Message from Elisa Hanley, Pupil Transportation Branch Manager
It’s spring! Well, at least the calendar says it is. I hope everyone had a good winter and is ready to get over this last hurdle before school is out. Spring Break has passed and there are a few more weeks before school is out. You are doing great! Take a deep breath and keep pushing forward.
You never know what battle the other person is fighting. What everyone has gone through in the past several years has affected our mental health. Some of you are raising grandchildren, caring for sick family members, or being sick yourself.
If you need assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out to a co-worker, your supervisor, your director or even the Kentucky Department of Education if it is something we can help you with. If you see a co-worker struggling and you are uncomfortable talking to them, let your supervisor know so they can reach out.
Mental health is a serious issue and there is no shame in asking for help when you need it. We are a family. If needed, reach out to the Suicide and Crisis hotline at 988. Help is only a phone call away. They are available 24/7.
Thank you for all you do each day to keep our students and communities safe. Our students' education starts with you!
Message from Joe Shepherd
Seventeen trainees successfully completed the Driver Training Instructor Workshop that was held April 3-7 and became Certified School Bus Driver Training Instructors. There was a visitor from out-of-state who audited the class and was highly impressed with the quality of training and the professionalism of those who attended.
The Kentucky Department of Education would like to thank the directors for screening and sending such great trainees to the workshop. If you would like more information, please view the 2023 Driver Training Instructor Workshop information in this newsletter.
Director Training Class
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is hosting a training class for new directors on July 17-21 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. This 5-day day training class will be packed with important information, networking and knowledge sharing.
The class is limited to 40 people due to the size of the room. A finalized schedule will be sent prior to the start of the class.
All directors and superintendents are welcome, however, priority will be given to new directors and superintendents coming into the pupil transportation field after July 1, 2023. Six Effective Instructional Leadership Act (EILA) credits per day will be provided. To receive the credits, you must attend the whole class. Partial credit will not be available.
The mission of KDE's Pupil Transportation Branch is to help you navigate the knowledge and resources you need to run your operations smoothly. This class will encompass laws, regulations, policies and procedures, kindergarten and preschool transportation, McKinney Vento, special needs transportation, T-Codes, an overview of SEEK and records retention. In addition, directors will receive training on the school bus driver training instructor program and School Bus Inspector program. When you walk away from this training, you will be equipped with an overview of your responsibilities from the KDE perspective.
Register for the 2023-2024 Transportation Director Training online. For more information, please email Elisa Hanley or call (502) 564-5279, ext. 4406.
Transportation Forms Reminder
You can now begin submitting Certification of Transportation For Home Trips for Daily Pupils and Certification of Transportation For Home Trips for Resident Pupils at the Kentucky School for the Blind and Kentucky School for the Deaf. They are due by May 31.
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) is transitioning from paper forms to electronic submission via the SEEK Web Submission Form on KDE WebApps. Districts will be provided updated forms to maintain for audit purposes.
Training will be provided in April. Please email any questions to kdetransreports@education.ky.gov.
Note: The year-end Transportation Adjustment Form will be collected for FY2023 and will open at the end of May. Please visit KDE WebApps. Go to “Transportation Forms” and select “Transportation Adjustment EOY” and enter the data in this form.
The Vocational Transportation (VT-2 Form) submitted in the SEEK Web Application is due on June 30. Please visit KDE WebApps. Go to “Transportation Forms” and select “Vocational Transportation” and enter the data in this form.
Welcome Our Newest Consultant, Ron Fairchild!
We would like to welcome our newest consultant, Ron Fairchild.
Fairchild was the director of transportation for Johnson County for 20 years. He has been a school bus driver training instructor since 2003. His extensive knowledge and history regarding pupil transportation in Kentucky made him a great addition to the consultant team at KDE.
Fairchild will be working his way through Eastern Kentucky. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you need to reach your consultant. Welcome to the team, Ron! Glad to have you onboard!
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Mentors Needed
Are you a seasoned director that is willing to help guide other directors? Are you willing to attend training and be a resource? Your leadership and expertise are needed! Please register to become a transportation director mentor.
The Kentucky Department of Education will share your information with other directors that need assistance. You also will have a reserved space in meetings and trainings.
If you are willing to serve as a mentor or resource for new directors, Elisa Hanley or Joe Shepherd will contact you regarding the training classes. Thank you in advance for stepping up and making pupil transportation the best it can be!
KDE School Bus Driver Database Access
As part of an ongoing effort to improve data security, KDE is actively removing any district users (i.e. Directors and Driver Training Instructors) who are no longer employed by their district. Please review your list of district users in KDE's School Bus Driver Database and email Monica Napier to request a district user's access be removed.
Transferring School Bus Driver Records
There is a new process for transferring school bus driver records between districts. Going forward, districts will need to submit a request using the Transfer School Bus Driver Record Request Form. The required fields must be completed before KDE can properly transfer the school bus driver's record.
Upon submitting the form, KDE will automatically receive and review request, transfer the school bus driver's record and notify the requestor via telephone and/or email.
NOTE: This is only required if the school bus driver has previously driven for another school district in Kentucky. If he/she is a brand new driver, you can add them to KDE's Driver Database by clicking "Add Driver" and entering their information.
If you encounter any issues with the form or have any questions pertaining to this process, please email Mikala Ferguson or call (502) 564-5279, ext. 4451.
2024 School Bus Specification Changes
The School Bus Specification Committee met on Feb. 27 in Frankfort to make necessary changes to the school bus specifications for the 2023-2024 school year. The committee is made up of school district personnel, including superintendents, directors, school bus driver training instructors and school bus inspectors.
Please review the 2024 Kentucky Minimum Specifications for School Buses once they are released. It is imperative that technicians and directors review the changes each year and understand what is different and what can be retrofitted. The following are the top six changes:
- The in-service date of the chassis warranty will begin on either Aug. 15 or 10 days after the new inspection – whichever is later.
- The floor covering burn test was updated to match what is listed in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 302 (FMVSS 302), Flammability of Interior Materials.
- Interior lamps shall now turn on when emergency exits are opened and the key is in the ignition. The emergency alarm also is required to turn on when the emergency exits are open. This will allow the school bus driver to see what is happening and illuminate the bus in an emergency. This can be retrofitted.
- There will be new signage on the steps well riser, stating “Use Handrail” and “No Trespassing” that is contrasting in color.
- Removed the required location for a lift to allow additional seat configurations that can allow more students on the school bus.
- Re-added the “lollipop” lights as standard versus optional at the committee’s request.
Parts Inventory
All school bus facilities must have an inventory system for school bus parts. A continual inventory system will create inventory control, with parts entry and removal.
A director should be aware of the inventory ordered and used, the frequency of use and its cost. An annual fiscal inventory provides details for budgeting and assists with identifying pilferage.
Summer is coming and it is a great opportunity for districts to implement a process and complete the inventory. For more information, please email Carl Meehan or call (502) 564-5279, ext. 4442.
Car Seat Recalls
Each week, the Kentucky Department of Education receives recall notices for various items, with car seats being the number one item on the list, next to tires.
If your district uses car seats, please ensure you are doing a recall check at least two times per year. Make sure car seats also are registered so the manufacturer can notify you if a recall is issued.
SharePoint Errors
Staff at KDE have received numerous emails and phone calls from many of you regarding errors when trying to view the SharePoint website.
We are actively working to organize the SharePoint website to make it easier to navigate, so you may encounter a page where the URL has been changed. If you are using a bookmark, make sure to bookmark the Pupil Transportation SharePoint homepage. On the left hand side, you can then view the various pages. Each page is broken down by job role (i.e. director, school bus driver training instructor, school bus inspector, etc.).
Please also make sure to clear your cookies. See instructions below.
How to delete browser cache and cookies using Microsoft Edge
1. Click the menu button … > Settings.
2. Under Clear Browsing Data, click Choose What to Clear
3. Check Cookies, save the website and cached data and files, and click Clear.
How to delete browser cache and cookies using Google Chrome
1. Click the menu button
2. Click More Tools
3. Select Clear Browsing Data.
4. On the Clear Browsing Data window, select which time range you want to clear.
How to delete browser cache and cookies using Mozilla Firefox
1. Click the menu button ☰, then select Settings.
2. Select Privacy & Security, scroll to Cookies and Site Data, and then click Clear Data.
3. Check both Cookies and Site Data and Cached Web Content, and then click Clear
4. A confirmation box will appear. Click Clear Now to proceed
If you have any questions about where to find a SharePoint webpage, please feel free to email Mikala Ferguson or call (502) 564-5279, ext. 4451.
We asked and you answered!
For this newsletter, we asked districts the following question: "How do you keep your drivers engaged and focused while driving? With so many responsibilities and distractions, are there any tools you use or any success stories from drivers regarding this topic?"
"The most important tool is to always listen to your staff," said Kimberley Dukes, Director of Transportation at Muhlenberg County. We completely agree!
"We use positive reinforcement to show gratitude to our transportation staff, drivers and monitors," said Chip Jenkins, Warren County's Director of Transportation. "In our driver/monitor breakroom we have a large monitor that shows a slide show of drivers, students and other interesting photos of what all our folks are doing around the district, as well as recognizing everyone's birthday for that month. We tried to show everyone that we are a transportation family that is working hard in the district to provide a caring culture for each other and for our students.
"This is one of the tools we use to keep our drivers engaged that we are all doing an important part staying focused on what we do! Driving safely every day for our students!"
Years of Serve Recognition
By Dustin Roberts, Director of Transportation at Carlisle County
Mahlon Thomas has been driving a school bus since the fall of 1982 (41 years). If that isn't special in itself, he is a local living legend.
Thomas began driving a bus while teaching in the Carlisle County School District. He taught several subject areas and all grade levels. You won't find anyone that has been around Carlisle County for any amount of time that doesn't know "Mr. T."
Thomas was recently recognized at the 1st District Basketball Tournament for driving a bus for the basketball team for 40 years. Coaches, players and fans have come and gone, but he has been a mainstay for the basketball team, just as he has been for the district.
Thomas' kindness is far beyond that of most. He puts together scrapbooks for the senior basketball players each year as he collects news clippings and other memorabilia as their basketball careers progress through high school. He not only builds bonds and cares for kids, but he also creates memorial plaques for the adults in his life when they lose loved ones. That is just one gesture of kindness that comes to mind.
Any interaction with Thomas is uplifting and encouraging. He also is a very talented singer. He blesses each senior class with singing at graduation and you also will find him singing the National Anthem at a game when he is called upon to do so. Most importantly, Thomas is a man of God. He is called upon to lead prayer on many occasions and carries himself with the spirit of God shining through in all that he does.
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School Bus Driver Training Instructor Recognition
By Kimberly Dukes, Director of Transportation at Muhlenberg County
Tonita Browning has been with Muhlenberg County for 25 years! She started as a substitute school bus driver in the late 1990s, then as full-time route driver. She also has been a school bus driver training instructor since 2005, a CPR instructor for 15 years and has been our secretary as well for the past 6 years.
Browning wears many hats here at Muhlenberg County and we are so grateful for her!
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School Bus Driver Above & Beyond Recognition
 By Kimberly Dukes, Director of Transportation at Muhlenberg County
Rachel Embry, one of Muhlenberg County's school bus drivers, recently stopped to pick up students on a very cold, dark morning. She had her stop arm out and just as the student was getting ready to cross the road to board, a car came flying down the road and ran the stop arm.
As soon as she saw the driver, Embry laid down on the horn, catching the attention of the child's grandfather. The grandfather immediately pulled the student back just in time, as the car just barely missed the student. If it hadn't been for Embry doing her job correctly and paying close attention to keep the student out of harm’s way, the circumstances would of been very different.
Thankfully, the district was able to catch the individual with Embry's help, along with the on-board stop arm camera and a school resource officer. Rachel Embry is always willing to go above and beyond to help whenever needed.
School Bus Inspector Recognition
By Chip Jenkins, Director of Transportation at Warren County
Alan Blythe is Warren County's school bus/vehicle maintenance manager. He started his career in the district in December 1998.
Blythe has served many roles over the 25 years, including as a school bus driver, technician, school bus driver training manager and now in his current role. He has the compassion and the desire to keep students safe and the fleet running efficiently.
Blythe has assisted the Kentucky Department of Education through various committees over the years and is currently on the School Bus Specification Mechanical Subcommittee.
Warren County is the fourth-largest school district in Kentucky, with a large fleet of 240 plus buses and district vehicles. Blythe has invested the bigger part of his life into the safe transportation of students and staff. He has a vested interest, having four sons, three which are triplets enrolled in the school district.
Blythe is a man of integrity and is focused on doing the right thing every time by keeping the fleet operating at its best!
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