COLD LAKE — Excitement and a few nervous smiles filled the sidewalks at Art Smith Aviation Academy last Thursday morning as Northern Lights Public Schools (NLPS) hosted its Meet the Bus program for new riders.
Bus driver Tiffany Bryks welcomed students at 9 a.m., giving them the chance to climb aboard a school bus, meet the driver, and go for a short loop ride. The goal was to help young students, especially those starting Kindergarten, gain confidence before the first day of school.
Bryks, who has been with Northern Lights for several years, said, “I have been driving, I believe this is my fifth year.” She explained that the program was all about making the bus less intimidating. “I do believe it's just to help young, nervous riders to understand that, hey, the bus isn't so scary.”
She reminded students and parents that the bus is a safe space. “The bus is here to get you from home to school and school back and it's safe and it's not scary.”
For many students, getting the chance to step inside the bus and go over the rules made a big difference. Bryks said the program helps both young children and older students who have never taken the bus before feel more comfortable and prepared for the ride to and from school.
During the session, students practiced finding seats, talked about bus safety, and even saw flashcards Bryks uses to help them remember rules. “Online, on the Northern Lights website, I do believe there's a paper that you can get and it has the rules of the bus and the expectations of the parents and the students all on it,” she explained. “I also run through my little flashcards for the kids and then the paper is given to the parents just in case.”
Bryks said for small children, the size of the bus and the presence of a tall driver can feel intimidating, making the first ride a little overwhelming.
However, students who start out scared often end up excited. “They’re more at ease. They're not scared to get on the bus,” she said, adding, “I've even seen some of the kids that were on ‘Meet the Bus’ that I've met last year that I've seen throughout town and they're like ‘oh it's the bus driver’ and they're all so happy to see me again, like it's so cute.”
