Bus Information

                                TO PARENTS/GUARDIANS OF CHILDREN RIDING SCHOOL BUSES:

The Great Falls Public School District provides school bus transportation service, which is significantly more accommodating than Montana State Law requires School Districts to provide.  The basic structure to this provided service is as follows: bus service to High School Students whose legal residence is in excess of two (2) miles from their assigned school; bus service to Middle School Students who’s legal residence is in excess of one and one half (1 1/2) miles from their assigned school; and bus service to Elementary School Students who’s legal residence is in excess of one (1) mile from their assigned school.

All school buses have an assigned number of students to them.  This assigned number may or may not ride at all times.  However, the assigned number is the calculating number for each school bus.  Great Falls Public School District has made the following provision: If a Parent/Guardian desires their student to ride a bus and their legal residence is closer than the limits, as listed in the first paragraph, the Parent/Guardian may contact the Great Falls Public School District Transportation Office to request permission to ride if space is available aboard a nearby bus.  No added stops or changes in routes will accompany any of this type of request.

This school bus service is contracted out to Big Sky Bus Lines 454-1283.  Any concerns regarding drivers, bus aides

or the bus itself should be directed to them first, before calling the Great Falls Public School District Transportation Office

268-6015. 

Students are expected to be at their assigned bus stop five (5) minutes prior to the scheduled departure.  Call Big Sky Bus Lines to coordinate your clock … 454-1283.

STUDENT BEHAVIOR:

All bus students are expected to carry out the DRIVERS INSTRUCTIONS the first time they are issued and do so

in a respectful manner.

ALL bus students are expected to follow the following basic bus rules as well:

• REMAIN SEATED IN ASSIGNED SEAT & FACING FORWARD
• NO PHYSICAL OR VERBAL ABUSE
• NO HARRASSMENT OF ANY TYPE
• NO FOUL LANGUAGE OR TALK
• NO EATING, DRINKING OR USE OF ANY TOBACCO PRODUCTS
• NO THROWING OBJECTS, LITTLERING, DEFACING, DAMAGING THE BUS. (damage liability

         will be assessed to the parent/guardian)

ALL bus rules are categorized into SAFETY, ORDER & RIGHTS OF OTHERS.

Students making the choice to not meet these expectations may be subject to the following progressive disciplines;

• Written or verbal warning
• Three (3) day suspension from ALL buses
• Five (5) day suspension from ALL buses
• Ten (10) day suspension from ALL buses
• Rest of the school year suspension from ALL buses

Immediate Suspension, for any amount of time, may occur as the result of serious misbehavior.  Suspensions may

carry into the next school year.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION AND SUPPORT.

Special Services and Transportation
SPECIAL EDUCATION
Students will receive their bus schedule information in the mail.

QUESTIONS
If you have any questions please call 268-6015.