School Bus Fleet, February 2020

NEWS South Dakota District Implements AAA School Bus Safety Program By Sadiah Thompson VERMILLION S D A school district here recently implemented a new patrol program to enhance student safety in and around the school bus Vermillion School District joined the American Automobile Associations AAAs School Safety Patrol program to make its students more aware of school bus safety guidelines Jon Cole the resource officer for Vermillion Middle School told School Bus Fleet The AAA School Safety Patrol program enlists the help of students with their parents permission as volunteer patrol oficers Cole added Students act as assistants to the bus driver and help remind students of proper bus safety and rules along with reporting any incidents to the bus driver or school administration he said They can also assist with younger children crossing the street safely or helping kids of the bus during an emergency evacuation Students are selected to participate in the program based on factors such as their interests behavior academic achievement and attitude toward others Cole explained He also said that currently only the districts seventh and eighth grade students are chosen to participate because they are more likely to ride on the school bus than the districts high school students who tend to drive or carpool with friends to school The AAA School Safety Patrol program was started in 1920 to provide a safer pedestrian environment and a variety of educational opportunities for students according to the programs website The agency sponsors the entire initiative and provides all of the necessary equipment Middle school students from Vermillion S D School District participate in the American Automobile Associations School Safety Patrol program to promote proper school bus safety among their peers including a safety patrol belt and badge for the student officers Having extra eyes and ears on the bus promoting safe sitting and reducing distractions for the driver are important said Damon Alvey the superintendent for Vermillion School District If our riders have a better experience on the bus because we have student patrol members helping we are glad The patrol members are providing a service to others 8 SCHOOL BUS FLEET FEBRUARY 2020 WWW SCHOOLBUSFLEET COM Photo courtesy Vermillion School District