At USD 379, a common motto kids hear is that “the bus is an extension of the classroom.” In other words, if it can’t be done in a classroom, it can’t be done on a bus. Running, yelling, throwing things, etc. – it’s all off-limits whether at a desk or tucked into a bench seat.
However, thanks to ongoing training and educating the kids, bus behavior is addressed through training and explaining expectations from the get-go, said Tim Kaufman, lead driver.
“We are doing a lot of things for school bus behavior,” he said. One of those is creating videos with older students. Kids at the high school produced a bus behavior video, while Garfield students created their own video displaying proper bus etiquette. Then Tiger Chorale and Garfield students sang a song about how to ride the bus.
With lines like “We will keep the aisle clear and we’ll do what is good” to the tune of Yankee Doodle, it’s a melodic reminder of the rules. Kids who need reminders of the rules may be handed a card that states the rules, or in extreme cases, need to have it returned with a parent’s signature.
Kaufman said drivers themselves undergo extensive training. From medical aspects, like CPR, to triple-A driver’s improvement training, to monthly meetings, the drivers have to be aware of any potential situation that may come their way. In total, 30 employees work through the district’s Bus Barn, including part-time drivers and coaches who drive the students they coach.
In total there are 13 bus routes, three with vans or other school vehicles. And in total, the district has 30 busses, all of which undergo preventative maintenance by a staffed mechanic.
Routes are marked by colors and animals, a change Kaufman said helps kids remember which bus is theirs, especially at the beginning of the school year. If a bus is under maintenance, the driver holds a sign with the corresponding color and animal to keep them in the right place.
Kaufman said behavior management is an important aspect of bus safety because if the driver is managing students, they’re focusing less attention on the road.
“One of our goals is to make the bus safer for everything,” he said. “We hope that, for safety reasons, we can reduce the internal distractions so the driver can focus more on driving and doing the job.”
He said this comes into play especially after breaks like Christmas or summer.
“Every time a new school year comes you’re starting over, they forget how they’re supposed to act,” he said. “Every rule we have is for a purpose.”
For instance, if a student is out of their seat, they could be injured in the event of an accident; school bus seats are designed to pad and protect students.
In addition, an initiative was started for well-behaved students to receive recognition. Each month, drivers all choose one student who consistently follows the rules on their bus. At Lincoln, a winner is drawn and the winner gets a gift card.
“It’s a way to thank the students and Lincoln gets to see and cheer on whoever the winner is,” he said. “For them, it’s a goal to go for.”
As the lead driver, it’s Kaufman’s job to fill in when a driver is gone, which allows him to keep up with all routes and even more kids. In total, he’s been with the district for more than 20 years.
“That’s fun because I get to get all over the county and see the different kids and watch them grow up,” he said. “If you hang out long enough, you get to haul children on the bus that you hauled their parents on the bus.”
