RENO, Nev. — Department culture is one of the most important aspects of keeping staff on the payroll, especially amid a school bus driver shortage. Two sessions at STN EXPO Reno took a deep dive into how districts can implement some culture-related principles.
Panelist Rosalynn Vann-Jackson, the chief support officer at Broken Arrow Public Schools in Oklahoma and NAPT Region 4 director, commenced the “So, You Want to Become a Transportation Supervisor?” session on July 13 by saying she would never ask her to staff to do something she is not willing to do herself. She explained that what leaders do reflects the impact and influence they will have on the people around them, regardless of their position or title.
“What can you in your position do to change the culture?” she asked attendees.
Vann-Jackson noted some top strategies to employ when becoming a supervisor. Finding ways to improve oneself was one of them, along with rooting every decision with what best benefits the students, and staying curious as there is always an opportunity to learn more. She advised attendees to have a vision of what they want their department to look like, how it should function, and the steps it will take to get there.
She noted that in any operation, people view the work environment as one of three things: A job, a career or a calling. Most people in school transportation, she said, take the job because it’s a calling, which is why cultivating and building relationships with one’s team is important.
Ways to build and foster relationships, she said, can consist of creating recognition systems for departments, building a winning team focused on trust and support, and strong district leadership and customer service.
Vann-Jackson noted that transportation professionals are in the service industry. Without kids on the bus, no one in the room has a job. What we influence, she added, will be seen by others and is a reflection of the district as a whole.
Meanwhile, panel moderator Alexandra Robinson, an industry consultant and expert witness, advised that transportation departments should understand that how they present themselves as educators matter. She explained that student transporters don’t necessarily need to wear work uniforms, but she advised setting standards on appropriate attire, especially for school bus drivers who are the face of the district in the community.
She added that even the term “bus barn” can be demeaning. Instead, transportation operations should opt for the word terminal. Even substituting school bus driver for pupil transportation specialist goes a long way when communicating the service to the public.
“Are there pictures on your district website of school buses and drivers driving?” she asked attendees when discussing how the school district represents transportation.
Plus, she said, it’s important to have transportation representatives at back-to-school or parent conference nights. In addition to being visible to parents, attendance can be a recruiting tactic.
Robinson noted the difference between leaders and managers. Leaders balance the good with the bad, she said, whereas managers are solely focused on getting things done. For example, a leader who requires their staff to work on a Saturday will also come in to not only set a positive example but to be a part of the team. A manager, however comes in on Saturday if at all to see make sure everyone else shows up to do their work.
“My goal of being a leader is to create other leaders,” Robinson said, adding that she enjoys seeing other people succeed. “Everything I bring to the table is different than everyone else.”
She said being a leader is knowing who to turn to when you yourself don’t know the answer. Plus, Robinson added, sometimes situations simply aren’t treatable. For instance, if you as a transportation leader is not willing to put your own child on a school bus with a certain driver, then that driver shouldn’t be on the staff at all.
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Meanwhile, Robinson moderated the July 14 panel discussion “Making an Impact in and for Transportation with Diversity” with Vann-Jackson alongside Maritza Valentin, the national account manager for AMF-Bruns of America and the NAPT affiliate director; Anthony Shields, director of transportation for San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District in Texas; and Marlon Watson, executive director of transportation for Johnston County Public Schools in North Carolina and the immediate past-president of the North Carolina Pupil Transportation Association.
The session defined diversity. The “what” refers to the mission or what’s trying to be accomplished. Equity is the “who,” or people involved in the mission, and the “how” is the different forms of thoughts and inclusionary practices.
Robinson asked attendees if they work with people in their operation who look like the students being transported. For example, if a high number of Hispanic students are riding the bus, some of the bus drivers should also represent that community.
Watson said he implemented an interview panel in his district that consists of three people, as opposed to just one, to get rid of unconscious biases. Vann-Jackson added that society will never achieve true equality but that shouldn’t stop society from trying.
“How are people going to know how we feel if we don’t tell them?” she asked attendees, adding that she used to put up boundaries as a defense mechanism instead of telling people how she feels.
Shields said he was viewed as the “young kid” and was on the receiving end of many biases. One of those was the perception that he was too immature to be a director. He observed that employers often won’t know how their employees are feeling unless they ask. He said his district doesn’t believe in the, “You can’t do that because you’ve only been here for a year” mentality.
“We’re in the field of education, we owe it to ourselves to experience those things,” he said.
Vann-Jackson added that in addition to speaking up for oneself, employees should speak up for their teammates, too. If you hear something that doesn’t align with your district culture or goals, speak up, she advised.
The audience and panel spoke of today’s many challenges, such as students who want to be identified by different pronouns and names. Shields said his district ran into situations where bus drivers didn’t know how to react in certain situations. Shields responded by offering sensitivity training to his entire department.
Valentin noted that AMF Bruns also offers monthly sensitivity training that focuses on various topics. She asked if an employee talks about a student in a negative way, are they also bad-mouthing their coworkers?
Watson added that Johnston County has a bus driver advisory group that meets once a month to talk about things that are working, and things that need to be improved upon. Additionally, a transportation advisory group meets weekly to receive feedback from school district administrators.
Robinson concluded by saying that championing diversity is not just about hearing people but truly listening to what they are saying. She said the industry as a whole could do a better job of intentional listening.
