Top inset: A smiling “Buster the Bus” draws interest at a recent Grand Rapids Public Schools event. Bottom: Dean Transportation mechanics keep yellow buses up and running for 6,000-plus Grand Rapids students and 3,050 Kent ISD students with special needs. Background: Dean’s fleet.
the county level, sharing transportation among many districts to gain logistical efficiencies,” Patrick said. Dean Transportation currently buses 6,334
‘WE ARE GR’ WRITTEN BY MICHELLE FISHER T
his year’s host city for the NAPT and NAS- DPTS annual conferences has emerged as a leader on consolidation and cost-sharing services in Michigan. Earlier this year, the
state superintendent of schools proposed a plan to consolidate administrative services, or what he called the “buses and burgers,” by having the state’s 57 intermediate school districts step in to oversee those services for local districts. Ahead of the pack, Grand Rapids Public
Schools has earned statewide recognition as a “model for right-sizing reforms,” said Su- perintendent of Schools Teresa Weatherall Neal, in achieving operational savings mainly through creative cost-sharing and consolidation efforts. GRPS currently manages center-based special education programs for all the schools in the Kent Intermediate School District. She noted that GRPS leveraged its size and
buying power to provide school meals for East Grand Rapids Public Schools, Grand Rapids Christian Schools, two Grand Rapids Catholic schools, and five charter schools. With 17,000 students, GRPS is the fourth-largest public school district in the state. “Another creative cost sharing is the joint com-
munications initiative between GRPS and the city of Grand Rapids, whereby the district’s commu- nications department manages a joint newspaper, website and social media under the brand ‘We Are GR.’ Tis partnership is saving both the district and the city money while significantly expanding communications,” Neal continued. GRPS also received a federal homeland secu-
22 THE SHOW REPORTER • OCT 18-24, 2013
rity grant to provide professional development and training for public and private schools in the region. Neal said the public safety department has won several awards as well as recognition for its technology, training and relationship building that has reduced the number of major school incidents for five years straight. “Our head of public safety is currently the presi- dent of the National Association of School Safety and Law Enforcement Officers,” she added.
ON THE BUSING SIDE Te superintendent said one major cost-sav-
ings achievement was hiring Dean Transporta- tion in 2005 to manage all yellow bus transpor- tation — which saved GRPS more than $20 million over a five-year period. Dean Transportation jumped on the consoli-
dation bandwagon early on, according to Patrick Dean, director of business development. Patrick is the son of Kellie Dean, who joined the bus company in 1986 and took the reins after its founder and president retired in 1995. Formerly called Special Transportation, the company trac- es its roots to transporting students affected by polio to Lansing-area schools in the 1950s. Today, Dean Transportation buses approxi-
mately 3,050 special-education students from 20 area school districts to local and countywide special education programs. “We’ve consolidated with Kent ISD on the spe- cial-ed. side since 2000. Trough Kent ISD, we transport special-ed. students, including Grand Rapids students, to various regional programs at
GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS RECOGNIZED FOR ACHIEVING OPERATIONAL SAVINGS, SUCH AS REDUCING TRANSPORTATION COSTS
GRPS students, or 37 percent of total enrollment, on 157 buses. Tis includes 5,088 regular-educa- tion students and 1,246 special-education students. Only special-education high school students are eligible for bus service. Dean Transportation’s GRPS fleet features the latest technology to enhance safety and efficiency, Patrick said. All buses are equipped with Zonar GPS and child reminder systems. Dean also uses Versatrans route-planning software to manage GRPS logistics and student transportation data. Additionally, the company is testing the use of Z-Pass student tracking within Kent ISD. Dean’s GRPS staff rolls out “Buster the Bus”
to teach kids about safety around the school bus, and the small robotic bus is frequently seen at school assemblies and community functions. Pat- rick said the company has also stepped up its an- ti-bullying training for students and is reinforcing district-wide bullying policies on school buses. And Dean drivers are required to undergo
training above and beyond what the state of Michigan mandates, taking courses throughout the year on behavior management, advanced defensive driving, passenger securement and emergency evacuation, to name a few. “Dean and GRPS are also working on cus-
tomer service training for all drivers, attendants, and supervisors focusing on student, parent, and district needs,” Patrick noted. l
TRANSPORTATION AT-A-GLANCE
• Contracting with Dean Transportation since 2005
• 157 route buses • 160 school bus drivers • 6,334 student riders
• 2.5 million miles traveled in 2012-2013
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