News
Tips for School Bus Drivers
✚ Prevent Bullying
• Establish a positive atmosphere on the bus. Be clear, fair and consistent about rules.
• Treat students the way you want to be treated and the way you want them to treat each other.
• Learn and use their names. Introduce yourself. • Get to know all of the students on your bus, including the students who bully.
• Use positive, non-verbal interactions—a smile, a nod, a thumbs up, a high five, a pat on the back.
Te Industry Against Bullying
WRITTEN BY JEANETTE REVELES |
JEANETTE@STNONLINE.COM T
he issue of bullying is one that has received greater attention in recent years. Unfortunately, the school
bus is a place where bullying often happens, as evidenced by news reports detailing incidents. A boy in Robinson, Texas,
reportedly suffered a concussion brought on by an attack from two other students. Another student, also in Texas, was bullied for her severe allergies to a common preservative found in food and cosmetics. Other students in the bus would reportedly spray her with perfume and cologne. While bullying is a common
problem in school buses and across playgrounds nationwide, the indus- try is taking steps to prevent and address the behavior. For example, First Student driv- ers and attendants receive bully- ing-specific training in topics such as recognizing the signs of bullying and understanding the unique
challenges faced by students with disabilities. Student Transportation Inc. holds its anti-bullying aware- ness month every October, and the company recently added bullying prevention curriculum to its ST University training program. “Every day we transport more than one million children to and from school, and we want our buses to not only be a ‘safe zone,’ but also a calm and enjoyable environment for the children on board,” said Nicholas Pizzo, STI’s director of organizational development. Seon, a video surveillance
provider offers grants for school districts to develop awareness programs. Gina Crump, a former school counselor and school bus driver created the Zoe Bus, a mobile class- room designed to educate students on respect, and drivers on how to manage difficult behaviors. l
• Notice something positive the students do and say something about it to them or someone else where they can hear it. • Submit positive bus referrals.
✚ Intervene in Bullying
• Learn about bullying so you know what you’re looking for.
• When you see something, do something—be assertive and calm.
• Start with verbal warnings. Use the name of the student who is bullying.
• Call your school or dispatcher according to policy. Sometimes the call will stop the behavior.
• If the behavior escalates, stop the bus in a safe place if you have to.
• Maintain control of yourself. Stand up and speak, clearly and calmly, to the involved students.
• Do not argue with the student who is bullying. • Move affected students to new, safe seats. • Report incidents as required by your school’s policy.
• Talk to other school staff about what you’ve witnessed. Share your concerns about the students you drive, since they interact with the same students during the rest of the day.
Source: U.S. Department of Education Safe and Supportive Schools Center
20 School Transportation News • MARCH 2016
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