It's amazing what a whistle will do to bring order to a bus load of rowdy grade schoolers. We are beginning to have an understanding. I drove a sports trip today for the JV soccer team. I got home before it got too hot.
Now I am going to get carryout Chinese food...ah gotta love the weekend!
This is going to be one long year. I spoke too soon in that although I don't work a lot of hours I work my tail off while I am there.
The second day of school the grade school put two of my kids on the wrong buses. One kid knew where he lived so the driver took him home. My other kid wasn't so lucky. The 2-way at work was jammed as we now contract out some of our schools, so these drivers along with ours, adds up to 11 grade schools, plus special ed, plus DLL (dual language kids) were either calling dispatch via phone or radio...so you figure if even each school puts just one wrong kid on a bus all hell breaks loose.
I had a freaking out mother on my hands...and the driver that had my kid...she just called her bus number to base over and over, and of course base is swamped. All she had to do is say that she had my kid. I said the kid's name over the radio at least 3 times. Anyway that little guy now smiles at me and says "i am here rose!!"
So on Thursday I feel like I got the crap beat out of me.
Friday was better...one of early childhood mom's even made sure she changed her kid's stinky pants BEFORE he got on my bus...much nicer ride that way.
BUT today, again, parents who don't want to follow the rules. One of mine thinks I should go in her court because her daughter naps and she doesn't want to walk out to meet the bus with her 4 year old (this is my early childhood midday). She tells me that some one at base said it was ok for me to go in there. I check ... NAH! she's just telling me what she wishes. My midday is pretty ok, though I have a great monitor, and great little kids...all boys! 7 take home then I go back and take in 8.
Plus I get Wednesdays off...so I am off from 9:00 am until 2:30!
Today, I get to my last stop and I have an extra kid...ISH!! This kid has speech problems, plus he's ready to start bawling. I look in his backpack for his full name. NOPE just his speech homework with his first name. This kid is only in 1st gradeand NOTHING is labeled! He also doesn't know where he lives.
So I learn from last time trying to get a call into base I say, after 3 tries "I HAVE AN EXTRA KID!" They tell me where he goes and I pull to his house and ask who's watching him...his sister. Sis comes out and didn't even know the kid was late! WOW!
Parents PLEASE label your kids, if they can't speak clearly or God forbid they get scared and can't tell an adult!
But on the lighter note my grade school kids really like praise so I am doing that and they are really behaving for me, except for a couple who think they can change seats while I am driving...which is a Bus driver Rose's no -- no.
I am going to rest...at least tomorrow is Wednesday....
I'll get used to the madness...
I WILL get used to the madness...
I will! I will!
I am off, the first two days of school where truly, truly, and I mean truly a big mess.
I am really going to earn my pay this year with the grade school group that I have! But with all kids, I know how to whip them into line!
Gonna enjoy the rest of the weekend!
Tomorrow is the first day of school and it is a FULL day. We did our Mock School day on Monday. All went well, I only made one wrong turn..and stayed pretty much on schedule. But it will be very different with human children on the bus!
I have a early childhood midday. Meaning I have children that are 3 and 4 years old and a monitor. Yesterday I called all my parents to let them know the drop off times and pickup times. The other 1/2 of their day will be filled in by a contracted service. This service DID NOT call the parents yet. I already had a screaming parent call the co-op. I talked to the father and he's still mad but not a me. I can see this will only be the beginning of the problems. Because our school district has grown so fast we had to contract out some schools and some routes...which means we have little control over the situation. I am hoping things get ironed out quickly.
At least I have a three day weekend to recover!
Hey all I am still bus number 30. Yesterday was bidding day. The bidding of routes was supposed to start at 9:30, but because of some late postings of routes which is against our contract we had to wait for our Union rep to come in. Actually I was at work until about 2:30 in the afternoon. I stayed with my neice who got a job as a monitor...moral support. I got a very nice route package though. Our district has changed all the start times of the schools. And it worked out that I got two of my favorite schools again, a junior high, and a grade school, BUT NO HIGH SCHOOL!! Don't get me wrong I love the high school kids, but the way this route works out I don't have to be at work until 7:00 so on the way to work I can drop Liz off at school and still make in time to pretrip my bus. In the warm weather I don't mind my kid walking the mile or so to school, but Northern Illinois winters can be long and cold. I will be done in the am at about 8:45 with no break in between routes which to me is awesome, because I won't have to waste time sitting around at Base. Then I go back in the afternoon at 2:45 instead of 1:45 like last year. I'll be done at 4:00, all this no matter how much the actually hours are adds up to 6 hours because we are guarenteed 6 hours. I will be doing a midday kindergarten route though, which I will bid on tomorrow. I am hoping to get another really close school to my house so I can go home during the lapse in time. I am sure it will work out that way, because we have all 11 grade schools to bus. That adds up to A LOT of routes.
Our district got so big so quickly that we had to sub contract out 4 schools, but we get to keep the kindergarten middays...so I'll still get 8 hours a day pay.
Gotta love that!
Good old 30 has some new seats and is all waxed and shiny inside. I drove my routes today and they seem to be ok, with the exception of one of the stops there are no sidewalks, which the computer did not know this when the route was set up. This poses a danger to the kids while they are waiting to get picked up.
Those darn computers, can't think for themselves!!
More on the midway tomorrow.
Today is the first day of my week off. And I looked at next weeks schedule and if I play it right with my bidding/dry running my new route and all I should have the Tuesday and Friday and most of Wednesday off. HEE HAW!
I did get up with my hubby at 5:00, and had a head full of 'too much fan blowing in my face' so I took a cold pill and laid down on the couch and slept until 8:00 that was even after drinking a cup of coffee. So far today I've been to the store, and it's 11:00am.
So my plans are to clean this house. Too much dust, dirt and the usually stuff that gathers in the house in the summer when the windows are open all the time. Oh yeah of course the cat hair...never a day without cat hair.
But since I have so much time I am going to pace myself, why be in a hurry when I have such an awesomely quiet and peaceful week all to myself!
I AM DONE!! I am now off for 1 whole wonderful week. I cleaned out my bus, fueled it, turned in all my paperwork, including time card and now I am free.
Last night I had my refresher class...it lasted nearly 2 hours. Every required state run class that I have had to go to beginning with the 8 hour one has has some sort of problem with it. We are never to be late or we get locked out...so my 8 hour class the instructor shows up 45 minutes late wearing no shoes, last years refresher same teacher didn't show up at all! This year, they called this guy in at the last minute and he starts the class 10 minutes early...at least I was early!!
Ok gang, next week they will have routes posted so I will let you know how it goes.
MEAN WHILE...I AM FINALLY OFF !!!!!
