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Heartland board reviews draft allowing students to self-transport for cooperative activities
Summary
The Heartland Community Schools board discussed draft Policy 801.14 to permit students in grades 7–12 who participate in cooperatively sponsored activities with Hampton Public Schools to self-transport to dual locations, with written parental consent required and administrative revocation provisions. The board will consider adoption in September.
The Heartland Community Schools Board of Education on Aug. 25 reviewed a draft of Policy 801.14 that would permit students in grades seven through twelve who participate in cooperatively sponsored activities with Hampton Public Schools to self-transport to designated "dual locations." The board did not take final action and plans to consider adoption at its regular September meeting.
The draft policy requires written parental or legal guardian consent filed in the principal’s office and specifies that consent, once properly provided, is valid for an annual term of August 1 through May 31. The policy text also states that parents may revoke consent in writing during an annual term, but a revoked consent cannot be reestablished until the next annual term. The draft defines self-transport to include a student operating a vehicle, riding with a parent/legal guardian, riding with an adult sibling, or riding with another student for whom parental consent has been established.
The policy gives the superintendent authority to establish administrative procedures and to administratively revoke a student’s self-transport privilege if the superintendent determines a student interfered with school-bus operations or a parent knowingly allowed violations. A first administrative revocation would remain in effect for the remainder of the current annual term; a second revocation would remain permanently in effect. The draft also contains language in which consenting parents agree to hold harmless the district and waive future claims for injuries or loss arising from self-transport.
Board members did not vote on the policy during the special meeting and directed that it be considered for adoption at the regular September meeting. The packet language and the board’s discussion make clear this policy is limited to activities covered by a cooperative sponsorship agreement with Hampton Public Schools and does not authorize travel to locations beyond the defined dual locations.
