Today we started a brand spankin' new school year, and there is only ONE word (well actually several words including some cuss words which are woefully inappropriate for little ears to hear) to describe today, and that is DISASTER.
There have been alot of changes to our schools this year including a switch to a new K-5 configuration for 3 of our schools, new teachers, new routines, and new bus zones. They have divided up old routes and created all new routes based on the zones, taken kids off certain buses and totally confused them when it came right down to it this afternoon. They're also busing our pre-k babies (4-5 yr olds) from one school to another just to get them on the proper buses. We had crying kids, kids in the wrong school, kids who had no bus, and kids who were just stuck places with no one to help them.
I drove a bus that went to schools and picked up the "stragglers." These are the kids who missed their bus, got on the wrong bus, or had no other place to go.
I expect things will even out by tomorrow or even monday, but its going to be a headache until then.
****New Announcement**** I'd like to open this blog for reader/parent questions. If you have any questions on the process of being a school bus driver, on what its like to drive a school bus, or any bus for that matter, or if you'd like to just ask me a question, please feel free to submit them in the comment section after any blog post.
Presently all comments are moderated, so I can select those comments and respond back with a blog answer. This is until I get a blog specific email set up so people can submit their questions.
Popping Advil,
The Bus Driver
7 comments:
Sorry, Dude. I hear ya.
It's been crazy at the parent end of the first week, too.
i can only imagine Dr. Grumpy... we have parents here who have no clue about who/what/when/where their child should be.. etc... its insane!
I am so glad that I still have 3 weeks of summer. I hate the first day disasters. They happen everywhere. Good luck this coming week.
Looks like your school year is starting out like mine - YIKES! Hang in there, it's GOT to get better!
I imagine that's what Hell would be like for a bus driver. Every day another disaster, for the rest of eternity!
I really didn't need to read this. I'm dreading our start as we've moved 5th grade to the MS, separated our MS and HS into separate routes and consolidated ES routes. Only a couple of us will be driving some of the same kids we'd had for years. I really, really hope our first week goes better than yours!
Hang in there, the road will smooth out.
I think I'm going to feel your pain. Our schools start the 26th with kindergarten going full days either Monday/wed/every other friday or Tue/thur/every other friday. I KNOW many parents are going to get mixed up on which friday is their day and it will be us bus drivers who have to sort it out. Sigh, but I'm thankful to have the job!
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