sible for administrative and support services while also retaining her executive director of transportation role. Support services includes food services, transportation and communications as well as any administrative func- tions that fall within operations. “My day-to-day job is still leading the transportation
department and providing those support functions as the deputy chief operations officer, so I am juggling multiple hats at this time,” Fleming said. “I always accept the challenges because it’s easy to become comfortable with what you’re doing. But when you’re always chal- lenged to do greater things, you can elevate yourself into greater things. I can’t imagine my day not being filled with various tasks that need to be done. It’s a daily grind and I appreciate every moment of it.” She added that her deputy chief responsibilities allow her to see how all functions intersect and, as a result, appreciate and understand the importance of facilities, food services and transportation.
Philadelphia is expansive, and the feeling of pride
and love easily stretches the 141 square miles. The city is known for its rich history, home to the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and numerous other American Revolution sites. However, it might be better known over the past several decades for the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps that Sylvester Stallone ran in the film “Rocky,” the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL, or maybe even Philly cheesesteaks (Pat’s is better). The City of Brotherly Love also exudes pride, as illustrated by a 6-foot-tall “LOVE” sculpture in red lettering that rests on a 7-foot base.
Regardless of what makes Philly special, (not to be con- fused with “The Philly Special” for football fans), Fleming said the people is what she loves the most. Philly is diverse, from the people to the food. It’s con-
sidered one of America’s most diverse cities, and that is reflected in the student population. “Students we serve are from a wide spectrum of
backgrounds. So, many students look like me, whom I’m responsible for providing service for, and again, that goes back to my commitment to the work knowing that not only students that look like me, but students of all walks of life, from all different ethnic backgrounds, from all different eco social standards,” she explained. “… It’s important for me to have a team that is diverse enough to relate to the different aspects of the students that we serve; I like having a well-rounded team because we all complement each other.” She noted that some members on her team are also
bilingual, which is vital to communicating with house- holds that speak one of 160 different languages. She added that the district also serves private religious schools as well as non-parochial private schools. It is also important for Fleming to connect with
Philadelphia’s large Muslim population, many of which that wear Hijabs like herself. However, other parts of the country might not be as understanding of Islamic culture. Fleming began her journey as a Muslim in 2006 and did not initially embrace the aspect of “covering.” “Eventually I overcame that struggle and began to cov-
er,” Fleming recalled. “And again in the School District of Philadelphia, because we have such diverse employees,
Before Pupil Transportation Prior to working for the School District of Philadelphia,
Teresa Fleming’s entry into the world of transporta- tion began in 1998 with global import-export logistics. She helped direct cargo ships through international waters and managed global logistics for railways and trucking companies. She has supported customers and suppliers looking to export and import goods to and from the U.S., and then shifted into third-party companies to help improve supply-chain logistics. Fleming has been in transportation for 25 years, just
in different components of it. “But I must admit that [student transportation] is the best, most rewarding transportation experience that I’ve had,” she said.
54 School Transportation News • NOVEMBER 2023
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