Mendham Township Elementary School Teaches School Bus Safety

Mendham Township, NEW JERSEY (December 14, 2018) – To capture the attention of students and to motivate learning school bus safety rules, Mendham Township Elementary School has created a customized presentation on this important topic. Last month, all students from PreK to 4th Grade attended the presentation. The talk involved a hands-on experience of lining up and waiting to board a school bus, a review of the exterior features of a school bus, a discussion of safety features inside the bus, and an opportunity to exit via an emergency exit. To encourage student participation in the discussion, the talk was given to each grade level individually.

The school bus safety presentation was designed and delivered by Mrs. Margaret Hogan, Transportation Supervisor for Mendham Township School District and Mrs. Deborah Templin the Transportation Trainer. In making key points Mrs. Hogan and Mrs. Templin customized their talk so that the different grade levels, including PreK, would understand and be able to follow the bus safety regulations. As part of the presentation, two school buses were present along with two school bus drivers, Mrs. Barno and Ms. Helbig.

Mrs. Hogan’s talk explained that safety begins before the bus arrives. Students should comprehend that bus stops are not a place to play or run. All students learned that they should stay away from the curb while waiting for a school bus. Children should not approach their school bus until it has come to a complete stop. If a student drops something near a bus they should tell the driver right away. They should avoid picking up an item because the driver may not be able to see them.. A review of the exterior features of the bus included the purpose of the flashing lights system, mirrors, crossing arm, and stop-sign arms. The concept of making eye contact with the driver was explained to very young students. All students were reminded that the driver always needs to know where they are relative to the bus. Students learned that they should never walk behind a bus. If they must cross in front of a school bus it must be from a safe distance of at least 10 feet. The talk continued inside the bus with instructors showing the different emergency exit points on the bus. Finally, students got to practice exiting via the rear emergency door!

Not all students travel by school bus every day, but it is likely they will use a school bus at some point during their academic career. Having a dedicated lesson on school bus safety is another opportunity to discuss safety with children and helps everyone.