Transportation

Bus Rules 

Be safe and respectful to EVERYONE in the bus.

• Listen and follow the driver’s instructions.
• Keep your hands, feet, and personal items to yourself.
• Stay seated at all times, with seatbelts being worn at all times of the bus ride.
• Keep windows at the third notch or above and keep heads and hands safe inside.
• Talk quietly to your seat partner.
• No food or drinks are allowed on the bus.
• Keep your bus clean by picking up your garbage and depositing it in the waste can in the front of the bus.

Guidelines for Students transported on School Vehicles

To ensure the safe transport of all students on Chief Leschi vehicles, it is mandatory that they follow the rules below.  This includes the time they are waiting at the bus stop before the bus arrives to pick them up.  Violation of these rules may result in disciplinary action up to and including suspension from bus riding privileges.  

1. Cooperate with the bus driver at all times. Students must identify themselves to the driver when asked to do so.   Students must show courtesy and respect to the bus driver the same as they do to their teacher.
2. Proper classroom conduct is expected on the school bus. Ordinary conversation with appropriate language is expected.  Students must remain seated while the bus is in motion at all times for their safety and the safety of others on the bus. 
3. In the event that students are assign to a seat on the bus, they must stay in their assigned seat during the entire route. Seat assignments are sometimes necessary when there are disciplinary issues on the bus.
4. WAC 392-145-021 General operating requirements. Passengers in school buses equipped with seat belts shall be required to wear them properly adjusted whenever the school bus is in motion.
5. Students need to help the driver keep the bus clean by throwing all refuse items in the garbage can in the bus or taking refuse items off the bus with them.
6. Windows must remain shut unless permission is obtained from the driver to open them. In the event that the driver gives permission, students must keep all items inside the bus such as heads, arms or garbage.  Windows may not be below the 3^rd
7. Eating and drinking on the bus is not allowed for the safety of the passengers. Special arrangements to have food and drink are sometimes approved for extracurricular field trips when other arrangements are not available. Only water will be allowed on the bus.
8. Weapons are never allowed in the passenger compartment of a school bus. Items with sharp, pointed or jagged edges must not be brought on the bus for the safety of all the passengers.  Large or bulky items must not block the aisle or the emergency exits at any time.  Incendiary devices such as fireworks, matches, lighters, gasoline, ammunition, firearms or any other flammable materials are not allowed on the bus at any time. 
9. Damaging of school property such as bus seats or broken windows may result in disciplinary action as well as restitution must be made.
10. Tobacco, Alcohol or drugs or any possession of these items will result in immediate disciplinary action.
11. Students must ride their regularly assigned bus to their designated stop unless permission to change has been approved by a school official. For their safety, students must always cross the street in front of the bus, never behind.  Students must wait for the driver to signal that it is clear to cross the street.
12. Animals are not permitted on the school bus unless it is a seeing-eye dog.
13. Emergency evacuation procedures will be practiced each year. Students must follow the direction of the driver for emergency drills. 

Warrior Families:

We have moved into the Fall season as temperatures outside continue to drop. We wanted to get communication out to families as we have started to finalize our preparation procedures for bad weather. School delays and closures are never ideal but sometimes conditions warrant us acting to protect the safety of our students and staff. Please review the following information and let us know if you have any questions.

How we make decisions about a delay or cancellation:

Chief Leschi is unique in the fact that we offer door-to-door pickup for our students. This leads to unique challenges that other districts do not deal with. Currently, our buses travel through 11 other school districts to pick up our students. This unique travel means that we are watching conditions and relying on communication from multiple sources around the region. Our transportation department is out early in the mornings to assess local road conditions. However, we cannot cover the entirety of our routes and will rely on local districts to access their roads. If a district around us closes because they feel it to be unsafe, we will not travel to our student’s homes in those districts for safety and liability reasons. If conditions warrant changes to our schedule we will try and make that initial determination for delays by 5:00am and then make a final decision before 8:00am. If we know with reasonable confidence that morning conditions will be unsafe, we will make that decision before 8 pm. If you are unsure what school district you reside in, please click here

How we will notify you:

Parents and guardians will be notified through our ParentSquare app. This will allow you to get messages via text and email. All parents will receive the school notifications unless you have opted out in the app. This app uses the information in our Student Information system to pull your contact data. If you are not receiving notifications or need to change your contact information, please contact our enrollment department at 253-445-6000 ext. 3190.  Families can also refer to our social media channels and the district website. In addition, families may use the Flash Alert system that can be set up to alert you of all the school closures in our area.
If you are moving in the upcoming months, please inform Enrollment & Transportation so your records can be up to date.

• Enrollment: (253)- 400-6000 ext. 3190
• Transportation: 253-445-4000

What options do we consider:

•   Two-hour delay: This delay gives everyone a little more time for everyone to get to school. This also allows for conditions to improve, and usually ensures that bus routes happen in daylight in case of any remaining road issues. If conditions happen on an already late start day, school will still start on the same schedule.
•  School Closure: Closure will be necessary if conditions will not improve fast enough to ensure the safety of students and staff arriving at school.  Again, this decision may be based on other districts closing, thereby preventing us from safely getting to our student with busses. If unsafe conditions are expected the following day, this decision may be made the night before.
• Closing after we are at school: If conditions have worsened during the day, and we do not believe it will be safe to get students and staff home after school, we may make the decision to end the school day early and get everyone home safely before conditions get worse.
• Skipped Route: Since we cover such a large area, it is conceivable that we can safely transport some students while others may have to stay home for their safety. In this case, we will excuse the absence for the students affected.

What about after-school activities and events?

School activities may be impacted by school closures and delays. If school is closed or ended early, then after school activities will be cancelled. During late starts, information will be communicated throughout the day on the status of after-school activities.

Tribal Council, School Board, and I appreciate your understanding and collaboration for the upcoming winter months. Chief Leschi busses cover over 295 square miles every day. Please remember that current weather conditions may vary greatly in our pickup area. We will always err on the side of safety for our students and staff. Please feel free to reach out to our transportation department if you have specific questions about your student.