New WS/FCS R.I.D.E.S. program sets behavior expectations for students on the bus

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools is rolling out new behavior expectations for students who ride the buses.

Bus drivers led a strike a few months ago in part due to misconduct and safety concerns. 

The new program is called R.I.D.E.S., which stands for Responsibility, Integrity, Discipline, Excellence and Safety.

It includes a matrix of inappropriate behaviors on the bus and their associated consequences. Those can include phone calls home, parent conferences and bus suspensions depending on the level of the offense.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Superintendent Tricia McManus said school administrators will be in charge of enforcement, which the district will be monitoring closely.

“Are there still referrals being written? What are they written for?" she said. "Are we being responsive to those referrals? Are we following the behavior matrix?” 

In addition to consequences, she says the program also calls for recognition of students who exhibit positive behavior.

Parents will need to sign a form agreeing to the new expectations in the coming days.

Amy Diaz covers education for WFDD in partnership with Report For America. You can follow her on Twitter at @amydiaze.