Happy Halloween from Mrs. Keller and Mrs. Littler's Class!
While National School Bus Safety week has ended, the conversation about it continues.
On Tuesday, members of our Camden CSD transportation team made their way to Camden Elementary School for a day-long series of bus safety assemblies with our students!
Among the topics covered were loading and unloading, and positive bus behavior! We had some volunteers come up front to demonstrate.
Remember the following safety tips:
-Stay back until the bus has come to a complete stop and the bus doors have opened. The recommended distance is at least ten feet from the curb or white line.
-If crossing the street, wait for the bus driver's signal to do so.
-Look both ways when boarding, and when crossing.
-The bus driver will be watching for potential hazards. If you hear a horn from the bus, get back immediately.
-Use the handrails when loading and unloading the bus.
-Do not stop in the road to pick up a dropped item when boarding the bus. The size of the bus can make it difficult to see you. Finish crossing and alert the driver for next steps.
-When on the bus, stay in your seat and keep your hands to yourself. Face the front of the bus, keep the aisles clear, and talk quietly.
When students keep these tips in mind, they go a long way toward ensuring a safe ride for everybody!
Thanks to Connected Community Schools for helping to put the pieces in place for this event!
About a dozen young learners and their families came together for the start of something new this morning as we held our first meeting of the brand new "Let's Play!" Two-Year-Old program! Attendees built skills and socialized through play-based-learning, participated in a craft activity, and had a snack during an action-packed program!
Read More: https://www.camdenschools.org/o/ccsd/article/1849160
Achieving your goals tomorrow, begins with attendance today. #CCSDAttendanceAwarenessMonth
Students in Mrs. Guhin’s elementary orchestra are heading into Week 6 of lessons! Many students are starting to use the bow and are continuing to learn proper orchestra techniques. Stay tuned for the annual “Jingle Bell Challenge” pictures coming in December!
On Thursday, October 24th, the Camden Elementary School community held its annual Fall Carnival event! This event brings students, families, and staff together for hours of family fun, refreshments, and of course, books. Attendees can play carnival games set up by teachers, do craft activities, take pictures at the photo booth, receive a free book from our Title I initiative, and browse the Fall Scholastic Book Fair while socializing and building a stronger community.
We had over 500 people participate for what is surely one of our best turnouts yet for this event! Thanks for coming!
Mrs. Skinner and Mrs. Sessler’s 3rd grade class has completed their culminating project for Unit 2! Students used their knowledge from their Animal Classification Unit to make a research foldable of their favorite animal from their recent field trip to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo! They enjoyed being zoologists!
The Connected Community Schools Diaper Drive and Resource Fair is later today (10/28) at CHS in the front bus loop!
They will have diapers, formula, and pack and plays available while supplies last! If you need it, and they have it, you can get it today. Contact Valarie at 315-271-8780 for more information!
Our Elementary School campuses will host their Halloween Parades on Thursday!
Miss Buehler and Miss Bottini's class participated in a pumpkin carving activity! Each student was able to help with either scooping out the pumpkin guts or carving out the face. They then made a pumpkin craft using some very similar steps!
NATIONAL SCHOOL BUS SAFETY WEEK
As we replace portions of our transportation fleet on an ongoing basis, it’s important that the safety equipment on our new vehicle acquisitions is up to the task of keeping our kids safe.
Very recently, we took delivery of four new school buses equipped with modernized internal and external camera systems.
Negative behavior on buses has the ability to detract from a driver’s focus, which can increase risk for everyone on the bus. The new internal camera systems will equip our District with more tools to help manage and address incidents on buses. They have a comprehensive range of angles that can look into virtually all areas of the bus, including into seats from above, and offer vastly improved visual and audio clarity over existing systems. The internal cameras also have night-vision capability for coverage in the evening and early morning hours.
The buses also feature multiple external cameras with sensors that can detect and record school bus passing violations. In the event of a potential violation, the system creates an on-the-spot evidence package of still images, videos, and GPS coordinates that can be quickly and easily turned over to law enforcement so that a citation can be issued to the owner of the passing vehicle.
These citations carry significant fines. According to the Department of Motor Vehicles, under the law, the fine for passing a school bus ranges from $250 for a first violation, to a maximum of $1,000 for three violations in three years. Additionally, if a vehicle owner is convicted of three violations in three years, their driver’s license can be revoked for a minimum of six months.
Automated systems just like these have been implemented on buses all over Oneida County. In the 2023-24 school year, over 850 citations were issued by the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office across eight different school districts with stop arm camera implementation.
The addition of these internal and external cameras is an important step, but it is also just one step along the way toward modernizing the fleet with new safety technology. A wider implementation is planned, including the addition of these camera systems on new bus purchases. We are also looking at other opportunities to enhance safety, security, and peace of mind for our families when it comes to transportation.
3rd grade spent Tuesday classifying animals at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo! Here are some shots from Mr. Janes and Mrs. Platt's class.
3rd grade spent Tuesday classifying animals at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo! Here are some shots from Mr. Janes and Mrs. Platt's class.
NATIONAL SCHOOL BUS SAFETY WEEK
Did you know that school buses are some of the most highly regulated vehicles on our roadways today? They undergo rigorous testing and have very strict design standards that must be followed in their design. They are built to be safer than consumer passenger vehicles in preventing crashes and injuries.
Less than one percent of all traffic fatalities nationwide involve children riding school buses.
That said, one fatality anywhere, is still too many. And a little attention from everyone goes a long way.
The most dangerous time for school bus related incidents is during loading and unloading. Over the last 53 years, more than 1,200 young people have been killed while loading and unloading school buses across the country, and so many of these incidents were easily avoidable.
When you’re around a school bus, slow down, be alert, and mind the lights.
October is National Principal's Month in the United States! Please join us in recognizing the work that our principals, Aaron Fiorini, Brittany DerCola, Craig Ferretti, and Heidi Allen, do each day in support of our students, staff, and families. Thank you!
NATIONAL SCHOOL BUS SAFETY WEEK
For obvious reasons, motorist conduct is a huge focus when it comes to safety at the bus stop, but what can students and families do to help protect themselves? The good news is, it’s easy to be bus stop smart!
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers the following tips using a method called SAFE.
S - Stay. At least 10 feet from the edge of the road or the curb while waiting for the bus.
A - Always wait until the bus comes to a complete stop, and the bus driver has signaled for you to board.
F - Face forward after finding a seat on the bus.
E - Exit the bus only after it stops. Look both ways for any moving traffic before crossing, even when the driver has signaled you. Two sets of eyes is even better than one.
Need diapers (while supplies last) for your little one? Want to learn more about the resources available in your backyard? Connected Community Schools is happy to oblige! Join them on Monday, 10/28 along with several other community organizations for the Connected Community Schools Resource Fair and Diaper Drive! All are welcome!
Call Valarie at 315-271-8780 if you have any questions!
Connected Community Schools will hold Open Hub Hours on Thursday at CHS!. Families will be able to get extra grocery items and talk with the team about other community resources. Bring a bag!
October is Camden CSD Attendance Awareness month. It takes a community-wide partnership to make sure our students get to school each day. Even a few days per month can cause difficulties in the future.
National School Bus Safety week is here! Held annually during the third full week of October, the goal of National School Bus Safety Week is to bring school districts together with the community to talk about the importance of school bus safety.
Did you know that the most dangerous part of a school bus ride is loading and unloading? Often, it involves someone who has illegally passed a stopped school bus, and incidents of illegal passing have been increasing nationwide at about four percent per year.
We’ll be covering bus stop safety a few times this week. If you encounter a school bus on the roadway, you should be doing the following:
1. Slow down and be attentive. Buses make frequent stops, so patience and a reasonable rate of speed are important to protect the children, staff, and yourself. Also, remember that school buses are required to stop at railroad crossings. Be even more patient during the winter months, as slick conditions can pose a greater challenge.
2. When yellow lights are flashing, slow down and prepare to stop. When the red lights are flashing and the stop sign/arm is deployed, you must stop completely. It is suggested that you stop at least 20 feet from the bus, as 10 feet or less can be very dangerous. When in doubt, always stop your vehicle until you know it is safe to proceed.
3. Remember that on multiple lane or divided highways, traffic must stop in both directions for a school bus that has its stop sign/arm deployed.
4. When the red lights turn off, and the stop sign/arm comes inward toward the bus, you may continue. However, use caution in the vicinity of the bus. Look around before moving your vehicle, as children may be walking in front of, behind, or on the side of school buses. Check for pedestrians - especially near schools, bus stops, playgrounds, parks, and behind parked cars. Never assume.
5. Even if a bus isn’t loading or unloading right away, be extra careful around buses near our schools, as children may be close by.
6. Obey posted school zone speed limits, such as the one near Camden Elementary School on Oswego Street. Also be mindful of our school zone crosswalks and stop signs throughout the village, especially before and after school. These play an equally important role in getting our students to and from school each day.
If we all do our part, we can keep everyone safe this school year, including our students and transportation staff.
