Mr. Pickles’ School Bus Safety
Let’s talk class about an important and sometimes overlooked subject; school
bus safety. Our Elementary School Bus Driver just happens to be
“Mr. Pickles.” Our School Bus Monitor is
“Sweetie Pickles,” his adorable wife. We
will be their passengers to and from “Pickles
Elementary School”
as we learn proper etiquette and bus safety on our daily journey to and home
from school. I chose Mr. Pickles, (the bus driver) and Sweetie Pickles to talk
to you because they are patient, fun, educational, understanding, friendly and
very, very safe drivers. They both care about children’s safety and think of
their passengers aboard the bus as if they were their very own children. “Safety
first!” Mr. Pickles always says! Sweetie Pickle’s thinks of different ways to
keep the daily bus ride fun and exciting. They both love their jobs and the
children respond really well to them. Read along now as they both share their
ideas for bus drivers, children, bus safety, rewards for good behavior, bus
etiquette, behavior problems, assignments for parents and lastly the Author’s
opinion on school bus safety belts. Ready everyone? Here we go-oo-oo-oo-oo!
”All aboard!” Mr. Pickles announces. “We’re headed for Pickles Elementary
School!” Announces Sweetie Pickles. A Bus Monitor, like Sweetie Pickles or a
(parent) is important as this helps the bus driver concentrate on driving and
children’s safety and not looking in the mirror at the kids behind him all the
time. Parents can volunteer to be a bus monitor and it would show the parents
all the responsibility the bus driver has with a busload of children. Okay kid’s
let’s start with a few Bus Safety Basics
shall we?
(1) Walk with your friends when possible, as there is
safety in numbers.
(2) Be at your bus stop in plenty of time. Go straight there and nowhere else.
(3) Stand safely in line far enough away from the bus and make sure it has
stopped first. (Do not push or shove each other, as someone might get hurt.)
(4) After the bus has completely stopped and the door is open, walk carefully up
the big steps holding on to the rail.
(5) Go to your seat on the bus and face forward. Stay there quietly. Speak with
your “Quiet Voices.”
(6) Pay close attention to your bus driver. He wants you to be safe and cares
about you.
(7) Never stick your head, body parts or throw anything out the bus windows, as
there are unforeseen dangers.
(8) Listen to your Bus Monitor, as he or she wants you to be safe too.
(9) Keep the aisles clear.
(10) Stay in your seats until the bus stops and the bus driver says it’s safe to
get up.
(11) Never run behind or in front of any school bus to pick anything up. Wait
for the bus to go by and then make sure it is safe to get it.
(12) If you have to cross the street while the bus is stopped, make sure the bus
driver sees you (for example waving to him) and cross far enough in front of the
bus looking very carefully for cars as the bus can obstruct your view. If unsure
stop, go back and wait until it is safe.
(13) Know the danger zones when you are
crossing around the bus.
(14) Have an adult meet you at the bus stop.
(15) Be sure to go home right after you get off the bus unless your parents gave
you permission to do otherwise. (Let’s not worry our parents, they love you &
want you to be safe too!)
(16) Report suspicious activity right away to your parents, school, bus driver,
warn other parents and appropriate authorities. Don’t assume that someone else
reported it! Chances are they think you did.
(17) Remember the bus driver is boss and respect his decision.
Here are a few of
Mr. Pickles Bus Rider Rules…
(1) Smile! Be friendly to the other kids at the bus stop.
(2) Talk with “Quiet Voices” on the bus for everyone’s safety. Very important!
(3) Remain in your seats facing forward the entire bus ride.
(4) Follow Mr. Pickle directions closely, he is the boss!
(5) Keep the aisles and walkway clear at all times.
(6) Report problems to the bus driver.
(7) Raise your hand and stay seated if you need anything. If the bus driver
doesn’t see you, call him by his proper name and wait for his reply.
(8) Keep everything inside the bus and nothing out of
the windows.
(9) No fighting, kicking, spitting, grabbing, pushing, obscenities, etc. ever
allowed. Remain calm and treat others the way you would like to be treated.
(10) No eating or trash on the bus. You are responsible for clean up.
(11) Know and understand the Bus Safety Rules. They might be different in your
area. (This is a basic list.)
(12) Let’s try not to get ourselves into a
pickle!
Here are a few of “Sweetie Pickles” Bus Driver
Tips…
A Stereo or radio with soft music mounted on
the bus will sometimes calm children down.
Sing along music, educational tapes are entertaining as well.
Reward children for good behavior and staying in their seats with sticker stars,
bus stickers, ribbons, pencils, candies or other ideas. They can collect sticker
busses and the ones that behaved the best and collected the most at the end of
the month might collect a special prize. Certificates work well too. For
example; “Mr. Pickles Bus Safety Student Of The Month of February Is… Display it
on the inside of the bus and give it to that child at the end of the month. For
children with behavioral problems, have them write a 300 word essay on “Bus
Safety Rules” and why (they) couldn’t obey them. This will also tell the driver
and or parents (in the child’s own words) why they are misbehaving. Sometimes
camera’s and tape recorders are necessary on the bus to record events as well as
discouraging extremely bad behavior. Even the child’s parent has a hard time
denying that it was their child causing the problem. Have an “Alert Program”
where kids remain anonymous and write notes to the bus driver about who is
misbehaving so the driver can watch that child more closely. When a child
changes his bad behavior, make sure to acknowledge
it often and reward them for their positive changes.
Assignments for you parents…
Each and every parent should offer to be a “Bus
Monitor” on your child’s bus at least 1 day a month. (Not too much to ask
considering the benefit for everyone.) You’ll be honoring your child’s bus
driver for his or her daily accomplishments even after one trip. The bus driver
is responsible for your child on a (daily) basis. So let’s remember them for
their safety and patience with our kids. Parents, remember your child’s first
day of school? Who picked them up with a warm and welcome smile and offered them
their first safe bus ride home? Maybe a nice Thank-you, a small card, or even a
smile of hug of appreciation from you parents will make your child’s bus driver
feel that much more appreciated. Having your kids draw a picture of their bus
driver and a small poem or thank-you note would benefit both driver and child. A
discussion with your kids often regarding the bus driver, school bus safety
rules, and consequences will make a big difference in everyone’s lives. Also
have kids write out in their words what might happen if they were ever in an
accident on the bus and they were out of their seats or running up & down the
aisles. Maybe how they would feel to be picked on by another kid at the bus
stop. How they would feel if they had to clean up the bus and trash after
everyone else. The rewards and consequences of good or bad behavior should be
discussed with your children (often).
My (opinion) on School Bus Safety Belts…
My
question is:
”Where are they?” We teach children to “Buckle-up”
in every vehicle including airplanes. What kind of negative message are we
sending children when there are no safety belts on school busses? What if…there
is a school bus rollover accident as we have seen in the past or a bus in the
ditch on its side or any accident involving a school bus filled with helpless
kids inside. Traffic is getting worse every year with more and more cars, people
and accidents. The pros to the safety belts on school busses far outweigh the
negative ones in my opinion. It will help keep children safe in their seats and
not running up and down the aisles bothering other children. Explain to me how
one school bus driver can run the big bus safely, watch the traffic, and
supervise an enormous amount of children? We’re talking a busload of children
here! How many of us parents can drive our cars, watch traffic, and handle one
or two kids safely? I think I’ve made my point wouldn’t you say? Let’s not allow
a busload of children to go flying through the air as they are tossed about the
bus like toys in a major accident. Let’s do all we can to keep them safe
(before) it happens not (after!) To make sure children use their safety belts, a
bus monitor or assigned responsible student, or parent can check to make sure
they are strapped in properly. If they get up before their bus stop they can be
reprimanded in the usual bus rules guidelines. Parents and educators need to
educate children on the importance of the safety belts. Thank you for allowing
me to share my opinion with you as one concerned parent. By ANTie
Patti 6-23-01
Copyright 2001 By Author Patti Tricoli
