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Training At
NISD Transportation
The Northside Independent
School District Transportation Department is dedicated to providing
preservice, inservice as well as on-the-job training and regular
safety meetings for all of our personnel. Our schedule provides
continuous, year-around preservice and inservice training for
our 750+ drivers and assistants.
Preservice Training
For All Drivers
Preservice training for newly hired drivers begins with their
Commercial Driver's License-School Bus (CDL-S) training (15 to 20 hours)
taught by an experienced NISD CDL Trainer before our new hires
are ready to drive. Each preservice driver must complete a Texas
CDL written test as well as a on-the-road skills test
conducted by a Texas Department of Public Safety evaluator. Each
new driver must also complete the National
Safety Council's Defensive
Driving course (6 hours) during their first 90 days on
duty along with Student Management class (6 hours) followed
by a Policies and Procedures class (6 hours). During the
first few weeks the new driver must also complete the American
Heart Association's FACTS training for First Aid and CPR certification
(6 hours). Drivers during their first ninety (90) days of
initial employment must also complete the Crisis Prevention Course (12 hours). During the first
90 days drivers must also complete the School Bus Certification
Course (20 hours) required by the Texas Department of Public
Safety.
Preservice Training
For All Bus Assistants
Newly hired bus assistants take preservice training in Student
Management (6 hours) and Policies and Procedures (6 hours).
They must complete the American
Heart Association's FACTS training for First Aid and CPR certification
(6 hours).
Bus Assistants are primarily on special needs buses so they must
complete during their oreservice training both a Introduction
To Special Needs (6 hours) and a Lift
Bus Procedures (6 hours) course.
Bus assistants during their first ninety (90) days of initial
employment must also complete a Crisis Prevention Course (12 hours) that is taught within our
Department.
Inservice
Training for Regular Bus Drivers
Every two years every driver (regular or special needs) must
complete a recertification class for the American
Heart Association's FACTS course which includes First Aid
and CPR (6 hours). Every two years every driver must also
take a Crisis Prevention Refresher Course (6 hours) taught by
Departmental trainerrs.Within those same two years every driver also must
complete a refresher course in Student Management (3 hours).
Inservice
Training for Special Needs Drivers,
Lift Bus
Drivers or Substitute Drivers
Every two years every driver (special needs, lift or substitute
drivers) must complete a recertification class for
First Aid and CPR (American Heart Association FACTS course).
They must also take every two years the Crisis Prevention Refresher Course (6 hours). Within
those same two years every driver also must complete a Student
Management Refresher Course (3 hours). Special needs and lift
bus drivers are required to attend every year a Mass Evacuation
Training Exercise (6 hours). Included in this annual exercise
is a careful on-the-job review of special needs inservice course
content and lift bus procedures in which each Special Needs Driver
Team must demonstrate proficiency to maintain their job assignment.
Inservice
Training for Bus Assistants
Every two years each bus assistant (regular or substitute)
must complete a recertification class in the American
Heart Association FACTS course (6 hours). Also every two
years bns assistants take the Crisis Prevention Refresher Course (6 hours). Within those same two years every bus assistant
also must complete a Student Management three (3) hour refresher
inservice training course. Special needs assistants with their
Driver Team member are required to attend every year the Mass
Evacuation Training Exercise (6 hours) that is a careful on-the-job
review of special needs inservice course content and lift bus
procedures which they must demonstrate proficiency in to maintain
their job positions. The Mass Evacuation Training Exercise is
to fulfill Texas State statuatory requirement that school bus
drivers and assistants practice bus evacuations for their students.
Instead of practicing with students with disabilities who are
already physically and/or mentally challenged we use mannequins
during the exercises to avoid possible injury to any students
.
Monthly
Safety Meetings for All Bus Personnel
One hour monthly Safety Meetings are required
for all bus personnel to attend. Meetings are presented for at
least 7 months of the 9 month school year. Safety meetings held
at each Transportation facility cover bus safety issues, personnel
safety, student safety and other related topics. Presentatons
at each meeting are made by each Station Manager, the
NISD Training and Safety Officer and others including the
Director or Assistant
Director of Transportation, the Special
Education Transportation Coordinator and others.
Beginning-Of-The-Year
Orientation Meetings
The week before the first day of the school year
calendar is filled with Orientation meetings to provide new information
to experienced drivers and assistants and to assist newly-hired
personnel to better understand the complexity of our Transportation
Department. That week also provides time for all personnel to
take inservice training to maintain their certifications in Crisis Prevention, Student Management, Policies and Procedures,
Introduction To Special Needs, Lift Bus Procedures, FACTS
(First Aid and CPR). Regular drivers and special needs
driver teams are provided bus routes and student lists. Bus routes
for regular buses include the appropriate bus stop locations and
those students names who are expected to board there. Special
Needs routes include much more specific student-by-student information
for curb-to-curb service. Every driver or driver team runs their
route with their assigned bus before they take on students during
the first day of classes. Specail needs driver teams meet the
new parents to discuss the special handling required for their
child who is assigned to that special needs bus route.
For More Information
About Transportation Department Training...
Please email Don Weaver, Training and Safety Specialist in
the NISD Transportation Department.
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