or needs other support, are there employee assistance programs in the district? Is counseling needed? Is there a culture where a bus driver could talk to an administra- tor or a support person and say, ‘I’m struggling’ and they don’t have to feel like they’d be judged or lose their job? What if one bus driver observes another bus driver who’s struggling with something? Is there a referral process, a culture where it’s acceptable to talk to others about it?” School bus drivers may feel as mental health profes-
sionals do in that they are the one who are supposed to be helping other people, yet cannot find time to take care of themselves, Woitaszewski said. “If we’re not in a good space ourselves, we can actu-
ally do harm,” he shared. “In the worst case, we may not notice what a child might be saying or thinking because we’re not taking care of ourselves. There may be chal- lenges with ‘care for the caregiver’ cultures in schools, but it’s something that should be addressed.” Marisa Weisinger, the executive director of the Texas
Association for Pupil Transportation, commented that any time a traumatic event happens at a school, the school bus drivers are also encouraged to avail themselves of counsel- ing offered to those affected by the incident. “[School districts] don’t expect drivers to go to the counselor. They put the counselors right there in the
department and set up an office for them where they can privately talk,” she relayed. “That’s something that is immediately handled by the school district and provided at the department at the school for everybody affected.” Matthew Thomas, director of transportation for Gar-
den Grove Unified School District in Southern California, noted that those working for the district are requesting active shooter training, which it plans to institute soon. “We’re a very large department with seven entrances or
exits. I believe in training and just being vigilant. Where schools have active shooter training, it’s probably smart to do it also in the transportation department,” added Thomas, who also serves as the president of the California Association of School Transportation Officials (CASTO). It’s a concern that is being added to dealing with the
ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as a shortage of drivers, Thomas pointed out, adding that the school bus drivers also serve as civil defense workers in neighborhood evacuations due to natural disasters. ●
As the 2022-2023 school year kicks off in school districts nationwide, transportation directors share how they navigate parental concerns. Read the
article at
stnonline.com/go/d2.
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