Transportation

High School Student Drivers

High School students with a valid drivers license may obtain permission to drive to and from school each day by filling out the Driving Form in the high school office. There are no assigned parking spots so long as students park in the high school main parking lot only. The elementary lot and the lot behind the school are reserved for Paint Valley Staff.

Driving to school is a privilege - not a right. Students will maintain this privilege so long as they:

• attend school on time.

• drive in a safe manner.

• comply with all driving laws and school policies.

Examples of actions that may result in losing driving privileges:

• Leaving school during the school day without proper permission.

• Regularly arriving late to school.

• Driving recklessly in the parking lot, on the road, or near busses.

For a complete list of all driving rules, read the Paint Valley High School Handbook on the Middle/High School page.

Procedures for Boarding and Departing the School Bus 

❖ Bus Drivers are required, by law, to assign your child a “designated place of safety” where the student waits for the bus to pick them up. The designated place of safety will be in a place clearly visible where the driver and your child are able to see each other, outside of your home or car and away from traffic in a safe spot. Students are to be in the place of safety at least 5 minutes prior to bus’s scheduled arrival time. When departing the bus at the end of the day, students must remain at the “designated place of safety” until the bus has departed the bus stop or when your child can see the tail lights on the rear of the bus. 

❖ The law requires bus drivers to use hand signals and your child’s bus driver will teach your child the proper hand signals in order to safely board and depart the bus. Please assist your child in obeying the hand-signals. 

❖ When picking up students in the morning, the drivers hand will be palm out and straight up in the window, visible to the students waiting to board. The driver will check traffic and when it is safe to cross, will make eye contact with the student and lower the hand straight down. This is the signal it is safe for your child to cross the street. Once the driver gives the hand signal but before going into the street, the child needs to look both ways for themselves, then cross the street. If your student is door side or there are students waiting to board on the door side of the bus, your child will line up and the driver will signal (once traffic has been checked again) for door side students to enter the bus. 

❖ When children depart the bus in the PM, they must again obey the driver’s hand signals. Your child, if crossing, will depart the bus and stand door side of the bus, 10 giant steps in front along the curb and look up at the driver. The driver will have hand up straight up, palm out and visible to the crossing students. The driver will check the traffic and when safe, make eye contact and drop the hand straight down. Students should cross to the center of the street (still at the front of the bus) and look both ways themselves and if safe, cross to the “driver designated place of safety”. The student is to remain there until the bus has departed. If the driver honks the horn, the child should look back at the driver for further instruction. The driver must count students as they depart and again before moving the bus. Do not take your child away from the stop until the bus leaves the stop. This is Ohio law and our drivers obey these laws. Please assist the driver in helping your child understand the importance of remaining at the designated place of safety. 

❖ If you and/or your child are late to the bus stop and the bus door has been shut to pull away from the stop, do not allow your child to run up to catch the moving bus. This is extremely dangerous as the driver may not see you or your child. There is a 10 foot area all the way around the bus that is considered the danger zone. School buses have blind spots like any long vehicle and your child should be taught to stay out of the danger zone unless the driver has signaled them. 

Safe Bus Riding & Rules for New Bus Riders 

❖ Please have your child at the “driver designated place of safety” at least 5 minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive. It is recommended that you stay with your child until he/she boards the bus. When your child returns in the afternoon, your child must wait in the “driver designated place of safety” until the bus has departed in order for the driver to be assured all children are in a safe spot away from traffic and the bus before the bus pulls away from the stop. 

❖ Teach your child not to talk to strangers and if someone approaches them, have them tell you or the bus driver right away. 

❖ Behavior at the bus stop must not threaten life, limb or property so please help your child to understand proper behavior at the bus stop. If other students are present, have your child line up with the other children and don’t allow them to play around. 

❖ There should not be alcohol, tobacco products or drugs used at the bus stop by anyone. 

❖ Once your child boards the bus, he/she will be assigned a seat and they are required to sit in that seat every day unless a new seating chart is made by the driver. The bus driver assigns the child’s seat. 

❖ Your child must sit down with--- back on back---seat on seat---feet on the floor or toward the floor. Students must remain seated keeping exits and aisle ways clear. There are no seat belts on the bus and sitting properly is the only way to ensure the child’s well being if a crash were to occur. Please talk with your child about the importance of staying seated at all times. 

❖ Students must use their inside voice and not be loud so the driver can hear the 2-way radio, traffic noise and any student who may need assistance. 

❖ When riding a school bus, children are not allowed to eat, drink or chew gum so it’s best to leave it at home before going to the bus stop. No alcohol, tobacco or drugs are to be used while riding a school bus. 

❖ Please cut off any long or dangling straps from your child’s book bag or clothing so it can’t be caught in the handrails or door. 

❖ Do not send any prescription or over the counter medications to school on the bus. If your child needs medication at school, you will need to transport the medication to/from the school yourself unless it is prescribed by a doctor and you have filled out a form for self carry. 

❖ Teach your child if they drop something near or under the bus, not to go get it unless they tell the bus driver first. Your child’s safety is more important than the loss of any belonging and the bus has blind spots. Daily Bus Pass Use 

❖ If you need your child picked up and/or dropped off at a location other than their assigned home bus stop on a permanent basis for childcare or shared parenting, an alternate transportation for shall be filled out and turned in to the Office. Multiple stops for the same student will not be approved. The only exception will be shared parenting and then must be the same days each week. We are unable to take varied schedules or every other week schedules. If a varied schedule is your practice, parents will need to pick one or the other address for the permanent stop location. 

PHONE NUMBER FOR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT IS: (740) 634-3582

Bus Garage: (740) 634-3481