General School Information - Transportation

Transportation is provided to all students living one and one half (1 ½) miles or more from school and to students living less than one and one half (1 ½) miles from school where the state Department of Transportation has identified a safety hazard for walking. Transportation is also provided for field trips and extra curricular activities.

Transportation services are contracted through a private company, currently First Student, and all bus drivers and monitors are employees of First Student.

All BJHS and BHS students must have a valid bus pass or school ID card to ride the bus. All elementary students must ride their assigned bus and must sit in an assigned seat. Non-bus riders must have permission from the school Principal to ride the bus. It is important for parents of elementary school bus riders to notify the school if their child will not ride the bus home.

All buses are equipped with a surveillance camera system that records both audio and video. Surveillance tapes are student records and may be viewed only by approved District and First Student staff as part of student discipline and bus safety investigations. Surveillance tapes may be shared with parents in special circumstances where the privacy of all students is maintained.

In the event school is cancelled or dismissed early for any reason, please listen to the media for details. Parents are strongly encouraged to have an emergency plan in place in the event school is cancelled or dismissed early in an emergency. If emergency sirens sound while students are being transported, the bus will proceed to the nearest school so that students can be sheltered indoors. Transportation services will continue only after the National Weather Service cancels the emergency watch/warning.

Bus emergency evacuation drills are held at least twice a year.

Parents who have a question about a specific bus, driver, bus stop or bus schedule should contact Mr. Jason Sherman at First Student (309-828-4373). The District web site has information on the most frequently asked transportation questions at: http://www.district87.org/

Buses can only stop at bus stops designated by the District and First Student; students should never chase or run toward a moving bus. Parents should contact the school if their child’s transportation arrangements need to be changed in any way. The school will forward this information to First Student for appropriate action. Route adjustments typically take three (3) days to be completed

Bus Behavior

The school bus is considered an extension of the classroom and student behavior on the bus and at bus stops is expected to be the same as that in the classroom. Student discipline is enforced on the bus and at bus stops to ensure a safe ride to and from school. While on the bus, riders are under the jurisdiction of the school bus driver and bus monitor unless the local Board of Education designates some other adult to supervise the riders. In addition to the basic Student Discipline Guidelines, the following specific regulations govern school bus riders and are designed to ensure the safety of everyone on the bus. Violation of any of these rules may be reported to the Principal for discipline including the loss of bus riding privileges:

Be ready and waiting at the designated bus stop five (5) minutes before the scheduled stop time.
Stay off the road at all times while waiting for the bus.
Wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before attempting to board the bus.
Do not cross the street to board the bus or after leaving the bus until the driver signals it is safe.
Remain ten (10) feet from all sides of the bus and do not cross behind the bus.
Follow the driver's instructions and assist in keeping the bus safe and sanitary.
Remain seated and facing the front of the bus.
Do not lower windows below the safety line and keep arms, legs and head out of the isles and inside the bus.
Keep hands and feet to yourself. Keep all personal belongings under control on your lap or where specified by the driver.
Do not throw things inside or outside the bus.
Avoid loud talking and laughing which can divert the driver's attention. Be absolutely quiet when approaching and crossing a railroad crossing.
Do not make obscene verbal remarks or gestures to persons inside or outside the bus.
Do not smoke on the school bus or at the bus stop.

Bus Discipline.

If students refuse to follow the bus behavior rules, a bus driver or monitor may file a written bus conduct report with a principal who is responsible for student discipline. If a student is disciplined based on a bus conduct report, the parents of that student will be given a copy of the report. In extreme cases, First Student or the school administration may authorize a bus driver to return the bus to the school so the principal can immediately deal with inappropriate student behavior. If a bus is returned to school, the bus schedule will be delayed for that route as well as for subsequent routes at other schools.

Notice to Parents and Guardians from the State Board of Education

Parent(s) or legal guardian(s) who must provide transportation to and from school, because free transportation is not available for their children, may be eligible to receive money from the state to help offset some of the cost, for example, bus fares, or mileage reimbursement for private automobiles at a rate specified each year. If you can answer yes to the following questions for 2007-08 school year, you may be eligible to receive reimbursement for providing such transportation.

Was the pupil under the age of 21 at the close of the school year?
Was the pupil a full-time student in grades kindergarten through 12?
Did the pupil either live 1½ miles or more from school or live less than 1½ miles from school, but must be transported due to a serious safety hazard approved by the Illinois Department of Transportation (see following paragraphs.)
Did the pupil attend a school within Illinois which meets Illinois compulsory attendance laws?
Did the parent/guardian incur transportation expenses resulting from transporting the pupil to and from school?

If you answered yes to the above questions, lived in Illinois, and wish to file a claim, you must go to the school where each of your children are enrolled by June 30, 2007-08 to complete a claim application. Claim forms should be available from February 2008 through June 30, 2008.

In addition, parent(s)/guardian(s) who had pupils living less than 1½ miles from the school attended must have already verified that a safety hazard exists by completing an Application for Determination of Serious Safety Hazards. Parents can obtain a copy of the Application for Determination of Serious Safety Hazards from the Office of the Regional Superintendent of Schools for the county in which they reside by February 1, 2008. In McLean County, the Regional Office is located at 905 North Main Street, Suite 1, Normal, IL. (888-5120). The Regional Superintendent of Schools is required to send the application to the Illinois Department of Transportation within 15 days. The Illinois Department of Transportation reviews and approves or denies the application and returns it to the Regional Superintendent of Schools within 30 days. Upon receipt of the reviewed application, the Regional Superintendent of Schools will mail it to the parent/guardian who requested the safety hazard be verified. If the safety hazard is approved, the parent/guardian must go to the school the pupil attends and complete the claim form. Parents who received verification of a safety hazard on or after October 1, 1996, and whose children attend the same school and live at the same address, do not have to reapply for safety hazard verification.

Once all claims are completed at the school, the claim forms will be sent to the Illinois State Board of Education. If your claim is approved, you should receive a check directly from the state for the lesser of the cost of transporting your child/children or the average per pupil reimbursement paid to public schools for transporting regular education pupils. If insufficient funds are appropriated by the General Assembly, all claims will be prorated.

If you have any questions, please call or come to the school as soon as possible.

Bicycles/Motorcycles/Skateboards: Students riding bicycles to school are to park them in the racks provided in the area west of the gymnasium. Students riding motorcycles to school are to park them in the area east of the gymnasium under the roof overhang. Sidewalks are not to be used for parking and must be kept clear at all times. Skateboards, roller blades, and skates are not to be used on school property at any time.

Automobiles: Parking on school premises is a privilege reserved for students who are making satisfactory progress toward graduation and are contributing to a positive educational environment, and in consideration for the purchase of a parking permit. Before a permit can be issued, the student must produce a valid driver’s license and a vehicle registration card. The vehicle must be in the name of the student, or their parent, or legal guardian. Parking permission may be denied or withdrawn for educational or disciplinary reasons, including violation of the following regulations. Vehicles on school premises in violation of these regulations are subject to towing at the owner's expense/risk and may have their parking sticker revoked. Students should not expect to be warned prior to being towed.

All students who have permission to park automobiles on school premises between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on regular school days must purchase a parking permit and be governed by the following:

A B.H.S. parking permit sticker must be purchased at registration and be displayed on the driver's side of the rear window. Permits are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Permits are not transferable to other persons or vehicles. Any transferred permit is subject to confiscation without a refund and towing. Permits will not be sold to sophomores until after Junior and Senior needs are met. Sophomores should not assume permits will be available for them.
There are three student parking areas: the lot directly east of the gymnasiums, the north parking lot, and the lot across Locust Street adjacent to the tennis courts. Student parking will not be permitted in any other area on school premises, nor at Bloomington Junior High School during the school day, 7:00 a.m. ‑ 5:00 p.m.
Speed limits of 7 miles per hour on all campus driveways must be observed. One-way signs are to be observed. Careless, reckless, or hazardous driving on school property will result in suspension of driving privileges. Parking privileges which are suspended or revoked do not qualify for a refund of the permit fee.
Students are not to loiter in automobiles or in the school parking lot.
Once parked, the student is not to go to the automobile without permission from the Student Affairs Office until the student leaves for the school day.
Students driving or riding to school in automobiles and who arrive late due to car trouble will not have their tardiness approved.
Parents who visit the school may park in visitors parking areas, sign in, and wear a visitor pass upon entering the building.
The school reserves the right to search automobiles parked on school property for general inspection or when there is reasonable suspicion that the student has in the automobile an illegal or harmful prohibited substance or an object that could be considered to be used as a weapon.
Students park at their own risk. In the event of theft or vandalism, the student should contact their insurance carrier. The school is not liable for theft or damage to cars parked on school property with or without a permit.
Students are not allowed to park in the faculty lot or any numbered, reserved spaces, at any time.

Student parking is a privilege for any student driving. This privilege may be removed if school rules and regulations are not followed.