Appreciation Week

Tennessee School Bus Driver Appreciation  Week
Observed the third full week in October each year

WHEREAS, every month of the school year, in darkness and daylight, bitter cold and brutal heat, Tennessee's school bus drivers travel thousands upon thousands of miles on everything from dirt paths to multi-lane highways to deliver our precious school students to their places of learning and then home again; and

WHEREAS, the breadth and scope of that responsibility is great and the hours are difficult; and

WHEREAS, the position of a school bus driver requires tremendous responsibility; they have to maneuver through traffic regardless of road conditions while maintaining the conduct of the children on the bus and are looked upon for leadership and life-saving decision-making in the event of an emergency; and

WHEREAS, America's 480,000 school buses comprise the largest mass transportation fleet in the country, two and one half times the size of all other forms of mass transportation – transit, intercity buses, commercial airlines, and rail– combined; and

WHEREAS, Tennessee's school districts often encompass large geographic areas, necessitating extensive use of school buses to transport students; and

WHEREAS, each school day, approximately 581,000 public school students and their parents rely on dependable school bus service, which a school district provides either directly or through a contract with a local transportation company; and

WHEREAS, there are over 14,000 licensed school bus drivers in this state, operating 9,000 registered school buses; and

WHEREAS, school bus drivers deliver their young passengers safely to class and extracurricular activities in both fair and foul weather; and

WHEREAS, school bus drivers safely transport students from before sunrise until after sunset, making every reasonable effort to maintain their schedules; and

WHEREAS, the National Safety Council has documented the far smaller number of accidents and fatalities per capita on buses than in automobiles; and

WHEREAS, school bus drivers may also be an important aid in the fight against terrorism; they are able to observe any suspicious activity or people along their bus route and communicate that information to the proper authorities; and

WHEREAS, Tennessee's school bus drivers are dedicated to performing their duties in a safe and courteous manner; and

BE IT RESOLVED, we wish to set aside the third full week in October to honor Tennessee's outstanding school bus drivers for the vital role they play in assuring that students arrive safely and promptly at their destinations each day.

 

 

 

Some Suggestions for Activities During
Tennessee School Bus Driver Appreciation Week

School districts throughout Tennessee will be planning various activities to say thank you to their transportation personnel. All are encouraged to remember to thank a bus driver during this week for their diligence in keeping Tennessee's bus riders safe each day.  Here are a few suggested activities:

Have students create posters thanking bus drivers.

Have students make thank-you cards to hand to bus drivers.

Have students participate in a poetry-writing contest to honor school bus drivers.

Send press releases to local newspapers announcing Tennessee School Bus Driver Appreciation Week.

Place a large, thank-you banner on the side of the campus access road.

Have a breakfast or luncheon for bus drivers.

Make thank-you announcements over transportation departments' radio systems.

Make thank-you announcements over the schools' public address systems.

Leave a thank-you letter on each bus.

Have a school assembly to emphasize school-bus safety and to recognize school bus drivers.

Leave a "goodie bag" on each bus to recognize Tennessee School Bus Driver Appreciation Week. (See below.)

 

 

Suggested "Goodie Bag" as suggested by Michelle W.

This afternoon when I got to the school to clock in to drive my school bus, each of the drivers had a "goodie bag" waiting for them for School Bus Driver Appreciation Week. This was also given to all the Teachers today as well. I hope it will inspire you to do something nice for the teachers and bus drivers in your child's life.

Teachers Appreciation Week/School Bus Driver Appreciation Week Survival Kit

Peanuts because of all the goobers you have to put up with!

M & M's because news is out, you're one of the best teachers/bus drivers a "round"!

Chips because when the chips are down...you always come through.

Crackers because you're a "cracker" jack teacher/bus driver.

Milky Way because you're out of this world!

Put it all in a brown paper bag, decorated or not, and attach the list to the bag. You can add pictures/clip art to emphasis the peanuts, M&Ms, chips, crackers and Milky Way bars.

**Note** you can use Cracker Jacks in place of a small pack of crackers if you like.

 

 

Suggestions from Carolyn Yvonne Owens, Assistant Transportation Manager,
Metro Action Commission Head Start.

1. Create a poem from your heart, to let every driver know what they mean to you and put it in a 4"x6" magnetic frame to be placed on their refrigerator. bus, etc.

2. Take a picture of each driver, place it in a foldable 4"x6" cardboard frame. On the front of the cardboard paste printed labels: "World's Best Bus Driver."   On the left side of the inside, glue a small poem (which you made above).

3. Make small snack bags: chips, drink. popcorn, and gum and give to each driver.

 

 

We Welcome Your Ideas

If you have additional items to add to the list above, or if you have samples of materials your school district is using, we'd love to be able to share them on the TAPT web site.  We also welcome photographs of events that you hold during Tennessee School Bus Driver Appreciation Week.  Please e-mail to Charlie Myers, TAPT webmaster by clicking here. Thank you!