Bus Drivers Steer Students in Positive Directions

 

After 30 years as a flight medic, Glen Sharp certainly thought he was ready for the rest and relaxation of retirement.  But once the youngest of his three children graduated from North Clackamas, he decided to steer his quiet retirement life in a new direction.

“I had read that the school district was looking for bus drivers, and my wife was getting tired of me sitting in the house,” he laughs.  “So I decided, what the heck?  I’m a smart guy; I could probably learn how to do that.”

Not only did Sharp soak in all the knowledge that comes with NCSD’s multiweek training program, he now excitedly reports for duty every morning before 6:00, runs routine safety checks on his bus (which he decorates with student artwork near his driver’s seat), and then waves to coworkers while heading out on his first of two morning routes delivering NCSD students safely to school.

Asked what he loves most about his newly found second career, and his answer is pretty simple: “I love the kids.  I mean, sure, sometimes you have some rowdy ones, but if you just talk to them and get to know them a little bit, you find that they’re pretty cool.”

Sharp’s youngest passengers think “Mr. Glen” is pretty cool too.  “He’s really funny and he puts you in a good mood,” says Sojourner fourth grader Cole Roberts.  “Like one morning Mr. Glen stopped me as I was getting on the bus and said, ‘That’ll be 32 dollars please.’  That really made me smile.”