School Safety

The Newton County School System has an important message to share with our community. It's about being proactive, about all the big things-and the small ones-that help ensure students and staff feel safe and secure as they go about the business of teaching and learning.

While education is our core business, it doesn't happen in a vacuum. Student learning has as much to do with school climate as with school curriculum, with discipline rules as with grammar rules. Education is about listening to kids, not just talking to them or at them. It's about developing trust-based relationships within our schools; so everyone hears them and everyone accepts the responsibility of doing their part to make schools safe.

Understand this: our schools are safe.one of the safest places a child can be. It's not by accident, but by design. We believe our schools are safe because the School Board, staff, parents, students, and community demand that they be, working together to make it so.

SAFETY LINKS

Keep Schools Safe - www.keepschoolssafe.org
National School Safety Center - www.nssc1.org

SCHOOL BUS SAFETY

The Newton County School System Transportation Department meets regularly to discuss school bus safety. The following are safety suggestions:

For Parents/Guardians:

Make sure students are at the bus stop ahead of time by at least five minutes. Haste increases the chance of accidents.
Accompany very young children to the bus stop and meet them on their return.
Remind children who walk to the bus stop to use the shoulder of the road or sidewalks.
Instruct students to wait in a safe place well off the road until the bus stops.
Remind children not to move toward the bus until the bus and all other traffic has stopped.
Make sure your child knows to stop and look before crossing the road. Your child should stop and look when boarding or departing the bus.
Teach your child to obey the bus driver. The bus driver is responsible for making sure all children arrive safely at school.

School Bus Rules for Students:

Wait at the bus stop in an orderly manner.
Be courteous to and obey the bus driver.
Take a seat quickly and remain seated facing the front of the bus. Keep feet and legs out of the aisle.
When crossing a street, cross at least 10 feet in front of the bus, in full view of the driver.
Cross the street only after the bus has stopped, the stop arm has been displayed, and all approaching vehicles have stopped.
Maintain a voice level that is not distracting to a bus driver.
Students are permitted to carry books and other school-related items that can be held on the lap. Sports equipment, animals, glass jars, and other objects that might distract the driver or jeopardize students will not be allowed on the bus.
Weapons, tobacco, drugs, alcohol, matches and lighters are prohibited on school buses.
Do not eat or drink on the bus.
Students must not extend their hands, arms, heads, or objects through bus windows.
Objects are not to be thrown in or out of school buses.
Fighting or physical play is prohibited on a school bus.
The emergency door is to be used at the direction of the bus driver only.
Students will ride on assigned buses as well as board and debark at their designated stops.
Parents may request in writing any exception to this rule. Requests for social purposes are not acceptable. Requests must be approved by school administration prior to any change in any students assigned bus transportation.
In case of emergency, principals may authorize a student to ride a different bus or change bus stops.
Remain quiet at all railroad crossings.

For more information on school bus safety contact the Transportation Department at (770) 784-2909.