb suffer injury or death due to the misbehavior of that one student. There is more on this later in Chapter 14 Referrals. You need to be very professional but also assert your position on this matter. You will generally discover that the principal is flooded by referrals and has done nothing yet. If this is the case then see if the principal can fast-forward your problem student's referral in order to expedite calming down overall discipline aboard the byb. And don't forget about the parents and coaches role in controlling a student. Ask anyone you can think of for help on this matter. Don't be too proud to ask for help and advice on discipline matters. I'm aware of some byb drivers going to the landlord or grandparents when a student's parents were less than cooperative. Not something I would do but it worked for others. Be the Authoritative Driver and do what's right and necessary in looking out for that student remaining on the byb and coming to school each and every day.

More often than not, the simple fact that the principal has a conference with the student will stop the misbehavior. Why? Because the parents will see the referrals now and the student is clearly on the principals radar screen. Some teachers when notified of this student's behavior aboard the byb will help condition the student to sit down and be quiet at school. Remember to recognize a student's behavior as becoming better. Tell the student that they had a great day today and to keep it up. Use positive reinforcement to bolster that student's sense of reward for following the byb rules. Rules keep us safe on the byb. Be the Authoritative Driver.

JUNIOR HIGH. Seventh and eighth graders are for many drivers the most challenging group of students because they're so close to either a child or a young adult. So many physiological changes are taking place that from week to week you would be hard pressed to recognize them. The behavior problems can be severe. Do not hesitate to write referrals for bullying, aggressive behavior, being disrespectful toward others and the byb driver. Do use seat assignments to control and conquer behavior issues. For junior high students fitting into a clique is very important. It shapes their identity and they crave their friends and those relationships. This is something that is built into most junior high students. You can reward as well as punish behavior through seating assignments.

Do not let many bad attitude issues develop. You will have to take some disrespect because after all, they're mental and physical characteristics are changing so rapidly at this age you really don't know who they are at any point in time. Some days they're off-the-chain while others they're almost deeply depressed. This is the teenage angst syndrome. It's weird and often frustrating and has little or no common sense indications. Just know it happens a lot at that age and assert your role as the leader. Be the Authoritative Driver.

The worst thing you can do is act outwardly friendly toward these students at this particular time in their life. As the byb driver, unlike a teacher, coach or counselor, you must focus on safely transporting the students not building temporal relationships with them. There's just not enough time. Junior high students need a lot more structure and will respond to consistency, being on-time and a hyper-clean byb. Doing the same thing every time is critical to managing junior high students. You have to assign seats day one and continue to follow all routines with an almost religious fervor. And do not show any favoritism in any shape, form or manner. Why? Because at that age any student who other students believe is overly respectful toward any authority figure will be a target for abusive attacks and ostracized from the all important clique system. You should generally not discuss any matters that require more than a yes or no response with junior high students. Just know that you must be predictable to juniors in knowing your response should they break the rules. Be the Authoritative Driver.

The last thing to discuss is not taking junior high students attitudes personally. They may be rude and hard to deal with but that's the general rule at their stage of life. There's a lot going on in their physiology and development. You may require respect and that's fine but don't be overly optimistic about how much you'll get from junior's. Like I said, most drivers do not want to transport junior high students because of their messed-up sense of self. Just be the Authoritative Driver and enforce the rules using strategies and wording given in this book and you'll consistently do better than other drivers.

HIGH SCHOOL. These are potentially the worst but overall well-behaved aboard the byb. Same plan for discipline applies to high schoolers as to everyone else. Incorporate help from both parents and the school. Use seat assignments and do referrals as necessary. Clearly discuss rules and be consistent in both your words and conduct. Do not become their friend. Be the Authoritative Driver. No boy-girl seating either.

POWER KID is a term used to describe a student who demonstrates a need to be in command. They are easily recognizable from their overt attention gaining habits, such as, lewd and outrageous acts, loudly speaking so others will recognize their presence and being disrespectful to adults. This may be a popular student who routinely disrupts the bus environment for no apparent reason other than to get his or her way and to show-off for other students. Their goal is to be recognized as being above the rules. Their mind-set is, I'm special and you're not. Continue applying the typical strategies of consistency and fairness as with other students. But unlike other students, this one's personality can literally kill everyone on the byb when allowed to share the byb drivers responsibilities. Unlike in the classroom the byb is moving. Sharing power with basically a child in charge of safely operating a 17,000 pound piece of heavy equipment with sixty souls aboard is simply out of the question. The time constraints alone prohibit other strategies employed elsewhere in the power student's public education experience. Use coaches, principals, parents and teachers to try and keep this student under control while aboard the byb. Referrals should be crafted so the principal clearly understands who you're dealing with and the appropriate action. Power students have to give up that power for not only their own good but for the good and well-being of all students aboard the byb. Absent taking a back-seat to the Authoritative Driver, the power kid has to find an alternative means of transportation to and from school. It comes down to whether or not the student can handle being on the byb operated by an Authoritative Driver or not. If no then he's gotta go.

FAIRNESS is important especially with junior high students. You have to keep in mind that what happens to one is viewed by most students as something that will happen to them for similar conduct.

POST RULES. Post the rules all around the bus. Discuss and remind everyone of about the rules. And say exactly why a rule is in place and how it keeps them safe. New students should be given the rules to read and return when finished. Ask them if they have any questions then summarize the rules as, " the same rules in the classroom apply on the byb- plus other safety rules." No questions then thank them and assign a seat.
SECTION 12.2 FAIRNESS EXAMPLE. Having said all the above an interesting example occurred when a principal told a student that she was kicked off the byb for a week unless the driver says it's okay to ride. Now, just assume you've written this student up and the principal enforces the 3 write-up rule meaning the student got kicked off for a week. But the principal then adds unless the bus driver reconsiders and lets you ride anyway.

Unfortunately you cannot let the student back on the bus. The rule is 3 write-ups and your off. The student knows this and so do all the other students. So if you let the student back on the bus because they have no other way to and from school other than walking two miles then you cannot in any shape, form or manner allow any other students to get a third write-up and not get kicked off the bus because you let this student back on. It would be viewed as unfairly applying the rules.

You see the problem is not one of being merciful or feeling sorry for the student. The problem is that the student exercising her free will got two write-ups but continued to break the rules before the third one. There are real consequences for breaking rules. The principal put the burden on you by making it sound like you have a choice. In this example, you have no choice. You have to enforce the rule and the student take the consequences. That simple. It has to be done. Be the Authoritative Driver!

WHY. For two reasons, first from a fairness standpoint as perceived by other students who are watching to see what you're going to do- second, and the most important, allowing the student back on after breaking the rules means you yourself just ignored the fairness principle. Most important, it sets you up to be attacked on the grounds of unfairness or favoritism by other students who get kicked off the byb but you refuse to let back on. And they'd be right. So avoid undermining your credibility. Be fair and don't show favoritism. Especially with junior high students. To them it's all about being fair.

REASONING. Another way to look at this situation is the principal made a decision and you should not second guess it. The principal enforced the three strikes and your out rule. From a fairness standpoint you cannot pick and choose who breaks the same rules but gets kicked off and who gets back on the bus because you feel sorry for them. Don't make decisions based on emotion. Tie all your actions to maintaining safety so you don't get in the weeds. Remember, you have to always live with the consequences of referrals you write. Walking to and from school was tough but she survived. So there you have it. Being the byb leader is tough.

CHAPTER 13 ADHD. After surveying the literature regarding ADHD here is my contribution to byb drivers everywhere. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is common in the public schools today. Essentially, ADHD is a disorder that has a strong genetic link with no cure. A combination of medication and behavior therapy can help a student focus her thoughts and control her behavior. No one truly knows a single cause or origin of this disorder. Safe to say the disorder clearly runs in families. Generally, being impulsive in their conduct aboard the byb and their inability to pay attention are both signs of students suffering from ADHD. Symptoms usually start well before age 7 and teachers are well versed in the issues concomitant with teaching a student with ADHD.

Other signs to look for: making careless mistakes, fails to finish tasks, easily distracted, fidgets or squirms, cannot remain seated, acts as if "driven by a motor", continually "on the go", acts without thinking and has difficulty waiting his or her turn.

There is no single test for ADHD. The diagnosis will be based on information about a student's behavior provided by the parent, the student, the school and other caregivers. Notice the absence of the byb driver in the list. Of all the stake-holders commonly listed not a single learned resource counted the byb driver as important to diagnosing ADHD. Out of all the stake-holders commonly listed there is not a single one who has to shoulder the daily responsibility of driving two the three times the typical number of students in a classroom with the potential to severely injure or kill each and everyone of the students because of ADHD problems. To me this omission of the byb driver as someone having insight toward a students behavior relative to all other stakeholders is a sad commentary on the value of the byb driver's role in a student's overall success and failure in the public schools. Think about it.

Dealing with ADHD students can be more involved but consistency, order and fairness all combine to calm an ADHD student. These students demand more time and care. Look for the signs and if possible seek out someone at school or the parent for more help on how best to manage that specific student's behavior aboard the byb. And do not lose your temper or take it personally. Repetitive bad conduct on an ADHD student's part is very common. If the situation becomes dangerous to that student then do a referral to notify the school and parent. Then do an incident report to notify dispatch. All notification should be in writing that you're having trouble with a student that you suspect is ADHD and detail your concerns for that student's safety aboard the byb. Do all this in writing as soon as you suspect ADHD may be causing disruptions. Refer to the list of ADHD signs when crafting the referral and incident report.

The vast majority of parents are very amenable to discussing their child's condition and how you as the byb driver can manage it. Others will immediately have the child's medication adjusted in order to alleviate further risky behavior aboard the byb. Having said this, be aware of some parents in denial about their child's tendencies. Remember the genetic link between ADHD and the child's behavior.

Parents that had ADHD probably had a terrible experience in school and are completely in denial about their child having the same problem. These parents are completely unaware or in denial of advances in school processes that work with the ADHD child as well as in denial that their child suffers from ADHD. You just have to craft some seating assignment that accounts for the ADHD student while maintaining discipline and safety aboard the byb. It may mean moving the ADHD student several times during the route. Just tell the ADHD student that when you come to the next bus stop to move to another seat. This is an on-going strategy to keep everyone on the byb safe and on-time.

Read the seating assignment sections in Chapter 10 again, especially regarding moving a student to seats vacated while progressing along the route. Also remember that giving an ADHD student a task to complete will help keep her occupied while you drive. Continue moving the ADHD student around until you get a good mix. Read "Peas and Carrots" again and think about adjusting the level of compliance of the rules slightly to accommodate the ADHD student. Whatever you do, you must think strategically and maintain consistency, order and fairness. And do not discount the role a sibling riding the byb can play in helping the ADHD student stay within the safety rules.

ADHD students are challenging but very manageable aboard the byb. It takes a lot more work and if you put in the work, as with anything, you'll be successful. Work on the seating and think about what you need to do for that student to keep them safe aboard the byb. If everything seems to fail then you have to do referrals toward having that student's byb riding privileges revoked. Again, no one wants to go to the emergency room and explain to the parents what happened. If it comes to being injured or killed then start writing referrals.

I know some reading this may be surprised by what I'm going to say but some parents either take the ADHD medication themselves or sell them for cash. This is not uncommom in today's world. It is low-down because it deprives the student. Students will readily tell you when asked if they are taking their meds or not. They will also tell you and the school their parents are selling or using them instead of giving them to the student. Notify the school should you be told of such an issue. Let the school handle this issue. They probably already know about it but you should still give at least verbal notice.

If you think you have it hard dealing with an ADHD student then consider being a teacher in today's pay-for-performance public school system. Teachers not only have to keep that student under control but also teach them to read, write and do some math. Those students are then counted toward a teacher's pay-for-perfomance metric. So the next time you think teachers have it easier than someone else, think again. ADHD students are tough to control on the byb and tougher to teach.

TERRORISTIC THREATS AND FIGHTING. Some would be surprised to learn that even elementary students are known to threaten to kill, stab or shoot someone on the byb. Yes, they fight too. This is not new. Should a student report a threat leveled against them be sure to act immediately. Right away seperate the charged student from the rest of the population. Put them in the penalty box. Hold them there and then give them to the principal if in the morning or if in the afternoon, write a referral. You have to take such words seriously because you never know. A young student can be capable of bringing a small knife on-board the byb and carrying out the threat against the other student.

Better safe than sorry. Let the school find out the validity of the threats and what is required to ensure the safety of all students. We're responsible for everyone on the byb. The school is well trained to deal with such issues and should immediately be made aware of the issue. Ask any other student in the row or around the student charged with making the threat what, if anything, the student said to them or anyone else.

Provide a current seating chart to the school to use to call in students nearby the threatening student who may corroborate the story. Also be vigilant regarding threats and bullying in general. Any issues or questions go directly to the school and your immediate supervisor.

Last, make certain that school counselors know about early warning signs exhibited by students such as, but not limited to, aggressive and anti-social behavior. Students who qualify for Medicaid are afforded counseling opportunities regarding early signs of aggression toward other students. Know these early signs are indicators of future problems for a student. Remember, a byb driver's job is to ensure the safety of all aboard the byb and you have a duty to alert school administrators of such student tendencies.

In the event zero attention is given to this matter in a timely fashion then you may have to go to Child Protective Services to report such behavior. Trust me, CPS will follow-up more often than not usually within 24 hours. Young students who exhibit outrageous tendencies are a red flag that something is wrong at home. You cannot ignore this warning and have an unequivocal duty to act.

SECTION 13.1 THOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS. Meaning, students will make-up stuff that never happened. Some adults may find this hard to believe but this is a very common occurrence aboard the byb and in public schools today. Here's a couple examples.

Two students are horseplaying and saying a bunch of rather insulting things to each other. They usually do this between themselves. No outward indication is observed by the byb driver. The two students are equally matched with the ability to insult the other at about the same level so no one is a clear winner. The tie-breaker becomes, you guessed it, the byb driver. One student will simply make-up a story to get even with the other student in order to win the verbal fight. Or, one student might go home with a one-sided story that they were being harassed or bullied or talked to badly so the parent becomes the tie-breaker. This is perhaps the number one reason, in terms of frequency of occurrence, that each and every public school bus should have an assistant that actively monitors each student throughout the byb ride. It's also a great reason to have a relationship with parents on a level that you can discuss this matter and resolve it quickly. Trust between the byb driver and parents plays a huge role in effective byb discipline strategies. Be the Authoritative Driver and actively develop parental involvement.

Another very common example occurs when two students are going at each other with verbal attacks. One later reports to you as she exits the bus that the other student said a cuss word or hit her or took her pencil or some such thing. Note that no report of this was made during the ride.Was it out of fear or because the student needed time to make-up a story in her head to get even with the other student?

Take the claim as real and honest but ask her the following. Why did you wait until now to report this? Why didn't you raise your hand and tell me right away? Did you say or do anything to the other student? You know she's going to tell me her side and I bet it may be a good story about you doing things too. Then watch the student's expression very closely. If it's one of no longer being interested in this issue, it's probably a fabrication of the truth. A lie by omission. Claiming something that never happened. Looking away and not being steadfast with replies could mean the claim is false. It could also mean she's fearful of what the other student will do to her. Nevertheless, do the quick question and answer above to determine the validitiy of the accusations. The big tell-tale is waiting until they're getting off the bus or until they get home to report this conduct. It's really not as credible as raising her hand to tell on that student unless there is zero trust in the byb driver being the leader. An Authoritative Driver will rarely encounter such problems because students know they will not get away with lying.

One solution is to create a problem sheet that you have ready for this type of issue. Use the same questions above and let her get her parents to help complete it. And require it be returned to you the very next morning. Be sure to ask for the problem sheet the very next morning. Most often you will never get back the problem sheet. Why? Because the student knows that she will be going to the principal this morning along with the other student to sort this out. And the principal will call in others as necessary to find out the truth. To get my version of the problem sheet click HERE.

Most principal's will not look kindly on a student that makes up lies on others and wastes the principal's time. Many students receive detention to expulsion for such conduct. And it's well deserved. Lying about someone else's conduct for whatever reason is just wrong. It could ruin another student's reputation or worse, their life. Should one or both students decide they want to go to the principal then by all means accomodate them. Do referrals on both students and leave it to school officials to sort out.

Another example, is when a third grader lied about a first grader; claiming that the first grader threatened to bring a knife and kill the third grader the next day. It turns out that another student was sitting in the same row and told the principal that no death threat happened. It was just a case of the two students verbally fighting and the third grader made it up to win the verbal fight. The target for the tie-breaker was the byb driver. But consider the problems that such a story carries with it. That third grader has some personal issues to say the least, but had the charge been true the first grader is cast in a totally different light. One that says she's a danger to others. It could have literally changed her life in a very bad way.

Be very attentive of students who never report any problem until they're getting off the bus. Take it seriously but ask a couple of quick questions as outlined above and give a problem sheet to check the honesty component of the student's claims. If you have any doubt then do referrals on both students and send them both to the principal when you get to school. Call the parent that night and discuss the issue. You may be surprised how many parents will tell you that their beloved angel has issues telling the truth. Especially when another student or sibling is involved.

The last example occurs simply because a student wants to change her seating assignment. She claims her seat mate is bothering her and the like. Don't fall for this unless you have a great seating re-assignment that's also easy to do. Why? Other students are watching and when they see how easy it is to just make-up something in order to move back with their friends, you'll be swamped with made-up claims. Balance your response. Temporarily move a student to the penalty box. Then tell both students that you need to write a referral on both for horseplay and being disruptive to others, as well as, interrupting transportation. And that you're really thinking about sending both to the principal when you get to school. Wait for a response. Generally none will be forthcoming. Because it's all made up and you've just pointed out real consequences to all students for making-up stories on each other. When you get to school ask the student in the penalty box if she wants to go to the principal and tell her story. Then ask the other student the same question: do you still need to go to the principal about this issue because if you need to then we can get it done right now? Clear this whole thing up once and for all. Often students will not want to pursue this any further because it's not true and both will receive referrals and probably lose their bus riding privileges. The better Principals know the real story behind these accusations. Also understand how the other students watching this drama unfold will think twice about using this strategy to get out of a seating assignment.

Before other adults begin claiming that students never lie and that we should always take all issues as truthful, listen to my reply. Students are people too. They're innately competitive with developing identities and yes, egos. They want to win an argument and beat the other student at the game. But the real value of how to deal with this issue is to teach students that rules apply to arguments too. Making up something about another is patently dishonest and unfair. It's hitting below the belt. It also causes a lot of wasted time and energy on the part of school officials to figure out the truth. Remember students are given clear opportunities along the process of reporting something to continue or stop. Most choose to stop because they recognize instinctively it's a no win situation. It's a he said, she said dynamic. Both will lose by continuing or both will tie by stopping now.

The byb driver and the principals have real discipline issues confronting them. And dealing with this issue in the way described is an efficient and effective method of dealing with students that try to manipulate adults to meet their own personal quest for power over another student. I refuse to play that game and refuse to be used as a tie-breaker. I choose instead to put the burden of responsibility square on the shoulders of the complainant. As a plaintiff it's reasonable for you to at least convince me how you were wronged. Even if you are six years old.

Remember, we discussed options through questions and answers then decided together on the best course of action. The students are way better served using this method of dealing with complaints than just passing the buck on to the principal who will view the referral for what it is, a lazy way of dealing with a trumped-up charge. Again, the principal will deduct points from your credibility as the adult in charge when you're so easily manipulated by a six year old. So see this issue for what it really is, a statement to the students to be honest and fair even when it means you may lose the game. Anything else would be a poor lesson in life. Be the Authoritative Driver!

SECTION 13.2 STRATEGIES FOR STUDENT DISCIPLINE BEFORE DOING A REFERRAL

TALK: to students, parents, teachers, dispatch and other bus drivers.

MOVE: the student to either a new seat or to the penalty box.

SECTION 13.3 PREEMPTIVE MOVES. Vacant seats are an option you must recognize and employ. Move a student to a seat just vacated by a student getting off the bus or to an absent student's seat. You can also move a student to a seat that is only occupied in the morning or afternoon. Placing PM or AM on the seat assignment 3x5 index card and the seating chart will help you keep track of which seats are available. Don't forget the option to move a problem student during the route whenever you come to a bus stop. Just tell them to take their belongings and go to a different seat. Thanks!

Tell a parent that you need help with an issue and explain the safety issues involved and that you want to ensure the safety of the student. Say you would appreciate if the parent would discuss the safety issues. End with I want to keep your child on the bus so I'm trying to avoid doing a referral.

SECTION13.4 DISENGAGE AS TO DISCIPLINE ISSUES. Don't argue with a student. Just explain the rules and why their compliance is required to keep them safe. After the explanation just disengage with whatever else is said by the student. In other words, state the rule, the consequence and that it's fair because everyone else is following the rules but you. Give the student the options available and repeat the consequence. End with, "you get yourself written-up and you may be kicked off the bus. I'm trying to keep you on the bus but you're working hard to get off the byb. You know the rules and the consequences-so okay, keep talking and you may be walking."

NO THREATS. JUST THE FACTS. Don't threaten under any circumstances. Don't tell a student that they will be kicked off the bus unless you really have the power to make that decision. Some schools do allow drivers to make that decision, but generally principals have to review that decision and set a time period for suspending a student's bus riding privilieges. And don't lose your temper. Maintain your composure and show poise at solving problems. Be the Authoritative Driver.

INCLUSION. Include students in bus jobs such as, counting students as they get off the byb in the morning, after they get on the bus in the afternoon, handing out backpacks or handing out awards. Tell students when they do better. Positive reinforcement is typifies the Authoritative Driver.

PARENTS. Angry parents are an opportunity for interaction. Often times, over wrought and emotional parents can be trying. Be patient and listen to what they say and consider their position. And remember, parents love their children despite whether that parent is suffering from substance abuse, mental illness or wasted their own opportunity at a good education. Tell the parent that you understand and appreciate their position. Explain the safety rules and that you and the parent have the same goal of keeping the student safe aboard the byb. You may also call dispatch and let dispatch explain the rules over the radio. Or suggest the parent phone dispatch. Realistically, you can't spend an adequate amount of time with a parent while running a route. Really there's no time. But you may want to visit at a convenient time that the parent says he's available. What ever it takes to keep the student safe and on the byb should be done. For now, exchange cell phone numbers so you can talk more later.

ON THE BYB. Getting on the bus means the student cannot get off until she is either at the school or her designated bus stop. The exception is when a school official removes the student at the school or the school has given you a written school directive. The written school directive, as it's name implies, directs you to deliver or pick-up a specific student at a specific address along your route.

EXAMPLE. A parent comes to the bus and complains that you should have let her child off at her sister's home yesterday. Why didn't you do that? It's my sister and I told my child to tell you to let her off at that address.

Explain that it would have been perfectly fine to do that except the procedure requires a call to the school and simply have a school directive created that tells me to do just that. Tell her you have a legal duty to leave the child at either the regular bus stop or the school, unless I receive a written school directive telling me otherwise. Now, do you want your child to go to your sister's home from now on or temporarily? Either way, you have to phone the school or go to the school to get the child's bus stop changed.

Explain the concern is letting student's off where they say without a directive when you, the parent, are unaware of it may mean the child gets lost or abducted. Then there's a problem. We have to be careful to not release the student to anyone or let them off anywhere other than what's on record at the school. It's a child safety concern. And for me, as long as the student is in my care, I promise to you to not do something that would traumatize or damage her in any way. I hope you can appreciate that I'm really just looking out for her.

The parent then replies, "Now, isn't that a bunch of bull!" To which you say, I do apologize but a simple phone call to the school is necessary to change where she's dropped off. Her safety is worth a phone call, right? The parent looking like maybe you're right Mr. Bus Driver. Okay, she says, I'll call now and get this straightened out. Okay, you say, and by the way if you want your child to go to your sister's all the time tell the school to put that on the directive. If you want your child to go the next two days only and then be dropped here at this bus stop, then have that on the directive. That way you don't have to call every day. Do it once and it's done until you need to make another change. Oh, she says, thanks for explaining that to me. You bet and hopefully we'll see you again. Exchange cell phone numbers for future discussion about other matters. Leave with, have a great day!

In summary, treat the parents with utmost patience and respect. Explain why you did something and not something else. Tell the parents why. Don't just say, it's the rule. Tell them why and ninety per cent will understand and appreciate your interaction. Remind the parent you're looking out for the student despite their huffing and puffing. Connect with the parent and exchange cell numbers should there be further questions.
SECTION 13.5 DIRECTIVES will also tell you if this arrangement will be for today only or from now on. Be sure you read the directive and know that the location is on your route while your still at the school. If it is not then let the teachers know right then so the student can get on the correct bus. Radio dispatch to let them know of changes and save the directive to keep in the bus file.

The directive is always on official school stationary and is the only legal way to make a change to that students bus stop. Beware of hand written directives on notebook paper or some other paper not an official school form. Most schools use a different color paper to differentiate their school directives from any other school directives from the same school district. Remember, once a student gets on the byb there are only two places she may legally get off the byb; at her scheduled stop or at her school.

WRITTEN ONLY. Verbal directives are no good and the student claiming that she needs to go to some other place is no good. Only the parent through the school can make the change as directed by the parent or guardian. If you knowingly let a student get off at an unapproved stop and something happens to that student then you're liable along with the school. Knowing students by sight is important.

SECTION 13.6 CHAIN OF CUSTODY. Losing track of a student between school and home is a bad deal. Students do get abducted and do run away. Stick to the route plan and you'll be fine. You have to maintain the chain of custody between the school and the bus stop. That way if a parent calls looking for the student you should be able to tell them that you dropped the student off at the bus stop at so and so time. Any deviation from the routine will cause problems finding the student.

EXAMPLES. A student tells you she needs to get off at some other bus stop, an adult meets you at another bus stop and tells you the student should get off at this bus stop instead of her normal bus stop, a teacher tells you to let the student off at another bus stop or anyone you do not recognize meets the student at the bus stop are all red flags for you to start asking questions of the student and any other adult and, most important, call dispatch for further information and advice. Ask the student to identify who the unknown adult is and do not be afraid to politely ask for a picture identification.

EXCEPTIONS TO DIRECTIVE. The only exceptions to having a written directive are dispatch or a principal tells you to drop the student off at a different bus stop. If a principal tells you something just say you have to clear it with dispatch. Dispatch will advise you how to proceed. Do not unilaterally do what the principal says without clearing it with dispatch. Otherwise, should the parent come looking for the child it's just your word against the principal's. Dispatch should always be in the loop when a question arises.

Allowing students on the bus without the proper paperwork is also an area of liability. The parent of record must complete documents specifically authorizing a student to ride the byb. And parents are the only one's that can change when and where a student is to be picked up and dropped off. The schools then provide to dispatch documents directing the changes take place.

EXAMPLE. When a student who regularly rides the route brings a friend to the bus stop, you cannot allow the friend on the bus without either a directive or clearance from dispatch. The student is forbidden from riding the byb without proper paperwork. Why?

LIABILITY. If there's an accident then that student's parent will have grounds for a lawsuit because they never gave written permission for their child to be on board the byb. You should also be aware, and tell the student this, once the student who normally rides the bus gets onto the bus she may not be allowed off the bus until she's at school. She has properly entered into the school environment and a legal duty attaches to monitor and keep her safe.

Next, tell the student that if she gets on the bus that she and her friend will be separated. The regular student will probably want to go back home with her friend and get the parents to take them to school. Last, students and parents receive a copy of the student code of conduct and sign a form saying they both read and understand the rules. Students know they can't just bring friends onto the bus without proper paperwork. Don't feel bad about it. Your number one goal is to protect all students and keep them safe and sound. Allowing strangers on the bus violates that process and potentially puts the byb students in jeopardy. Tell the student that the rules keep us safe. Be the Authoritative Driver.

REFERRAL. Last, you should write a referral on the student trying to bring her friend on board and a referral on the friend. That way the principal can further explain the rules against bringing friends to the byb and to further document the misconduct. Tell the student that she will get a referral on this matter and then explain to everyone the rule as you get to school so no one else tries this. Generally, this type of referral is not counted against the student as a disciplinary issue but is left up to the school to decide the proper course of action, if any. Also be sure to include disrupting transportation in the referral because you waste a lot of time dealing with this matter while all the other students must wait. It's not fair to make everyone else wait while the issue is resolved.

This also includes loading students at the school. Let's say one of your regular students brings a friend to the bus. The friend has no directive. Get the friends name and address. Tell the regular student that once she gets on the bus she can only get off at her regular stop.

FOLLOW THE RULES FOR RIDERS. If the friend's address is not on your route you can reject her riding on those grounds in addition to not having a directive. Call dispatch. Without a directive or clearance from dispatch the friend cannot come onto the bus. Why? Even if no accident occurs but the friend gets hurt, lost or abducted, the parents have grounds for a lawsuit. After all, by allowing the friend onto the bus you short-circuit the process of parent approval before the student rides the byb. You have inadvertantly delivered someone's child to an unknown destination without parental knowledge and approval. As a result the friend got hurt or abducted. You're on the hook for it.

RULES KEEP US SAFE. Had you followed the rules the student would have stayed behind at school in a safe and sound condition. That's the way it'll be characterized. The rules keep us safe. Write a referral on the student trying to get her friend on board and remind other students of the rules and why it's important to follow them. Students already know the rule but you have to remind them. It's an opportunity to show you care about them and that you're fair minded. Be the Authoritative Driver.

FOLLOW THE RULES. Yet another example is when an unknown adult approaches the byb and tells you that it's okay for a student to get off at this bus stop. But the rules say that the student is only allowed to get off at another bus stop. Call dispatch and see if a directive has come in that you weren't made aware of due to a last minute request by a parent. Ask the student if she knows the adult. Even if the student knows the adult does not mean you can just hand the student over. Ask the student to identify who the unknown adult is and do not be afraid to politely ask for a picture identification.

Remember, the rule requires a parent of record to make a change to when and where a student is allowed to get off at another bus stop. In this example, no directive from a parent exists. Dispatch should call the school but that takes a lot of time and the other students will now be late. Parents will start calling for their children.

Get the adults name and address. Explain as best you can to the adult that without parental permission you cannot legally release the student to someone else's custody. If the adult replies that the parent will not be home until late tonight and that the student is to come home with her then repeat that you cannot comply with that request. Have dispatch say over the radio that you cannot allow it and that the student will have to go back to school. Tell the adult she should call or go to the school to discuss it with school officials. Politely say you have to get the other students home before parents begin worrying. You may also exchange names and cell phone numbers for later discussion.

Call dispatch and tell them you will return the student to the school and to notify the school to expect the student. Return the student after everyone else is off the bus. Remember you have a duty to follow the rules because in the final analysis the rules keep everyone safe. In summary, two choices on where students get on and off the bus: at the bus stop or at school. You have to have a directive to do otherwise and always notify dispatch of directives and ask for help.

CHAPTER 14 EFFECTIVE REFERRALS.

Referrals communicate to the Principal a student's conduct aboard the byb. Be aware that up to 75% of a Principal's time is spent dealing with byb referrals. Know they have other legally required duties in addition to dealing with byb referrals. Keep in mind a Principals workload and use referrals sparingly and wisely. They are generally a last resort. They may, however, be the only clear option especially when you need to document a student's repetitive high risk conduct. Often the principal can quickly conference with a student and you'll have no more problems.

PRINT PRINCIPAL'S NAME at the top of the referral along with the school name. This ensures that the referral gets to the principal. Don't leave it to chance that dispatch will get it right or that the school's front office worker will correctly route the referral to the principal.

REFERRAL PRIVACY. If you write a referral do not include any other students names on the referral for privacy reasons. The last thing you want is a parent-on-parent confrontation regarding student issues. For example, if Sarah threatened Jack then do two referrals. One referral says "another student" reported that Sarah made threats. Be specific as to the threats in order to convey the urgency of the matter. The second referral has to do with Jack who reported "another student" threatened him. Use the phrase "another student" and not the name or gender. Be as private as you can. Remember parents of each child see the referral so you must protect the privacy of both students.

RULES KEEP US SAFE. Sitting, standing, delays and emergencies are all areas ripe for discussion with students while waiting to unload in the mornings. Also, don't be afraid to discuss occurrences that could be dangerous and how following the rules keep them safe. Hammer away on the idea that no one wants to go to the emergency room. Make safety a topic of discussion and understanding. Say it over and over. Safety, safety, safety. Be the Authoritative Driver.

WRITING REFERRALS. Know that the exact referral you write will be provided to the parents to read for themselves. Keep this in mind when crafting the referral.

JUST THE FACTS. If the student told you to go to hell, write hell, not h*ll. Because telling you go to hell versus telling you go to h*ll is different. H*ll is not a cuss word. You have to write the exact word completely as it was uttered. Don't worry about offending the sensibilities of the principals. They've heard it all. Just write precisely the words used. Don't abbreviate either. Abbreviations aren't cuss words. Include any physical and verbal threats in the referral as well as threatening visual cues. Evil eye, clenched fist, threatening gestures or posturing and especially verbal threats toward yourself.

SECTION 14.1 INCLUDE any disrespectful conduct toward you and any back talk or grumbling when dealing with the student. Safety is the key concept and the only reason for the byb rules. All issues in the referral must flow out of safety concerns. Being disrespectful toward the byb driver goes to a students overall refusal to follow the safety rules. By default the student is always disrespectful and always disobedient because they break the rules despite knowing them. This means the student's propensity for safety violations aboard the byb increases her likelihood of injury. It's a state of mind and attitude that causes the student to exhibit high-risk behavior that will eventually lead to injury or death. Not only to herself but perhaps through continued distractions causing the byb driver to have an accident. Therefore the individual's behavior problems do impact the entire bus. As the byb driver you have a legal responsibility to ensure the safety of all students aboard the byb. Any student causing problems really endangers everyone, not just herself. If you're looking in the bus mirror trying to correct misconduct then you're not driving the byb as safely as required. This endangers all aboard the byb.

DON'T advise the principals on a course of action to take for a student breaking a rule. They can't tell you how to do your job and you shouldn't tell them their job. You may state that this is the third referral for this student regarding this same behavior. But leave it at that. And keep up with the date of the referrals for each student and a running total. Use the same student list for the seating chart and note the dates. Also keeping up with the number of referrals and dates are useful when contacting the principal's office regarding the problem student. You have to keep a running tally. Otherwise it's too easy for a principal to claim they never received the referral. The original faxed referral should be on file in the bus yard's office.

Using a computer to write referrals is preferable to hand written because you always have a copy of the referral on the computer. And the legibility of the referral is often easier to read than hand written referrals.

SECTION 14.1 TIED TO SAFETY. Always include that safety was the basis of the referral. For example, "Bobby was tearing up the seat back and I told him to stop three times and to come to the penalty box at the very next bus stop. Bobby refused to comply with the seating re-assignment and yelled out, 'go fuck yourself you fucking ho.' All the students began laughing at his outburst."

The violations for this referral are, refusing to sit in assigned seat, destroying and defacing property, disrespectful to the driver, disobedient to the driver, distracting the driver from the safe operation of the bus, excessive noise and interfering with transportation. Each issue is a safety issue. It's very important to always write referrals with emphasis on safety. It's all about safety.

SECTION 14.2 WRITE THE REFERRAL, from the above facts as: "Bobby's disrespect toward the bus driver and disobedient conduct distracts from the safe operation of the bus, slows the route which may result in students rushing off the bus and getting hit by cars, prevents the driver from hearing the radio for important announcements, prevents the driver from hearing other students who may have an emergency situation and undermines the driver's ability to maintain control of other students thereby causing confusion that may result in other students also disregarding rules that keep them safe. Driver distraction from having to deal with Bobby's behavior problems will cause him serious injury or death and puts every student in jeopardy." Each and every issue is directly related to safety.

TRANSLATION. The student's bad behavior will cause an accident should nothing be done. Only the consequences should be stated in the referral but no mention should be made of the punishment. The punishment is implied. You don't have to expressly tell the principal what to do but when you expressly write out the issues and their safety impact then only one reasonable conclusion is drawn. The student has to suffer the appropriate consequences otherwise an accident will occur to everyone on the byb.

IT'S ALL ABOUT SAFETY. State the facts and then connect the facts to safety violations. Remember, the parents will read this so the referral should be crafted with safety concerns flowing from the student's conduct. Connect the student's conduct to safety aboard the byb.

SECTION 14.3 DISRESPECTING THE BYB DRIVER

Being rude, obnoxious, failing to comply with the rules or a driver directive in a timely fashion are all forms of disrespect toward the driver. Rarely will the component of disrespect and disobedience be absent when writing a referral. The fact the student ignored the rules after being warned is sufficient to warrant a disrespect and disobedience infraction.

Principals are well aware of the concept, "nip it in the bud." They know how to make an example of a student breaking the rules and will generally not hesitate to mete out appropriate punishment. From in-school detention to outright kicking the student off the bus for a week or the rest of the school year. The key is not using the referral as the first step.

Principal's are very aware of which buses write a lot of referrals and will generally act quickly on referrals from a bus driver who does low or no referrals. Continue to do your part and enforce all rules all the time otherwise all the Principal's work was for nothing. Be the Authoritative Driver.

Disrespectful behavior undermines the driver's authority and truly enables others watching this an opportunity to break the rules too. Tolerating students who consistently try to undermine your authority is giving it away. Removing bus riding privileges is very unfortunate because students need to be in school each and everyday. Remember, without students there is no need for school buses. Buses remain important because students need the ride. Keep this in mind and continue being consistent and fair in all you do as the undisputed leader and Authoritative Driver.

BULLYING AND UNWANTED ATTENTION

Bullying and unwanted touching cannot be tolerated. If you honestly believe one or both of these have occurred then you are duty bound to use the referral to notify the school. (But see, Section 13.1 Thou Shall Not Bear False Witness.) You must immediately re-seat the victim and keep them safe from further harm. Use the penalty box. This is why you must also separate girls from boys. Keep in mind that same-sex advances are not so uncommon today. Be mindful not to comment on your own personal feelings about such issues. This is a privacy principle and should be treated with utmost tact and attention to protecting the victim.

SECTION 14.4 REFERRALS COMPLETED

When you write a referral you should record the date and keep a count of the number done for each student. Keep a record using the copy of the student list. It's just a date and maybe a checkmark next to the student's name.

Do not repeatedly write referrals for the same violation regarding the same student beyond about three total. If you have to write four or more then you're probably not being effective in describing the safety issue. Writing an effective referral is like writing an effective argument. You have to make the point along with a call to action. Tie student conduct to safety violations then state the harm to the student you seek to avoid. Accident, injury or death should always be at the heart of the referral. Remember that the rules keep us safe. Breaking the rules are not safe and by breaking the rules this student is in harm's way. Essentially, you're asking the principal to help keep the student safe using what ever measure is necessary to accomplish that goal.

CHILD PROTECTIVE AND WELFARE SERVICES

Every byb driver has a legal duty to report suspected child abuse to the local authorities. You do not have to see it or experience it with your own eyes. Reasonable suspicion is sufficient. But be prepared to explain why your suspicions are justified and warrant a social worker's time. Abuse ranges from a student who is dirty all the time, sexual deviancy, parent neglect all the way up to the student just disappears without anyone, not teachers, not friends having any knowledge of the student's condition. Again, be prepared to explain your suspicions. The suspicions have to be based on tangible neglect and abuse not that you're just curious about something. And not just a poverty issue. There's lots of poor students in the inner-city public schools. Keep in mind what's typical given your students and your school district. Ask for help from the school and don't go it alone. Be the Authoritative Driver.

CHAPTER 15 MCKINNEY VENTO ACT

Be aware that students who are characterized as homeless are guaranteed a right to public school bus transportation "to the extent feasible" due to a federal mandate referred to here as the McKinney Act passed in 1987. Generally, the phrase, "to the extent feasible" means affordability. If the school district would incur too much expense in complying then a case may exist to not provide bus transportation.

Also know school districts across the United States are required to abide by just about every federal school law in place or risk loss of federal funds. The McKinney Act ensures students whose families are determined to be homeless will not suffer further hardship through constant moving around between schools or school districts. You will know these families because they are living a few weeks at a time with different friends or relatives or in a motel. This has been termed "couch surfing," meaning the family stays for awhile with others until they are once again put out onto the streets or into some other form of temporary housing. Because such students are considered "already stressed" and in jeopardy of dropping out, they're afforded certain safeguards designed to assist them in getting to and from public school on the byb. Remember all students are required to attend school and have an unequivocal right to an equal educational opportunity plus other federal principles such as No Child Left Behind.

The McKinney Act fosters support for such stressed students who would otherwise drop out. Often these students have caretakers or parents that are themselves suffering from not only economic hardship but debilitating medical conditions. The suffering and living conditions can be rather startling. From outdoor toilets to no heat to no bedding to camping out in a public park to not having any form of transportation necessary to apply for assistance; these students are, to say the least, at the very bottom of the socio-economic ladder. To these students having a bath or change of clothes can be rare. One McKinney kid when asked what she wanted for Christmas replied, a suitcase. If that doesn't summarize a McKinney kids world view I don't know what does. While many in America take such things for granted, for McKinney kids, it's a constant struggle to achieve the bare essentials in life. Just finding a safe place to sleep is a struggle. They are for all practical purposes living on the streets. Going to school for many McKinney kids affords them amenities they receive no where else but at school. Food, water, well-lit, welcoming and supportive. Often times staff and administrators and their teachers are encouraged to develop a relationship with the McKinney kids through the spirit of this federal mandate itself. Compliance with the McKinney Act also may require that bus transportation be provided for a student even when that student moves outside a school attendance zone.

For example, when a homeless student who has been afforded school bus service under the McKinney Act has been going to school on the southside of a school district then moves to the northside of the same school district, the school bus service must still provide that student bus service to and from the southside school. Why? Because the focus of the McKinney Act is to foster and postively support already stressed students. Having to change schools within the same school district puts further stress on the McKinney kid and her caretakers which increases the likelihood the student will no longer go to school at all. McKinney recognizes that the current school relationship with the McKinney kid is very important and goes straight to retention and graduation. And this further supports No Child Left Behind. Each student covered by the McKinney Act must be served by the public school bus service both to and from the same school of origin within that school district.

It also means students moving to another school district have the right into public school bus service to and from the last school attended (school of origin) regardless of moving into another school district. For example, a McKinney kid living and attending a suburban public school must continue to receive school bus service to and from that same suburban school even though the student moves into the inner city school district. School districts have to share the expense and do so usually by one school district taking the McKinney kid to school in the morning and the other school district taking the student home in the afternoon. For now be aware of the McKinney-Vento Act and how it affects the current school bus service provided McKinney kids. I went into some length on this issue due to byb drivers misunderstanding the law, how it works and most of all why compliance is required.

SECTION 15.1 LEAD BY EXAMPLE. The following sub-sections are important reiterations and clarifications. I also put in some key statistics for discussion of safety issues with students, parents and principals.

Do not eat and drink on the bus yourself. Except for bottled water or perhaps coffee, the need to eat snacks and such while driving the byb or while loading and unloading students just sets yourself up for student criticism. Now I know that you are an adult and they are not. But why open yourself to any negative criticism and stir up an issue regarding eating and drinking on the byb? You actually create confusion in saying one thing and doing another. Especially with junior high students. Recall junior high students are all about fairness and at their age are between young adults and small children. They will grumble and not see the difference when you proclaim, I'm an adult and your not. Why? Because if they can become choked when eating on the byb then so can the byb driver. When the byb driver gets choked then the entire bus is in peril. If you think about it then you see the logic and student grumbling is something best avoided. Don't let students see you eating and drinking aboard the byb, period. Lead by example. Be the Authoritative Driver.

QUIZ students on the rules. Ask them true/false questions, such as, it's okay to eat on the bus, it's okay to stand while the bus is moving, it's okay to be out in the aisle, it's okay to bring a friend to ride along et cetera. Everyone should say, No, it's not okay to do those things. Do this in the morning when waiting in line to drop students at school or enroute. Drill young students on the safety rules.

NO GRAFFITI. No crayons, pens or pencils outside the backpack up to maybe fifth grade. No magic markers ever. Pens and pencils are too much temptation for a student to punch holes in the seat back. Same for crayons. They can be used to write on seat backs and fall apart causing you to have to clean the mess. Keeping these items put in their backpack or you keeping them and giving them back when they exit is a strategy to keep them on the byb. Remember to automatically remove backpacks for repeat offenders.

You should check seats for damage and graffiti before and after they get on the byb. During the child check is a perfect time to check seats. If you find damage or graffiti then those assigned to that seat are suspect. You may write them up but let them know when next you see them you found the damage and will be watching closely. For damage, a strategy is to take some extra wide silver duct tape or brightly colored tape and put over the holes or cuts. The very next time the student gets on the byb they will be surprised to see you've caught the damage so quickly. This communicates that you are monitoring the condition of the seats. If a student believes the odds are greater than not of being caught and punished they will stop. If they don't stop then write them up and be sure to write in the referral that your habit is to clean and check seats for damage and graffiti both before and after students leave their assigned seats.

COMPLY OR ELSE. Give the student an opportunity to comply. Be certain you make it clear that they have a choice. Comply or be moved, comply or referral, comply or see the principal when we get to school, comply or we return to school. Move the student to the penalty box or any seat that will alleviate the issue.

SAFE PLACE PULL OVER. Pull over at a safe place and wait. Tell the students that you cannot continue until they comply with the rules. This works best when taking them home but not so good when taking them to school. If going to school let it be known they may be taken to the principal for further discipline. You should make a referral to be faxed to the principal as soon as you get back to the bus yard. Be sure to print the principal's name at the very top of the referral. Then follow-up with school personnel if practicable that afternoon or following morning. Dont forget coaches help too.

IF YOU HEAR MY VOICE. To calm young students when loading at school you have to get their attention. Use your normal voice at a normal level and say, "if you can hear my voice raise your hand" or "if you can hear my voice do this " and make some kind of motion with your hand, like shaking it or waving it. Stand at the front of the byb and begin to walk toward the back while speaking. Third graders and younger will instinctively pick up on this as others begin following your lead. Then ask for a volunteer to continue different hand motions. You can make a two-minute game out of it while you get under way and out of the school parking lot. For the most part this calms them for a time.

STATISTICS: Less than one-half of 1% (0.37%) of all fatalities occur on the byb each year. Across the nation 6 students are killed on the byb every year. It's about 6 times more likely that a fatality occurs inside the other vehicle involved in an accident with the byb than on the byb itself. Students inside the byb are statistically safer than outside the byb. Most accidents resulting in student fatalities are loading and unloading at the bus stop. Many of those accidents occur when students are hit by passing motorists. More have occurred in the pm than the am. More occur from Dec to March. About double the amount of fatalities occur to males than females. By a small margin most fatalities are to students 4-9 years old. Older students are run over at about the same rate as younger students. It takes at way more the distance to stop a byb than a passenger car. The byb must stop at all railroad crossings and look and listen for trains before continuing. Compartmentalization is the safety design of the byb without seat belts. The only way to safely sit is back on the back, seat on the seat, feet on the floor facing forward. Use these statistics in your referrals and when speaking to others about byb safety.

PRACTICE EVACUATIONS. Emergency exits should be clearly marked. The school district should allow practice of emergency evacuations at least at the start of every school year. All students should go through the emergency evacuations because of field trips and sports trips. Never cover-up the emergency exit signs. And always check that the exits are functioning correctly and the alarms are working. Note that the rear of the bus has a large emergency exit door that should be recognized as a place of concern for students that may be mischievious in nature. Be careful who you seat next to that door because playing around with it could be deadly when opened while the byb is in motion. And make certain that the safety latch that holds the door open is properly working.

MEET AND GREET. If your loading at the school try to be at the bottom of the steps to greet students and observe their energy level. If hyper have them wait and calm down until others have loaded. If they cut in line or run make them wait until everyone has loaded. Any breaking of the rules should be dealt with then and there because you have limited access once you start driving. Greet and speak with teachers and staff. Often times they are more than willing to share with you details of a student to help you deal with them in a more positive manner.

PREGNANCY is also an issue that is a privacy matter. Do not address it at all except to allow the student to sit closer to the front door. Just offer this accomodation and if not accepted leave it alone.

CHAPTER 16 AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS

Be aware of after-school programs and some special logistics issues uncommon to other school related activities. Not sports or band because they have one destination to and from the school.

Be aware of covering after-school programs where the routes are manufactured by the byb driver after students are on board the byb. These are logistics nightmares for the byb driver. They are also ripe areas for accidents and student injury. The level of distraction from the safe operation of the byb is extremely high. From a safety standpoint, the school should have all the responsibility for the disaster about to happen.

Know that no seating chart or seating assignments can realistically be made because you truly have no earthly idea who will be in the program on any given day. Some program administrators fail to understand the importance of the byb driver knowing who is actually getting on board the byb on that particular day at that particular time. The students change from day to day so the addresses of the stops necessarily change too.

Some students lie about who they are and where they live. Some want to go home with others to play while others don't want to go home at all. They just want to ride around on the byb for as long as they can.With after-school programs students are unknown to you and you have no earthly idea where they live. As strange as it may sound there are students that will misrepresent to you their true address and identity. It's almost impossible to look at a student and tell their name and address. Even with a list of students and their addresses the task of getting them home is daunting. You have to accept that the student listed and the one responding are one in the same. If the student is playing with you and claims that the name you called out from the list is indeed them but you find out later they lied and are really someone else; you got big problems. Especially, after they get off the byb.

Without timely communication this is a process with a predictable outcome- Chaos! After a few weeks the regular after-school program drivers start taking field trips and athletic trips to get away from the horrors of this type of after-school program and make some real money. This leaves the hapless cover driver to deal with the chaos. So beware of the after-school program with changing student riders. Think long and hard before you agree to cover one.

What's the solution? The regular driver should build a master route with student names and stops that the after school program can just highlight specific students by name who ride that day. This does a lot for the program. It ensures you have cover drivers, increases student safety, helps ensure only those students listed get off at their approved stop and expedites students getting home. In other words, it organizes the students by stops which supports consistency.

Lacking the requisite organization and collaborative spirit on the part of after-school programs then stay away. They're way too much work to justify dealing with the liability and damages that flow from such a process. It's really just an organizational tweak that will save lives. It's going to get someone killed just dumping a bunch of students onto a bus without the prerequisite route planning. And I don't mean two minutes after they all get on board the byb to go home. I hope someone gets this message before it's too late.

FEMALE VERSUS MALE BYB DRIVERS

In todays inner city urban family the female is generally the authority figure. As such, the female bus driver may have a distinct advantage over the male byb driver. It has been noted that many students will listen and comply with female byb driver directives before complying with the same directive coming from a male byb driver.

Many if not most students have a female head of household and are simply more responsive to a female telling them what to do and when to do it than a male. This is the reality of our modern world. You have to get used to this phenomena. It's the nature of public schools today and for the near term too.

SECTION 16.1 DEATH. In order to assist the grieving process and acknowledge the loss of the student who rode the byb but not cause the school problems, be certain that students receive the news from the school first. Generally the afternoon route would be a better time to acknowledge the loss but be certain the school has provided notice of death. You do not want to make an announcement that a student has died and no one knows it. That would be very bad for school administrators and the school in general. Then you may want to provide a card that will go to the school office then to the family of the deceased student. Take a couple days and let everyone sign it.

When a student has a close friend or relative die acknowledge the loss. Ask if they would like to sit up near the front. The point is to acknowledge it then move on. Should a student that rode the byb die then do not remove the assigned seating before allowing a reasonable grieving period. Before you remove the seating it would be a good idea to ask how everyone on the bus feels about it. You may do something to signal closure like releasing a balloon or donating a book in the deceased student's name to the school library.

This is especially important to acknowledge to junior high and high school students. Pre-k to about fifth grade students will be relatively unaffected by the passing of another student after a few days. They're just so young that death is not understood the same way as with older students. Do not let the assigned seat become a memorial, hence the balloon or book response. But be mindful of the deceased student's friends and seat mate aboard the byb and their grieving process. The point here is to clearly signal an end to the process of grieving and to continue on despite the loss. Death has been happening forever and will continue. Be the leader and the Authoritative Driver.

CHAPTER 17 IN CLOSING, remember that order, consistency and fairness are the fundamentals to successfully managing discipline aboard the byb. Referrals should be rare with few exceptions and used when all else fails. Tie all you do as a byb driver to the safety rules. It's all about safety. Be the Authoritative Driver. Remember, without students there is no need for either schools or byb's. Be mindful that schools are the best at what they do and remember how difficult it is to teach someone to read, write and do some math while keeping them quite and in their seats. Don't be irritated because your referrals are not acted upon within the time you think they should have been. Be an Authoritative Driver (AD) and actively develop knowing the parents and care-takers. Remember that parents love their kids.

What you do or fail to do, as the byb driver, defines whether you are an Authoritative Driver or someone who just drives around and opens the door at the stops. Be open-minded to learning and improving your skills. Don't be lazy. Do not use every opportunity to put the burden of being the leader of the byb onto the school, dispatch or parents. The Authoritative Driver looks for every opportunity to provide a consistent and safe environment for students and actively develops parental involvement. An environment where students know precisely what to expect and when to expect it. Someone students can count on to take care of them and not let them back-slide on safety. Over time they and their parents will respect your style of looking out for them. Remember to provide a consistently clean and organized byb. It is very important the byb is clean in appearance and smell. It is appreciated. Seat assignments are critical too. Use seating as your first strategy toward effectively managing discipline aboard the byb. Re-read Chapter 10 Seating Assignments and associated strategies.

If you follow the strategies in this book for managing the byb then you will have very minor problems as to student discipline. You will also be way up on the student safety scale. And for principals referrals should quickly go down as much as 90%.

Principals should actively monitor byb conditions. A feedback process should become a part of both the school's and byb driver's evaluation. Feedback can be inciteful and lead to continuous improvement.

If you see other byb drivers struggling to deal with discipline issues tell them to buy this book. Again, being a byb driver is not easy and the pay is out of sync with transporting the "precious cargo." The time for proper compensation is long overdue. The role of byb drivers will evolve into a critical point of contact between the school and parents. Another channel for ensuring the success of public school students everywhere. Authoritative Drivers will present students ready to learn in the mornings and ready to return home in the afternoons.

Exercise restraint in deciding whether to write-up or not for all the reasons discussed. Be reasonable when it comes to dealing with student issues and bounce the issues off other drivers and educators when you need help. Don't be egotistical and full of yourself either. Driving the byb and managing student discipline are two very different jobs. Anyone with a commercial license can drive the byb but it takes a lot more work, thought and sound decision-making to handle discipline problems while keeping students safe within the confines of today's byb environment. God Bless the byb driver and keep us safe and sound!

###

About The Author

I started driving the byb out of my love of operating large vehicles and as a public service before formal retirement set in. Today, I am not only a byb driver, which I love doing, but a behind-the-wheel trainer of future byb drivers seeking their commercial driver's license as well as a safety instructor. I have also become a fan of school discipline techniques and have read many learned articles on the subject. For myself, I need to know why something is the way it is in order to learn it.

My primary goal was helping more byb drivers continue driving. I've seen excellent drivers quit out of frustration with student discipline issues and compensation. It bothered me to see such good people give up. Often key points of how to do something and why you should not do something else were to blame. I saw a need to publish a real world how to book about managing students aboard the byb. Again, driving is the easy part, dealing effectively with student discipline, school administrators, parental development and bus managers were the real world challenges. Real world challenges that were quiet honestly rarely addressed until this book.

After the first week of driving the byb I became aware of the real learning curve for new drivers. Especially when dealing effectively with students, parents and school administrators. Drawing from my professional background in continuous process and quality improvement coupled with years of training adults on complex processes this book presents usable and important strategies that solve many issues facing byb drivers on a daily basis.

Moreover, I immediately recognized informational and application short-comings of typical byb driver training that failed to focus on real world strategies and examples of dealing effectively with student discipline today. This book came about to help new byb drivers become not only successful but a happy byb driver. This book will fast-forward your skills and remove a lot of the pain and suffering from trial and error learning. It should also lift your morale and address the looming issue of poor compensation given all the physical and mental skills required to safely transport the "precious cargo."

To my knowledge this is the only book that discusses real world issues using case examples then explains why you should do this and not something else when managing student discipline in today's public schools. Teaching adults the why's and wherefores are critical to understanding. To this end the book was crafted to be both readable and informative.

In summary, be proactive not reactive. The fundamentals of organization, consistency and fairness create an environment aboard the byb that will keep students safe and following the rules way more often than not. And do ask for help from the school and parents. Don't be fearful that someone may not immediately respond to your request for help. School principals are over loaded. Whatever you do, don't give up.

Mr. Sam

 sam@realworldbybdriver.com
