Dr. Steven Sroka opened the STN EXPO on Sunday, which also included several panels of student transportation professionals sharing their experience and answering attendee questions.
Sroka’s inspiring general session touched on the evolution of the power one individual has to change the world, and the power of many that help him or her realize their goals.
Thomas Cohn, Charlie Ott, and Cindy Steigerwald are transportation directors from Montana, California, and Washington, respectively, who shared their experiences with planning for and implementing lap-shoulder seat belts in school buses, and addressed audience questions as well as concerns.
Another panel included Steigerwald, Jeff Cassell of the School Bus Safety Company, Ryan Hahn of North Clackamas School District in and Michael Shields of Salem-Kaiser Public Schools, both in Oregon. They answered questions generated by attendees on how to find and train bus drivers who remain at their jobs and do good work.
Lastly, School Transportation News Editor-in-Chief Ryan Gray moderated a panel in which McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistant Act expert Barbara Duffield, Amanda Essex of the National Conference of State Legislatures, National Association of State Directors of Special Education President Glenna Gallo, and NASDPTS Executive Director Charlie Hood, discussed issues the school transporters should be considering and publicizing in discussions about school choice, to get the industry’s perspective inserted in them.
