For All The World To See

Spread your message even farther this year. Station school buses in parking lots of shopping centers and supermarkets. Recruit bus drivers to answer questions and demonstrate evacuation drills. Supply them with items from the “School Bus Safety Is Cool” Super Deluxe Kit to hand out; the silicone bracelets are especially effective for drawing crowds. Use “School Bus Drivers Specialize In Safe Deliveries” Duffel Bags to thank the drivers who participate.

Safety Stars

As part of your National School Bus Safety Week events, hold a breakfast meeting for bus drivers to reinforce safe practices. Use it as an opportunity to discuss any new transportation-related issues (perhaps a new state law) as well. Serve up fruit, whole-wheat bagels, coffee and orange juice for all to enjoy while you speak. At the end, thank drivers for their hard work and hand out “Safety Is The Key” Metal Carabiner Key Holders/ Flashlights and “I’m A Safety Star” Stress Relievers.

Off The Bus

Don’t let school bus safety end when students exit the bus. Bring it into your school building! Several weeks before National School Bus Safety Week, hold a meeting with teachers to discuss combining school bus safety with classroom lessons and character education. Provide teachers with “My Character Matters” 5-Pencil Sets to help them incorporate bus safety in their lesson plans. Then put “Celebrate School Bus Safety Week” Balloons near the main entrance of your school so children can see them as they enter during National School Bus Safety Week.

Bus Driver Recognition

Use National School Bus Safety Week 2008 as the kick off for your new Bus Driver of the Month appreciation program. In September, ask all your bus drivers to vote for a co-worker they think is deserving of special recognition. Once all votes are cast, create a certificate for the chosen person. Ask all bus drivers to be there when you present the certificate, along with a “School Bus Drivers: Delivering The Future” Stainless Steel Travel Mug and a “School Bus Drivers: Delivering The Future” Bus Drivers Pen Gift Set to the winner. (Be sure to announce the beginning of the new monthly program!)

Special Delivery

Because many parents are busy with work and other obligations, it may be hard for them to attend a school bus safety program. With this in mind, you can send them helpful information in the mail instead. Several days before National School Bus Safety Week, type up a letter to parents concerning the importance of teaching their children about school bus safety. (Be sure to remind parents that National School Bus Safety Week is October 20-24.) Along with each letter, include a “10 Tips For Teaching Your Child School Bus Safety” EZ Stick Glancer that parents can read to find out what they can do to help. For students, put “School Bus Safety Is Cool” Bookmarks in the mailings.

Acting Out

Raise awareness of school bus safety with a special assembly for students. Hold the event in your school’s gymnasium or auditorium at the beginning of National School Bus Safety Week. At the front of the room, set up chairs in rows, similar to the seating arrangement on a bus. Have teachers and bus drivers act out bus-related situations such as sharing a seat, keeping things out of the aisle and being respectful to fellow bus riders. Go over emergency procedures as well. Ask for student volunteers to help demonstrate the scenarios. Give each of them stickers from our Bus Safety Assortment Stickers or Good Character Assortment Stickers that coincide with the parts they perform. Pass out Evacuation Drill Stickers to all students who attend.

Daily Reminder

Help keep school bus safety on the minds of bus riders and bus drivers throughout National School Bus Safety Week. In advance, give bus drivers enough “Be Cool, Follow School Bus Safety Rules” Glow-In-The-Dark Silicone Bracelets and “Caught Being Good On The Bus” Zipper Pulls for all students on their buses. On Monday morning, have drivers pass out the bracelets to students, with a request to wear them every day of the week. The bus drivers should keep track of which students wear their bracelets as requested. On Friday, each child who did so should be rewarded with a School Bus Zipper Pull.