STUDENT TRANSPORTATION IN PRIVATE VEHICLES

The School Department’s liability insurance does not provide coverage to school employees, volunteers, parents, or students who use their own vehicles while undertaking school business. Except for rare situations, school buses will be used for the transportation of students participating in co-curricular or extracurricular activities. This policy addresses exceptions made for when parents wish to make separate arrangements for their child to be transported to or from an extracurricular activity and when the exceptional situations when school employees or volunteers are permitted to use private vehicles to transport students to or from school activities.

For exceptional situations, a student’s parent/guardian may make arrangements for their child to be transported to or from an extracurricular activity in their private vehicle rather than in transportation provided by the Smithfield Public Schools. The Athletic Director and coach, or the principal for non-athletic events, must approve permission for such exceptions. Student-athletes may return from an away contest only with their parent/guardian and only for exceptional reasons. In that event, the parent must request permission from the coach prior to the contest. The student-athletes will be released only to parent/guardian upon the personal recognizance of the parent/guardian by the coach. Student-athletes are not permitted to drive their own vehicles to away contests. The expectation is that parents/guardians will be punctual when arriving to pick up student-athletes at the completion of a contest (home and away) or a practice session.

For other exceptional situations, school employees or volunteers may be permitted to use private vehicles to transport students to or from school activities that fall within the academic day or extend the school day provided all of the following conditions are met:

1. The activity has the approval of the Superintendent of Schools.

2. Permission is granted by the Athletic Director and coach, if the activity falls under athletics. Permission is granted by the Principal for other activities.

3. The owner of the vehicle being used in transporting students must file evidence with the Superintendent of personal liability insurance coverage and a valid driver’s license.

4. The parents of students to be transported in this manner will be fully informed as to this means of transportation and will sign a statement to this effect.

ADOPTED: February 26, 2018