NCSD Transportation Driven By Student Connection

 

Give most Hollywood movie or television directors a multiple choice test on how they'd cast a school bus driver on screen, and the answers would likely look like:  
        (A) A grumpy grumbler who demands silence at all times, 
        (B) A bossy braketapper who keeps kids in line with just one intimidating look, or 
        (C) A worrywort who won't wait one extra second for a student late to the bus stop.

Perhaps those directors should visit North Clackamas, where the answer would surely be (D) None of the above.  

Just ask the hundreds of NCSD students who ride the bus to and from school each day, like Linwood Elementary kindergartener Averie Cooksey. "I love riding the bus!" exclaimed the friendly five-year-old. "My bus driver always says good morning, and I get to sit with my friends.”

When it comes to kindness, Linwood second graders Arina Prozapas, Tina Vorobchuk, and Isabel Villalta said their bus driver also passes the test with flying colors. “Our bus driver is always kind and makes us feel welcome,” said Arina.

NCSD bus drivers know they're often the brightest part of a student's morning and afternoon-- a realization they take very seriously, with each going above and beyond in their own unique ways to create meaningful connections with students to help them feel welcome, safe, and cared for on every route.   

“I give myself two weeks to remember every student’s name,” explained Patrick Martin, now in his sixth year driving for NCSD and whose current routes include students from Bilquist and Alder Creek. “I also try to remember their parents’ names and even their pet’s names. It’s about building that connection.”

Martin knows those connections leave lasting impacts. When filling in on a colleague's route near the end of a previous school year, he noticed a student misbehaving, but chose not to escalate the situation as he kept all kids safe. Coincidentally, that same student was on Martin’s regular route the following year. Over time, Martin worked to build trust and rapport with the rider, which certainly paid dividends in June. On the last day of school, the student gave Martin a fist bump and told him, “You’re the best driver ever!”

Fellow NCSD driver Frank Hedrick, now retired after seven years with the Transportation Department, tells a similar story. Even in retirement, he continues to drive for special occasion trips and make connections with students of all ages.

“I make eye contact with every student as they get on the bus and say hello. A quick joke always helps bring a smile,” he said with a laugh.

Hedrick also pays close attention to any subtle changes in students' behavior or mood over time. “You see them every day, so you get a pretty good sense of who’s who and what’s going on,” he pointed out. “The bus can become like a little community.”

One memory sticks with him about a young girl on his route who seemed withdrawn from her peers. Hedrick always made a point to engage her with small gestures, like telling jokes. Years later, the same girl surprised him with a heartfelt thank-you. “She said, ‘You’re the only reason I came to school,’” Hedrick shared. “It’s moments like that that remind you how important this job really is. You never know what students are going through.”

Martin and Hedrick both treat their school bus as a safe place to build connections where students can truly feel seen and heard. As a result, it's no coincidence they've both earned the Oregon Pupil Transportation Association's "Bus Driver of the Year" award in separate years. Only three NCSD drivers have earned this prestigious honor.

“I just love what I do," said Martin as he explained his mindset, shared by all of NCSD's 130+ bus drivers. "I give it 110%, and I think it shows.”

It certainly shows on the smiling faces of Martin's riders, and on the hundreds more who hop aboard NCSD buses each morning and afternoon.