Past Feature Story Links

• Arkansas School Bus Safety Week
• Crosswalk Safety Awareness Day
• Butterfield Trail Elementary Celebrates New Garden Space
• UofA and FPS Collaborate on Summer GT Youth Scholars Program
• Root Elementary Installs Solar Modules
• FPS Students Participate in Sustainability Camp
• Owl Creek Garden Project Grows
• Principal Steve Jacoby Updates the School Board on Status of SLCs at FHS
• FPS Food & Nutrition Service takes the Jamie Oliver "Food Revolution" Audit
• Service Learning Students Teach about Recycling
• Two Schools Recognized as Certified Schoolyard Habitats
• FHS Students Honor MLK with Day of Service
• FHS Green Team Tours Fayetteville Public Library
• Game Day at Bud Walton Arena
• FPS Wellness and Education Clinic at Owl Creek
• Bicycle Education in Fayetteville Schools
• Martin Luther King Jr. Nonviolence Summit
• Senator Lincoln Visits Washington Elementary for Farm to School Program Presentation
• Child Nutrition Director Adam Simmons
• Census 2010
• Farmers' Market Field Trip
• International Walk to School Day
• Standing Up to Cyberbullying
• Celebrating Constitution Day
• Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month
• Back to School
• Ideas for the New FHS
• Holcomb Elementary Teachers Participate in Project 21c Wiki

Arkansas School Bus Safety Week

October 17-21 is Arkansas School Bus Safety Week and National School Bus Safety Week, and schools across the state and nation are taking extra time to help educate students and parents about school bus safety and the dangers when entering and exiting school buses.

Every school day approximately 325,000 Arkansas students are driving over 250,000 miles on more than 5,000 school buses. Please watch for our students going to or exiting from a school bus. It is against Arkansas law to pass a stopped school bus when its red lights are flashing.

Here are some general safety rules for school buses from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

MOTORISTS:

• When backing out of a driveway or leaving a garage, watch out for children walking or bicycling to school.
• When driving in neighborhoods with school zones, watch out for young people who may be thinking about getting to school, but may not be thinking of getting there safely.
• Slow down. Watch for children walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks in neighborhood.
• Slow down. Watch for children playing and congregating near bus stops.
• Be alert. Children arriving late for the bus may dart into the street with out looking for traffic.
• Learn and obey the school bus laws in your state. Learn the "flashing signal light system" that school bus drivers use to alert motorists of pending actions:
• Yellow flashing lights indicate that the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children. Motorists should slow down and prepare to stop their vehicles.
• Red flashing lights and extended stop arms indicate that the bus has stopped, and that children are getting on or off. Motorists must stop their cars and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop sign is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving before they can start driving again.

STUDENTS:

• Get to the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.
• When the bus approaches, stand at least three giant steps (6 feet) away from the curb, and line up away from the street.
• Wait until the bus stops, the door opens, and the driver says that it's okay before stepping onto the bus.
• If you have to cross the street in front of the bus, walk on the sidewalk or along the side of the road to a point at least five giant steps (10 feet) ahead of the bus before you cross. Be sure that the bus driver can see you, and you can see the bus driver.
• Use the handrails to avoids falls. When exiting the bus, be careful that clothing with drawstrings, and book bags with straps don't get caught in the handrails or doors.
• Never walk behind the bus.
• Walk at least three giant steps away from the side of the bus.
• If you drop something near the bus, tell the bus driver. Never try to pick it up because the driver may not be able to see you.

Please help protect our children. Observe Arkansas School Bus Safety Week - every week.