Muenster ISD

2023-2024 Bus Rider Information (pdf - form to print & fill out on last page)

Dear Parents,

 Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year.  The following is important “bus” information to help the school year run just a little smoother.  Thanks for your attention to this information!

Please direct any questions to Susie Fleitman @ 940-736-0320.

1. Morning Routes
1. Please have your child/children at their pick up point on time in the mornings. If there is a morning that your child will not be riding the bus, please call the driver the night before or the morning of.( Mrs. Barbie (town route) should be notified by 6:30 a.m.)  All rural routes should be notified by 6:00 a.m. Please see contact information below.  This is a courtesy to the driver and a savings for the district. 
2. Bus drivers are on a schedule every morning.  Their goal is to have your child at school by 7:30.  This allows your child to eat breakfast or attend tutorials before class begins.  In order to stay on schedule, when the bus reaches your stop, and your child is not waiting, the driver will honk and wait for one minute (total – not one minute for each child) before continuing their route.  Once the routes have been established, a driver may arrive early but will wait until one minute after their normal time.  (Example… if your normal pick-up time is 7:00 and the bus arrives at 6:55, the bus will wait until 7:01 before leaving.)
3. If your child does not ride for 3 consecutive days without any type of notice to the MISD Transportation Director or your bus driver, the bus will not stop at your designated stop until we are contacted by you. (Parent/Guardian)
4. Please have your child ready and waiting at the end of the driveway or at their designated stop on time and please remind your child/children to stay off the street and be standing in an orderly fashion while waiting for the bus.
2. Afternoon Routes
1. If you are meeting the bus, please allow for the fact that your route will vary on arrival time depending on the number of students riding that day.  (if one family doesn’t ride it may cut 20 minutes off of a route.)
2. If you fail to meet the bus, if a kindergartner or younger student is being dropped off and the driver sees no sign of anyone being there or if a strange vehicle is in the drive that the child does not recognize – the child will be brought back to school and you will be notified.
3. If your child/children will be riding a different bus or getting off at a different stop, please send a note to the teacher and/or the elementary office so that we may be notified of the change.  A child will NOT be dropped off at a different location without a signed note or a parent phone call to the school office, a parent call or text to the transportation director or bus driver.
4. If your child/children want a friend to ride the bus home with them, you must first contact the bus driver or transportation director, to have it approved.  This is due to an increase in afternoon bus riders. Upon approval, the friend must also have a signed note from the parents. This note must be sent to school for the bus driver the day of the ride. 

• If you child/children attend Dynamite Daycare,  they will be required to go into the daycare  before leaving with the parent/grandparent.  No child will be allowed to go straight from the bus to another vehicle or home.  

1. Morning & Afternoon Routes 
1. Due to liability issues of personal property, the school bus WILL NOT be driving down private driveways, with the exception of Hwy 82.  This is not a new policy but will be completely enforced this year. If you feel your child or children are not old enough or responsible enough to walk their driveway, please make arrangements to meet the bus or have them picked up.
2. According to state regulations, MISD will only pick-up/deliver students at their residence, grandparent’s residence, or a licensed daycare. In other situations, the student can be dropped off at the nearest designated bus stop. 
3. Please remember that the school bus is to be treated as a classroom.  The bus driver may assign seats, have cell phone policies, and will discipline as needed. 
2.  Seatbelt Policy
1.  With all 2018 year models, all school buses are required to be equipped with three-point seat belts.  Riders must have their seat belt buckled when they ride a vehicle with seat belts.  This rule, S.B.693, was passed by the legislature during the 2017 legislative session.  Whether on a route or on a field trip/activity trip, students will be required to buckle up for safety. Our drivers’ primary job is to operate the bus in the safest possible manner and they take this very seriously.  Our students must also share some of the responsibility by buckling up and remaining buckled up.  The driver’s eyes must be on the road and road conditions, first.  Please encourage your child to assist the bus drivers with this very important safety feature.
2. Consequences - Route Buses

• Student’s 1st offense of not buckling up – Student will receive a warning from the driver and parent will receive a Notice of event.
• Student’s 2nd offense – Student will be removed from bus privileges for 2 days.  Parents will receive Notice of this consequence.
• Student’s 3rd offense – Student will be removed for the remainder of the six weeks unless the offense occurs during the last week of the six week reporting period.  In this case, the student will be removed for the remainder of the current six weeks and the entire next six week reporting period.

1. Consequences - Field Trip/Activity Trip Bus

• Students will be informed of the new “buckling up and staying buckled” rule.
• If a student does not buckle up or removes the belt during transit, the student may not be allowed to ride to future field trips or activities.  Specific discipline measures will be administered by the campus principal and/or activity sponsor.

1.  MISD SCHOOL  BUS CODE OF CONDUCT
1. The safety of students and drivers is our number one concern. The school bus is an extension of the classroom.  Students are expected to behave in a respectful manner towards the bus driver.  On buses equipped with seat belts, students are expected to buckle up.  Campus principals will enforce the rules of the bus. Remember, riding the bus is a privilege, not a right.  
2. While On the Bus

• Respect your driver – always!
• Do not eat or drink on the bus.
• Remain seated at all times other than when loading or unloading occurs.
• Keep the center aisle clear of backpacks and equipment.
• Dispose of all trash in containers as you exit the bus.
• Do not place hands, arms, or head out of windows.
• Do not throw objects in or out of the bus.
• Do not damage or destroy property.
• Do not use verbal or physical abuse of riders or bus driver
• Behave as if you are in the classroom.  

1.  CONSEQUENCES

• First Offense --- Verbal & written warning from the bus driver & notice to campus principal with “Bus Transportation Disciplinary Form” sent to parent to sign.

• Second Offense – Verbal & written warning from bus driver and notice to campus principal with “Bus Transportation Disciplinary Form” sent to parent to sign.

• Third Offense – Five (5) day suspension from bus privileges and parent notification via phone call and “Bus Transportation Disciplinary Form” sent to the parent to sign.

• Fourth Offense – Suspension of bus privileges for the remainder of the semester and parent contact via phone and “Bus Transportation Disciplinary Form” sent to the parent to sign.  If 4th offense occurs in the 3rd six weeks, suspension of privileges will be for the remainder of the year.

• Depending on the severity or persistence of the behavior, the principal may skip steps in this four step process.

Thanks for your assistance with this important safety matter and thanks for your support of the Muenster Independent School District.  If you have any questions or concerns, please call Susanna Fleitman (Transportation Director) at 940-736-0320.

Bus Driver Information:

Barbie Barnhill (town) 940-736-7744 

Amy Anderle (daycare/northwest side of town) 940-284-3640 

Jim (Smoke) Koelzer (northeast/morning---south/afternoon) 940-210-9606

Lynn Cook (south/morning & northwest/afternoon) 940-577-6580

Mark Klement (northwest/morning) 940-727-3852

Susie Fleitman (northeast/afternoon) 940-736-0320

Susanna Fleitman/Transportation Director

Scott Bicknell/Superintendent

Monte Sewell/ JH/HS Principal

Debra Sicking/ Elementary Principal