Student Transportation Services of Brant Haldimand Norfolk experiencing shortage of school bus drivers
Shortage causing delays in scheduled services, interested individuals encouraged to apply
Student Transportation Services of Brant Haldimand Norfolk (STSBHN) is advising that a shortage of school bus drivers is affecting school bus operations in the Counties of Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk as well as the City of Brantford. Similar to many school boards across Ontario, the shortage is impacting some schools and families through delays in scheduled services.
STSBHN is working with the three local bus companies to try to minimize the impact on students by splitting routes and re-assigning stops.
Parents are encouraged to sign up for delay and cancellation notifications on the STSBHN parent portal (transinfobhn.ca) or download the Delays app (supported by Apple and Android devices, visit stsbhn.ca/faqs for “how to” information). A list of bus delays is also posted daily on the STSBHN website.
“We appreciate the close to 400 caring professional school bus drivers who service our community and support the education sector; they are the backbone of the services we provide.” says Philip Kuckyt, Manager of Transportation Services for STSBHN. “We hear from our drivers about how school bus driving is a challenging, rewarding and fulfilling part-time career in protecting the safety of our students and getting them to school ready to learn. Our families appreciate and rely on our school bus drivers to deliver their children to and from school safely.”
Kuckyt acknowledges that he and his staff are aware of the impact this driver shortage is having on families and appreciates everyone’s patience and understanding during this challenging time.
The bus driver shortage is currently impacting all parts of the region, and STSBHN is working to support the recruitment of new drivers. Interested applicants are encouraged to contact the following bus companies to see if becoming a professional school bus driver is a good fit for them:
- First Student Canada: 905-648-1386
- Sharp Bus Lines, Brantford: 519-751-3434
- Sharp Bus Lines, Simcoe: 519-426-0050
- Voyago Transportation: 519-787-2202
STSBHN is a transportation consortium providing home to school transportation services to students of the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board, Grand Erie District School Board and Conseil Scholaire Catholique MonAvenir.
For additional information, please contact:
Philip Kuckyt
Manager of Transportation Services
515-751-7532
Grand Opening of the Snoezelen Room
Elgin Avenue Public School welcomed staff, students and community to the Grand Opening of the Snoezelen Room on Tuesday, Sept. 22.
On hand for this special occasion was Chair of the Board Carol Ann Sloat, Trustee Rita Collver and Superintendent Liana Thompson as well as several members of the community that contributed to the fundraising, and Elgin staff members.
Allie Richardson (teacher of students with autism), Lori Minarik (EA working with students with autism) and Samantha Nicholson (Principal) worked together for over three and a half years to fundraise for this $30,000 project. The Elgin community, parents, local charities and the Grand Erie District School Board all came together to make this project a huge success.
A Snoezelen Room is a multi-sensory environment that provides a controlled, safe, relaxing space for individuals with a variety of sensory needs. The room is set up to give individuals a positive space where they can meet their specific needs in a calming atmosphere. This atmosphere helps in reducing fear, anxieties, repetitive behaviour, self-abusive behaviour and aggressive behaviour so that students are better able to learn. Students at Elgin in both self-contained classes and in the regular classes will be able to access the room to help meet their sensory needs.
According to Seth, a student who accesses the room daily, “It is the best room ever!!!”