School Bus Safety Time

I don't want to say it was cold today, but I found a polar bear outside the bus barn, shivering.

The dangerously cold temperatures led to a two-hour delay today.  Despite the cold, our drivers came in and got their buses going with minimal fuss.  In between phone and radio calls, I was reading the National School Transportation Specifications & Procedures book, the "bible" for school transportation. 

Every five years, each state selects a small delegation to go over this book and make recommendations for changes.  The Maine delegation contacted me to ask me to review the safety and security procedures, which I was honored to do.   I had done some previous work with the Maine Department of Education, helping to create a document called, Twenty Simple Strategies for Safer and More Effective Schools, published by Safe Havens, International.

While conducting this review, I realized that I had not actually ever read this document from cover to cover.  So, I started that today.  Fortunately, nearly all of what I read describes what we are doing, so that's good.

In the afternoon, I received a phone call from Wendi Chalmers, wife of Phil Chalmers.  He is a national expert on teen homicide, and author of the book, Inside the Mind of a Teen Killer.  They were looking for a venue to hold a one-day training, and offered free training for any of my colleagues if I could help them with the venue.  I spoke with Dr. Lantrip, my superintendent, to make sure she was comfortable with the content. I am waiting on her OK before moving forward.  I hope we can do this.  Profiling is a hobby of mine, and I have seen Phil Chalmers present.  He's energetic, knowledgeable, and a truly nice person.

I ended the day driving a mini-bus to pick up students from our alternative school, as we had a shortage of drivers.  I don't have a Commercial Driver's License, but one isn't needed to drive a 15-passenger bus, so I was able to pitch in and help.  Throw in a random drug screen for some of my drivers, and you have a full, busy day.

Twenty Simple Strategies for Safer and More Effective Schools - See more at: http://safehavensinternational.org/articles/#sthash.6HBhVrn4.dpuf

Twenty Simple Strategies for Safer and More Effective Schools - See more at: http://safehavensinternational.org/articles/#sthash.6HBhVrn4.dpuf

Twenty Simple Strategies for Safer and More Effective Schools - See more at: http://safehavensinternational.org/articles/#sthash.6HBhVrn4.dpuf