Student Handbook - Harford County Public Schools

Transportaon Responsibilies of Parents
Each parent has a definite role in the safe and efficient operaon
of a school’s transportaon system. If the transportaon program,
as a whole, is to funcon effecvely, the parents must assume their
responsibilies to the program and extend cooperaon and support to
the people charged with its operaon.
Parents should be aware that the privilege to ride a school bus may be
temporarily or permanently revoked if the “Transportaon Rules for
Students” are violated.
Parents are responsible for the safety of their children from the me
they leave home in the morning unl the me they board the school
bus and, at the end of the school day, from the me the school bus
departs the bus stop and the children reach home. During the midday,
adult supervision is required for pre-K students’ bus dismissal. Once the
child enters the school bus, the responsibility lies with the bus driver
and the school administraon. In order to ensure the safe and efficient
operaon of the student transportaon program, parents must also
accept the responsibilies to:
1. Cooperate with the school authories and the school bus driver in
promong safe and efficient services for all passengers.
2. Insist upon good behavior on the part of their children while riding
the school bus.
3. Insist that their children occupy the seats, which have been
assigned to them.
4. Instruct their children as to their responsibility for damages caused
to the property of others, including the school bus.
5. Inform their children that they should arrive at the designated
school bus stop five minutes before the scheduled arrival me of
the school bus.
6. Make suggesons to the school principal or to the director of
transportaon for improvements in the transportaon program.
7. Walk with younger children to and from the school bus stop, using
this opportunity to teach the children proper pedestrian pracces.
If the parents cannot accompany their children, arrangements
should be made, if possible, for older children (brothers, sisters, or
neighbors) to escort the younger children to and from the school
bus stop or school.
8. Encourage their children to obey all traffic rules, signs, and signals.
9. Set an example for their children by their own safety pracces.
10. Understand that unauthorized persons, including parents, are not
allowed to board the school bus under any circumstances.
Magnet Program and Alternave Educaon Transportaon Guidelines
A consolidated stop system for school bus transportaon is ulized for
all students aending Harford County Public Schools Magnet Programs
and Alternave Educaon
• Parents are responsible for the safety of the student from the me
they leave home in the morning unl the me they board the
school bus, and at the end of the school day, from the me the
school bus departs the bus stop and the student reaches home.
• Students who live within walking distance of their neighborhood
elementary, middle or high school meet their bus at the local
school.
• Stops for developments are located at the entrance of the
development.
• Magnet and Alternave Educaon students are required to be at
their bus stop 10 minutes prior to the stated pick-up me.
• The school needs to have the student’s current address and
phone number. Changes cannot be given to the Transportaon
Department or bus driver by the parent, student, or guardian.
• Students not ulizing morning bus service for a period of 10
consecuve school days will be dropped from the morning bus
route to provide the shortest ride me for students who are
ulizing bus service.
• Students not ulizing aernoon bus service for a period of 10
consecuve school days will be dropped from the aernoon bus
route to provide the shortest ride me for students who are
ulizing bus service.
• Parents are responsible for contacng the school to restart bus
service, once a student has been dropped from the bus route due
to lack of use.
• Students are permied only to ride the bus they are assigned,
ulizing their designated bus stop.
• On inclement weather days (even when schools are on me) buses
may be delayed.
TITLE IX COMPLAINT PROCEDURES
Title IX of the Educaonal Amendments of 1972 states in part:
“No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded
from parcipaon in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to
discriminaon under any educaonal program or acvity receiving
Federal financial assistance.”
In accordance with the regulaons of Title IX, the Board of Educaon of
Harford County has adopted Title IX complaint procedures for students,
parents, and employees. The purpose of the procedures is to secure
equitable soluons to problems deriving from the implementaon of
Title IX and other laws dealing with sex discriminaon.
A. Complaints alleging discriminaon on the basis of sex shall be
submied to the Title IX coordinator in accordance with Harford
County Public Schools administrave procedures relang to Title IX
complaints.
B. A complainant shall file a complaint within 90 days of the date the
alleged act of disability discriminaon occurred.
C. The Title IX coordinator shall aempt to informally resolve a
complaint within 30 days of the receipt of same.
D. If an informal resoluon cannot be reached, the Title IX
coordinator shall issue a wrien decision seng forth in concise
fashion his/her decision regarding the complaint and the reasons
for the decision. Such wrien decision shall be issued within 60
days of receipt of the complaint.
E. All decisions of the Title IX coordinator may be appealed to the
superintendent pursuant to Secon 4-205 of the Educaon Arcle
of the Maryland Annotated Code.
F. The complaint procedure described herein is in addion to any
other administrave or judicial acon the complainant may pursue.
For quesons, contact the director of community engagement, equity
and cultural proficiency, 410-809-6065, who also serves as the Title IX
Coordinator for Harford County Public Schools.
WELLNESS POLICY
The Board of Educaon is commied to maintaining school
environments that promote and protect student health by providing
appropriate nutrion educaon, physical educaon, a variety of healthy
food and beverages. The Wellness Policy is available online.
22