The Board in its discretion may provide school district transportation for extracurricular activities including, but not limited to, transporting student participants and other students to and from extracurricular practices or events and/or transporting equipment necessary for an extracurricular activity to and from extracurricular practices or events. It is the responsibility of the superintendent to make a recommendation to the Board annually as to whether the school district will provide the transportation authorized in this policy. It is the responsibility of the Superintendent to make a recommendation to the Board, as necessary, as to what individuals or group of individuals are eligible to provide transportation and/or drive school district vehicles. In making any recommendation to the Board regarding the transportation of students and/or equipment for extracurricular activities, the Superintendent will consider the financial condition of the school district, the number of students who would qualify for such transportation, the type of equipment to be transferred, any considerations regarding the individuals who would be assigned to drive school district vehicles, and other factors the Board or Superintendent deem relevant. Transportation in School District Vehicles Students participating in and/or attending extracurricular practices or events, other than those held at the school district facilities, may be transported to the extracurricular practice or event by school district transportation vehicles or by another means approved by the Superintendent or activities director. Students who are provided transportation in school district transportation vehicles for extracurricular practices or events will ride both to and from the event in the school vehicle unless arrangements have been made with the activities director prior to the practice or event. A student may travel home from an extracurricular practice or event with that student’s parent/guardian only if the parent/guardian signs the student out with the coach or sponsor following the practice or event. A student may travel home from an extracurricular practice or event with or another student’s parent/guardian only if it has been requested by that student’s parent/guardian and that student's parent/ guardian has made said arrangements with the activities director prior to the extracurricular practice or event. The student or the student’s parent/guardian must provide notice to the coach or activity sponsor of this arrangement prior to the extracurricular practice or event so that the coach or activity sponsor can confirm the arrangement with the activities director. Equipment necessary for an extracurricular activity, which may include pre-approved weapons and/or ammunition for the appropriate extracurricular activity, may be transported to the extracurricular practice or event by school district transportation vehicles or by another means approved by the Superintendent or athletic director. If pre-approved weapons and/or ammunition for an extracurricular activity are transported to the extracurricular practice or event by school district transportation vehicles, then the weapons and/or ammunition will always be transported in a separate vehicle from the vehicle transporting students. The Board in its discretion may determine that any individual, including but not limited to a coach, activity sponsor or parent, may operate a school vehicle for purposes of transporting students and/or equipment to and from extracurricular activities. Any such individual operating a school vehicle for purposes of transporting students and/or equipment to and from extracurricular activities who is not employed by the school district shall not receive additional compensation for the operation of the school vehicle for said purposes. The Board shall require any such individual operating a school vehicle for purposes of transporting students and/or equipment to and from extracurricular activities to provide evidence that the individual: (1) has a valid driver’s license; (2) has a driving record with minimal violations (i.e., fewer than two (2) moving violations in the previous twelve (12) month period); (3) has valid insurance with coverage and limits deemed acceptable by the District (which is determined to be $20,000 bodily injury coverage limits for any one person in any one accident and $40,000 bodily injury coverage limits for two or more persons in any one accident); and (4) has submitted to and passed a volunteer background check. Annually the Board and/or Superintendent shall provide a list of potential drivers to the school district’s insurance provider to determine whether the individual’s operation of a school district vehicle is covered under the school district’s insurance coverage. Transportation in Private Vehicles A parent or guardian is responsible for ensuring their student is transported to and from an extracurricular practice or event within the school district boundaries, but off school district facilities or grounds. Students participating in and/or attending an extracurricular practice or event that occurs within the school district boundaries, but off school district facilities or grounds, may use a private vehicle (non-school district transportation) to travel between school and an extracurricular practice or event. Students who use private vehicles may be allowed to transport other students between school and an extracurricular practice or event within the school district boundaries, but off school district facilities or grounds, provided the student driver has been instructed on safety rules that must be observed and the student has completed a “Volunteer Driver Verification Statement”. The “Volunteer Driver Verification Statement” shall be signed by the student driver and the student driver’s parent or guardian and shall confirm that the following requirements are met: (1) The student driver has a current, valid driver’s license; (2) The student driver is not subject to any license suspension, revocation, cancellation, denial or bar and not have committed an offense or act which, either alone or with previous offenses or acts, could result in license suspension, revocation, cancellation, denial or bar; (3) The student driver has appropriate safety restraint devices for every rider. (4) The student driver has proof of insurance on the vehicle. (5) The student driver has permission of the owner of the vehicle to operate the vehicle for purposes of transporting other students. (6) The student driver and the student driver’s parent/guardian agree that the fact that the student driver has returned a completed “Volunteer Driver Verification Statement” may be shared with other students and parents of the school district and the student driver and the student driver’s parent or guardian consent to the release of this information. A parent or guardian who wants their student to ride with another student driver in a private vehicle between school and an extracurricular practice or event within the school district boundaries, but off school district facilities or grounds, shall contact the athletic director to determine whether the other student has a completed “Volunteer Driver Verification Statement” on file. A parent or guardian who does not want their student to ride with any other student driver between school and an extracurricular practice or event within the school district boundaries, but off school district facilities or grounds, may request alternative forms of transportation by submitting a written request to the Superintendent or athletic director. The district cannot and does not monitor students driving with other students between school and an extracurricular practice or event within the school district boundaries, but off school district facilities or grounds. The district will not allow or prohibit students from riding with other students between school and an extracurricular practice or event within the school district boundaries, but off school district facilities or grounds. The district cannot and does not guarantee that a student will not decide to ride with other students. The district will only provide a student or parent or guardian who inquires information regarding whether another student has returned a “Volunteer Driver Verification Statement”.
*Adopted: 02/12/07
*Reviewed: 04/12/10
*Revised: 12/13/10
*Revised: 02/13/12
*Reviewed: 04/22/13
*Revised: 11/9/15
*Reviewed: 12/10/18
*Revised: 10/14/19