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GRAND COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

264 South 400 East | Moab, Utah 84532 | 435.259.5317

Grand County School District

3700 - BUSINESS - INSURANCE

The insurance coverage of the school district should provide the broadest, most complete coverage available, to be secured at the most economical cost to the District consistent with sound insurance principals. Since good insurance service is vital to an effective insurance program, the Board concludes that insurance agents who are in business locally are best able to provide effective service.

Insurance inventories should be maintained by the Business Administrator and should encompassing all insurance coverage for the District.

Adopted: 4-19-95 * GRAND COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT * Moab, Utah.

3710 - BUSINESS - INSURANCE - RISK MANAGEMENT

The following guidelines are intended to accomplish two goals:

  1. notify the District of its responsibilities to inform Risk Management of accidents that might be covered by Risk Management.
  2. to solicit the District's help in screening accidents that might be covered. Early investigation of all potential liability situations by Risk Management is essential to allow liability reduction by Risk Management.

    A. The Principal of each school or designee in the District should immediately investigate all accidents and injuries in school buildings and on school grounds or at school activities involving injuries to any students or employees of the District (staff injuries are covered by workers compensation under separate policies).

    B. The Principal or designee shall be responsible to prepare and keep a written record of all accidents which are likely to give rise to liability of the District including a complete statement of circumstances on a form provided by the District Office. Report any of the following situations or conditions: 1) if an accident is a result of a condition of the premises, building or equipment; 2) if proper supervision by any school employee may be an issue; 3) if a parent or guardian has expressed an opinion that the District was responsible for an accident; 4) if an accident resulted from an activity or circumstance in which the school may be responsible for the accident; 5) if an accident involves school vehicles or other vehicles while engaged in authorized school activities; 6) if any accident involves an employee or agent acting within the scope of duties of the District employee who may be responsible for an accident.

    C. All reports shall be completed on forms provided by the District and sent to the District on the same day as the incident/occurrence.

    D. The Principal of each school shall be assumed to be the designated person to submit the report in absence of expressed designation.

LIABILITY

  1. All situations which may give rise to liability of the District should be reported such as employment discrimination, wrongful termination, defamation, sexual harassment, sexual abuse, etc..
  2. All such potential liability situations should be immediately reported to the District's designated Risk Management Coordinator who will notify the District's Insurance Carrier. If there is a doubt as to whether a situation gives rise to liability the District should err in favor of reporting.
  3. Whenever serious injury occurs or parents request that the District assume responsibility or when the administration feels the District may be exposed to legal action, a call will be made immediately to the District's Insurance carrier.

LITIGATION GUIDELINES

  1. Copies of all legal papers or pleadings of a court received by the District or any of its employees acting in the scope of their duties should be sent to the District's insurance carrier.
  2. All personnel of the District should be instructed not to make any statements or admission of liability in connection with any situation that may give rise to liability of the District.
  3. The circumstances surrounding any liability situation should not be discussed by any employee of the District with any third party until after the District's Insurance Carrier has been notified and the District's attorney has approved such communications.

RISK MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR

The Business Administrator of the District is hereby appointed as the District's Risk Management Coordinator.

SCOPE OF COVERAGE

All employees of the District and District property are covered by the District's Insurance Carrier in connection with claims arising from acts or omissions within the scope of their employment with the District.

EMPLOYEES DRIVING DISTRICT OWNED VEHICLES

Employees of the Grand County School District, who may drive a District owned vehicle as part of their job, shall annually supply the District with a photocopy of their current Driver's License.

Each employee who drives on school business as a major part of their employment is responsible to immediately notify the District if their Driver's License is suspended, no matter the reason for the action.

Any employee who occasionally drives on school business will notify their supervisor of a suspension if asked to drive while their license has been suspended.

No employee of the District will knowingly drive within the scope of their employment if they are not licensed to drive in the State of Utah, or if this privilege has been suspended.

Adopted: 4-19-95 * GRAND COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT * Moab, Utah.

3810 - BUSINESS - TRANSPORTATION - PROVISIONS & RESPONSIBILITIES

The Grand County School District adheres to the State’s guiding set of policies regarding student transportation. The policies in this section are given to provide easy access to frequent concerns received from patrons, and the District’s pupil management policy for students receiving transportation privileges.

The District may provide transportation for pupils to and from school. Present policy permits transportation of elementary pupils who live more than one and one-half miles from school and secondary pupils who live more than two miles from school.

The Superintendent is asked to administer the operation so as to:

  1. provide for maximum safety of pupils;
  2. supplement and reinforce desirable pupil behavior patterns;
  3. assist disabled pupils appropriately;
  4. enrich the instructional program through carefully planned field trips as recommended by the staff.

RESPONSIBILITY

The responsibility for students using school buses rests with the parent or guardian until the student(s) actually board the bus for school and after the child gets off the bus on the return trip.

The principal of a school has complete authority over students from the time they board the bus for school and until they leave the bus for home.

Adopted: 4-19-95; Revised 04-18-01 * GRAND COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT * Moab, Utah.

3820 - BUSINESS - TRANSPORTATION - PUPIL MANAGEMENT

Pupil management involves the combined effort of four distinct groups of individuals-District, drivers, pupils and parents. The Board will institute a comprehensive pupil management program based on the following principles so that each of these groups shares the responsibility for pupil's safety and well being.

SCHOOL DISTRICT RESPONSIBILITY

The Board will do the following:

  1. establish the policies and procedures by which the program functions.
  2. establish pupil regulations governing the behavior and safety of pupils while on the bus.
  3. ensure that parents receive written copies of bus rules and regulations that clearly establish the parents' roles and obligations with respect to pupil promptness, attitude and behavior.

DRIVER RESPONSIBILITY

School bus drivers will do the following:

  1. be familiar with all rules, policies and procedures affecting pupil transportation.
  2. instruct pupils in proper behavior, general procedures and drills;
  3. maintain order as a safety practice and stress the following points and procedures:

    A. minimized interior noise.

    B. controlled passenger movement.

    C. orderly entrance and exit.

    D. no movement of objects.

    E. silence at railroad crossings.

    F. no transportation of unauthorized materials.

    G. discussions and seat assignment to handle minor infractions.

    H. use of appropriate forms to inform persons dealing with discipline problems of serious or recurring misconduct.

PUPIL RESPONSIBILITY

Proper pupil behavior is important because a pupil's distraction of the driver can cause accidents. Pupils should be aware of and abide by reasonable regulations to enhance safety. The pupil should clearly understand the consequences of unacceptable behavior. The following procedures will protect the pupil's rights and maintain order on the bus, pupils should:.

  1. be aware that they are responsible for their action and behavior.
  2. know what the rules and procedures are and abide by them.
  3. display proper respect for the rights and comfort of others.
  4. realize that school bus transportation can be denied if they do not conduct themselves properly.
  5. be aware that any driver distraction is potentially hazardous to their safety.

PARENT/GUARDIAN RESPONSIBILITY

Parents and guardians have the following responsibilities:

  1. becoming familiar with rules and regulations.
  2. encouraging children to abide by rules and regulations.
  3. assisting children in understanding rules and regulations.
  4. recognizing their responsibility for the actions of their children.
  5. effecting desirable changes in their children's behavior.
  6. supporting safe riding practices.
  7. supporting procedures for emergency evacuation.
  8. supporting procedures for safely crossing the highway before boarding and after leaving the bus.
  9. supporting procedures to follow in emergencies
  10. supporting respect for the rights and privileges of others.

RULES AND REGULATIONS

  1. Pupils being transported are under the authority of the bus driver. The bus driver has the authority to establish rules he or she feels are necessary to insure the safety of individuals being transported.
  2. Pupils must be on time for the bus both morning and evening. In the morning, five (5) minutes before the bus is due but no earlier. Buses will leave the high school and middle school eight (8) minutes after the final bell; buses will leave the elementary schools five (5) minutes after the final bell.
  3. Pupils will walk on the left side of the road facing oncoming traffic when coming to meet the bus.
  4. Pupils will remain seated while the bus is in motion. Careless horseplay, pushing, fighting, or unnecessary movement from seat to seat at any time may cause a loss of bus privileges.
  5. The bus driver may assign pupils seats.
    .
  6. The bus driver shall instruct pupils on how to cross the road.
  7. Pupils will not extend their hands, arms, or heads through bus windows.
  8. Pupils must have written permission from the parent or guardian signed by the principal to leave the bus other than at home or school.
  9. Pupils will converse in normal tones; loud or vulgar language is prohibited. Pupils should refrain from distracting singing, talking, playing or radios or musical instruments.
  10. The emergency door will be opened only in cases of emergency.
  11. Pupils will keep the bus clean and refrain from damaging it. Fines for damages will be assessed and must be paid before the student may resume riding.
  12. Pupils will be courteous to the driver, fellow pupils and passers-by.
  13. For everyone’s safety no item will be carried on the bus that could create a hazard to any passenger, driver or passers-by.

DISCIPLINE POLICY

First Violation: Verbal warning to student.

Second Violation: Written warning with copies going to parent, principal, driver and transportation director.

Third Violation: Parent or guardian notified that the student’s bus privileges will be suspended for two weeks.

Fourth Violation: Parent or guardian informed that the student’s transportation privileges will be denied for the remainder of the school term or for a period of three weeks, whichever is longer.

Fifth Violation: Parent or guardian notified that the student will be refused transportation privileges for the remainder of the school year.

Adopted: 4-19-95; Revised 04-18-01 * GRAND COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT * Moab, Utah

3910 - BUSINESS - TRANSPORTATION - RENTAL OF SCHOOL BUSES

School Buses may be rented from the District in accordance with the following guidelines.

TRANSPORTATION SUPERVISOR

The District Transportation Supervisor is responsible for scheduling buses and shall determine whether the District has buses in addition to those necessary to transport students to and from school and other school related activities for which buses are used. In the event the District has buses which are not needed to meet District transportation needs, the Transportation Supervisor shall designate buses which may be rented to the public and devise a schedule showing days when each bus is available for rent together with per day rental costs and charges.

Rental money should be paid at the School District Office. The Transportation Supervisor shall be responsible to verify that the person renting the bus has met each of the following requirements:

  1. The District shall not rent buses in competition with commercial carriers licensed to operate within Grand County.
  2. Only bus drivers who work for Grand County School District are allowed to drive District owned buses.

    A. During the bus rental period District drivers will be considered an employee of the person or company renting the bus and the District will bear none of the responsibilities of an employer of said drivers except as to direction relating to care and use of the bus.
  3. The person or entity in whose name the bus is rented shall provide the District proof of insurance covering all persons who may occupy the bus or who may be injured or damaged as a result of use of the school bus during the period of rental. Such insurance shall bear an aggregate (combined single) limit of not less than $1,000,000.00, and shall name the Grand County School District as an additional insured under its coverage. Insurance shall cover bodily injury and property damage for all vehicles so rented.
  4. The person in whose name the bus is rented shall sign a release provided by the School District which generally releases the District from any liability arising from maintenance or operation of the bus during the rental period.
  5. The person renting the bus shall sign a "Bus Rental" agreement and show proof by two forms of identification, at least one of which shows a picture of such person.
  6. No school bus may be rented to any person or entity who demands compensation for driving or providing carrier service, or who furthers his or her commercial interests through providing transportation, or who drives a bus or other transportation for hire.
  7. Nothing in this policy shall require the District to rent buses. The District may, at its sole discretion, limit use of rented buses to the area within the district or within the State.
  8. The District may refuse use of its buses to any individual, group or organization which in the sole discretion of the Board or its designee has not provided adequate or appropriate assurance of liability insurance, ability to safely supervise operation of the bus, or, ability to care for persons or property..

TERM OF BUS RENTAL

No bus may be rented for a term that would interfere with use of the bus for District purposes.

CONDITIONS FOR BUS RENTAL

No bus may be rented by the District unless such rental has first been approved by Utah Risk Management and the District has determined that it has insurance coverage with respect to liabilities that may arise from rental of the bus to third persons or entities.

AMOUNT OF RENT

The amount of rent charged by the District shall be at least equal to the amount necessary for maintenance and to cover overhead and costs of renting the bus. In no event shall the District charge less for rent of buses than is charged by any commercial carrier for similar vehicles who are located and have a place of business within the District.

BUS DRIVER

When a District employee drives a bus for a private entity or association or private person, then that employee must sign a release acknowledging that he or she does not look to the District for compensation for such services and that such activities are not in the scope of employment with the District.

Adopted: 4-19-95; Revised 04-18-01 * GRAND COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT * Moab, Utah

3920 - TRANSPORTATION - USE OF DISTRICT VEHICLES

District vehicles are provided for district and school staff use to attend to district/school related business, to attend or transport students to school sponsored activities, and to travel to other meetings, i.e. personnel inservice.

GUIDELINES FOR USE

Those employees using district vehicles for travel, both within and outside the district, shall observe the District’s guidelines for appropriate use.

Use of District Vehicles:

  1. The employee should call the Transportation Office to see if a vehicle is available.
  2. A Vehicle Request Form should be completed (preferably two (2) weeks in advance);
  3. The completed form should be submitted to:

  1. A. the building principal for signature of approval, who will then forward to

    B. the Superintendent for signature of approval, who will then forward to

    C. the Transportation Office for processing.

  2. The employee should arrange with the Transportation Director the time of pick-up of the vehicle, and should have an appropriate pin number for gas card use.
  3. It is expected that employees using the district vehicles will return them cleaned out, washed (unless weather prohibits), and refilled in readiness for the next user.
  4. The vehicle should be returned as soon as possible in order to facilitate the schedule of use.

Inappropriate Use of District Vehicles

Unless otherwise authorized by an appropriate supervisor, the following are examples of unauthorized use of district vehicles:

  1. Transporting family, friends, pets, associates who are not district employees, or not serving the interest of the District;
  2. Transporting hitchhikers;
  3. Transporting acids, explosives, or other hazardous materials, etc.
  4. Extending the length of time the district vehicle is in the operator’s possession.
  5. Operating or being in actual physical control of a district vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs;
  6. Operating a district vehicle for personal use other than as provided below;
  7. Using a district vehicle for personal convenience. The unauthorized or illegal use of a district vehicle may result in the suspension or revocation of the privilege of district vehicle use.

Personal Use Standards

Personal use of a district vehicle is not allowed without the direct authorization of an appropriate supervisor. The following are circumstances when use of a district vehicle is approved.

  1. In an emergency a district vehicle may be used as necessary to safeguard the life, health or safety of the driver or passenger(s).
  2. A district employee, or representative of the district, spending at least one night on approved travel to conduct district/school business may use the district vehicle within a 20 mile radius of the overnight lodging for the following activities:

A. Travel to restaurants and stores for meals, meds and general needs;

B. Travel to grooming, medical, fitness or laundry facilities;

C. Travel to and from recreational activities such as theaters, parks, or to the home of friends or relatives provided said employee has received prior approval from his/her appropriate supervisor

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

District Gas Cards

District gas cards are to be used to fuel district vehicle for district use.

In order to conduct some school business trips, a district gas card may be issued to an individual for use in their private vehicle. The employee using the card must pre-fill his/her car on their own at the commencement of the trip. The card is to be used only during the trip and again at the immediate end of the trip.

Wrongful personal use of district gas cards are grounds for personnel action and can result in suspension.

Out-of-State Travel

Such travel must be approved by appropriate supervisor.

Use of Personal Cars for District Business

If a district vehicle is requested but unavailable, the District will reimburse the individual for gas used in their personal vehicle for the trip. Using the method described above, the individual must pre-fill on their own at the commencement of the trip, then return those receipt(s) for gas purchased during the trip and at the immediate end of the trip.

In the event an individual determines to take his or her personal vehicle rather than use an available district vehicle, he or she will be responsible for the cost of the fuel.

Adopted: 11-17-04 * GRAND COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT * Moab, Utah

 

           Page Last Updated:
           Feb. 3, 2012
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