TODAY’S SCHOOL BUS SAFETY TIP: Flashing yellow bus lights mean slow down and prepare to stop, and flashing red lights paired with an extended stop arm mean STOP. On undivided Kansas roads, traffic in both directions must stop!
A familiar face. A morning greeting. Someone who knows your child by name. The drivers, bus paras, mechanics, and every member of the USD 265 Transportation team cares for students every day, and our community has a role in keeping them safe. During National School Bus Safety Week, we’re celebrating the Goddard Public Schools transportation employees who help our students feel safe and welcome. Twila Bullock joined the USD 265 Transportation team with years of experience working with students. But today, her reason for driving is especially close to home.
Twila's grandson attends school in USD 265, and being his grandmother has given her a new opportunity to experience something she wishes she could have had more of when her own children were growing up: time.
Twila shared that she didn't get to spend as much time with her own kids when they were growing up. Now, she gets to be present as her grandson grows up — and her job gives her the opportunity to be part of that experience.
“That means the world to me.”
And while her grandson may have been one of the reasons Goddard Transportation became the right fit for Twila, the students on her route have become a big part of why she enjoys being here. When asked what she enjoys most about the job, her answer was immediate, “The camaraderie! We have a lot of fun here!”
She also talked about the relationships she has built with her students. “They are mine.”
When Twila is gone, students ask the substitute where she is. She misses seeing their faces, and they miss seeing hers. Those relationships are a big part of what makes transportation such an important part of our schools.
A bus driver gets to know the kids. They notice when someone is having a hard morning. They notice when someone isn't on the bus. They become a familiar face in a student's day, and the kids on their route start feeling a little bit like theirs.
Maybe that's what “We are all one” really looks like. And for anyone who is considering becoming a driver but isn't sure if it's for them, Twila has some simple advice, “Just give it a try, it’s not as scary as you think.”
With a learning curve, a strong training team and people around you who are there to support you, there is a place for you here. For Twila, driving for Goddard means being present for her grandson, building relationships with her students and working alongside a team she enjoys. That's what #265Family looks like. Click the link below to check out job opportunities and learn more!
https://jobs.redroverk12.com/org/GoddardUSD265?categories=Transportation