By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
School safety starts long before class begins and continues well after dismissal for many students in the Union City System.
With the beginning of another new school year, bus protocols and regulations for the more than 600 students transported to the three UC Schools campuses each day have been a point of emphasis for administrators and teachers.
It has become an annual practice for Union City Schools.
Nelson Youngblood, one of 19 certified system drivers and a teacher at Union City Elementary School, is spending this week and next stressing basic rules for every student in Pre-K through the fourth grade at UCES.
Youngblood’s annual safety course checklist encompasses everything from how to board and exit the bus, the proper way to sit, and general overall conduct. Students are made aware of all bus features, including the numerous exits and where and how to cross in front of the vehicle.
Instruction comes in the most simplistic form, and students are encouraged to ask questions.
“It’s essentially a continuation of the classroom,” UC Schools Director of Transportation Chuck Reedy said. “The kids have rules and regulations in school, and it is the same in bus transportation.
“We’re really just trying to be proactive. We have a tremendous group of drivers who truly care about our kids and keeping them safe. In many instances, the bus driver’s face is the first face a kid sees in the morning, and the calming effect of knowing they’re in a safe place can be the springboard to a great day.”
UCS runs 12 routes in the morning and afternoon, the longest of which takes around 50 minutes to complete, according to Reedy.