Transportation
The East China School District encompasses 122 square miles located in southern St. Clair County. Approximately 2600 secondary and elementary students are transported to and from school on a daily basis. There are 20 regular routes servicing two cities and seven townships. They are: Cities of Marine City and St. Clair; and townships of China, Cottrellville, and East China and portions of Casco, Columbus, Ira, and St. Clair.
Transportation Handbook
SCHOOL CLOSING INFORMATION
School cancellations and transportation delay announcements will be made using the Skylert program. You may also find the information on the following radio stations: WJR-AM 760, WHLS-AM 1450, WPHS-AM 1380, WGRT-FM- 102.3, and WSAQ-FM 107; and television stations: Channels 2, 4, and 7. Information regarding school closing or transportation delays can also be accessed through the East China School District website at www.ecsd.us.
RULES OF CONDUCT
Observe classroom conduct
Be courteous, use no profane language
Do not eat or drink on bus
Help keep bus interior clean
Cooperate with driver – follow driver instruction
Do not damage bus or equipment
Stay in seat
Keep head, hands, and feet inside bus
Do not fight, push or shove
Do not tamper with bus equipment
No pets allowed on bus
No skateboards or rollerblades on bus
The driver is authorized to assign seats
Violations of these rules or other misconduct can result in Student Violation Statement being issued.
PROCEDURE FOR STUDENT VIOLATION
First Statement – Parent must sign statement and student return to driver prior to reinstatement of transportation privileges.
Elementary Letter – Parents of elementary students may receive a letter before receiving a second statement from the assigned driver advising of ongoing concerns. This letter is applicable for elementary students only.
Second Statement – May result in one week suspension of transportation privileges. During this five-day school day suspension, a meeting may be held prior to reinstatement and student return to driver prior to reinstatement to transportation privileges.
Third Statement – Results in an indefinite suspension from riding the bus, pending a hearing which will be held within 10 days from issuance of the violation upon request of the parent.
The above procedures do not apply when the offense is of serious nature, such as use of alcohol or drugs, opening of the safety door, windows, or roof hatch, smoking, use of fire in any form, malicious destruction of property, personal threats, etc. Offenses such as these will result in indefinite suspension upon occurrence, pending a hearing.
SCHOOL BUSES ARE LIKE TRAFFIC SIGNALS
Michigan law requires motorists to stop for a bus that has stopped to load or unload passengers:
Overhead yellow lights are flashing – prepare to stop.
Overhead red lights are flashing – stop no closer than 20 feet from the bus.
Red lights are turned off – proceed with caution.
Watch for students crossing the roadway.
Students are required to cross in front of at all times, once traffic has stopped and driver signals student to cross.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT BUS TRANSPORTATION
Is the school district required to transport my child? School Districts are NOT required by law to transport regular education children. Michigan Complied Law (MCL) 380.1321 outlines the obligation of the school district if its board of education elects to provide transportation.
Is there a law about how far my child may have to walk to the bus stop? No law specifies the maximum distance a student must walk to the bus stop.
What about the safety of my child getting to and from the bus stop? It is the parents/guardians responsibility to see that a child gets safely to and from the bus stop. The school district provides transportation as a non-mandated service and establishes placement of the bus stops in accordance with the requirements of the law.
My child spends over two hours a day just riding the bus to and from school. Is there a maximum riding time in the law? No there is no maximum riding time in the law for children in kindergarten through 12th grade.
Can my student ride the bus to a friend’s house? No, we do not issue bus passes for recreational purposes, a bus pass may be issued in an emergency, only with the Transportation Coordinator and/or designees approval. We ask that you respect our policy. Middle & high school students cannot ride an elementary bus home