The National Association for Pupil Transportation sent two surveys to members that seek feecback on how national training developed two years ago in partnership with the U.S. Department of Education’s Safe and Supportive Schools is being used to negate bullying on the school bus.
The program is administered by NAPT and the Office of Safe and Healthy Students, at the time named the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, and was spearheaded by Deputy Administrator Kevin Jennings, himself a victim of bullying on the school bus and in classrooms and playgrounds as a youngster. Before leaving the Department of Education two years ago, he oversaw the bullying incidence and response training for school bus drivers, which is offered free of charge nationwide.
The first module, titled “See Something. Do Something: Intervening in Bullying Behavior,” will teach drivers what does and does not constitute bullying, how to respond to the behavior on or around the bus, and specific strategies for addressing and reporting bullying as it occurs. The second, “Creating a Supportive Bus Climate: Preventing Bullying,” focuses on building mutual respect on the school bus. The training encourages drivers to consider what a supportive bus climate looks like and how it prevents bullying and to learn and commit to perform simple, concrete strategies to build positive relationships on the school bus.
Both modules include a step-by-step trainer’s guide, a PowerPoint presentation, handouts for driver activities, palm cards for drivers and posters that can be displayed in the transportation department or throughout the school system to reinforce the messages.
NAPT seeks the responses to the separate surveys on “See Something. Do Something.” and “Creating a Supportive Bus Climate” by June 26.
