Another wave of student transporters earned the Special Needs Transportation (SNT) endorsement from the National Association of Pupil Transportation.
With this latest round, there are currently 75 SNT recipients. In order, they are:
- Kenny Mulder, CDPT, director of transportation with Special School District in Olivette, Mo. (70)
- Katherine Oetker, special needs transportation specialist with Cook Illinois Corporation in Waukegan, Ill. (71)
- Kala Henkensiefken, transportation coordinator with Brainerd ISD 181 in Brainerd, Minn. (72)
- Diane Stewart, supervisor with Virginia Beach City Public Schools in Virginia Beach, Va. (73)
- Sharon Pierluissi, regional director with Lakeside Transportation/Cook Illinois Corp. in Waukegan, Ill. (74)
- Barbara Rizzo, director of transportation with Peotone CUSD 207U in Peotone, Ill. (75)
The NAPT Special Needs Transportation Training Program provides numerous opportunities for transportation personnel serving students with disabilities to access educational opportunities at both local and national conferences and to gain national recognition for their efforts. A complete list of the program elements is available at naptonline.org.
The program has a core curriculum that consists of six special needs courses in a variety of different settings, including a school bus roadeo and a trade show of school transportation products and services. The core curriculum is supplemented by two courses of elective instruction from the NAPT Professional Development Series (PDS) Program. The syllabus for the core curriculum has been specifically designed to increase an individual’s specific knowledge about transporting students with disabilities.
