2006 17
th
Annual Training Meeting Preliminary Agenda
Lake Yale Baptist Assembly
Eustis, Florida
March 27 - March 30, 2006
“Lest We Forget---Safety First”
Monday, March 27, 2006
9:00 - Noon
Registration (Fellowship Hall)
Noon - 1:15 p.m.
Lunch, Introduction, Welcome, and Invocation (Dining Room)
Presenters: Ms. Anna Cowin, Superintendent, Lake District Schools; Mr. James Polk,
Transportation Supervisor, Lake District Schools; Ms. Kay Kanupp, Program Specialist,
Department of Education; Ms. Julie Wammack, Program Specialist, Department of
Education; and Mr. Herman Carter, Senior Program Specialist, Department of
Education
Lunch in the dining room will be preceded by a welcome from the Superintendent
and Assistant Superintendent of the host district.
1:30 - 2:45 p.m.
Gary Linton (Activities Wing - Room 330)
Presenters: Mr. Gary Linton, Gary Linton, Inc.; and Mr. Ronnie McCallister,
Director of Operations, Department of Education
Mr. Linton will inspire and motivate us to do better things in our business and
personal lives.
2:45 - 3:15 p.m.
Break
3:15 - 4:30 p.m.
Positive Media Coverage: How you can be a positive force! (Activities Wing - Room
330)
Presenter: Ms. Sharon Arnold, Training Specialist, Polk District Schools
This session will cover the advantages and disadvantages of dealing proactively with
the media. There is a protocol that needs to be followed by every district when
discussing school bus issues with the press.
5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Dinner (Dining Room) For those participants staying on campus.
7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social (Fellowship Hall)
This is the time we meet and greet our newcomers and our neighbors we haven’t
seen in a while. It is an opportunity to learn what is happening in the other districts
and to share new ideas with each other. Assorted card and board games and
movies are also available. This is for all participants.
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Tuesday, March 28, 2006
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8:30 - 9:30 a.m.
Hire Smart - Recruitment, Retention, and Training (Activities Wing - Room 330)
Presenters: Ms. Cherrie Beardsley, Safety Specialist, Atlantic Express; and Mr. David
Roy, Training Specialist, Laidlaw Transportation, Duval District Schools
This session will focus on various recruitment strategies, interviewing and selecting
the best candidates, legal issues associated with recruitment, the importance of
orientation, how training can be used to weed out potential problems, and tips on
retaining employees.
9:30 - 9:45 a.m.
Break
9:45 - 10:45 a.m.
Monitoring Visits - What Can The District Expect From the Department?
(Activities Wing - Room 330)
Presenter: Ronnie H. McCallister, Assistant Director of Transportation
This session will answer questions concerning the monitoring process in which all
districts are required by law to participate. What is the actual process and why all
the paperwork? Is it really needed?
10:45 a.m. - Noon
Participants may choose one of the following sessions, which will be repeated once.
These sessions will be limited to 80 participants per session. Sign-up sheets will be
posted outside each classroom.
Evacuating Students with Special Needs (Activities Wing - Room 345-347)
Presenter: Ms. Jean Zimmerman, Supervisor of Occupational and Physical Therapy,
Palm Beach District Schools
Have YOU ever helped to take a student in a wheelchair out the back emergency
door of the bus? This session will give an overview of how to correctly handle
students with special needs during evacuations. Correct lifting and dragging
procedures, as well as how to get a child in a wheelchair out the back door, will be
demonstrated.
Weather and School Buses (Activities Wing - Room 341-343)
Presenters: Mr. George Francey, Operator Safety & Training Specialist, Pinellas
District Schools; and Ms. Lisa Buygi, Operator/Trainer, Laidlaw, Duval District
Schools
What to do if the weather takes a turn for the worse and the operator still has a full
bus load of students. What have we learned from the hurricanes we have
encountered over the past two years?
Crashes, Automated Online Accident Reporting, Hazardous Walking (Activities
Wing - Room 340-342)
Presenter: Mr. Herman Carter, Senior Program Specialist, Department of Education
Information on the new automated systems for accident reporting, hazardous walking,
and the yearly Profiles document. Mr. Carter will update everyone on these valuable
programs and the generated reports that are available for school districts.
Noon - 1:00 p.m.
Lunch
1:00 - 2:15 p.m.
Repeat Concurrent Sessions (please choose one of the sessions from above)
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Tuesday, March 28, 2006 (continued)
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2:15 - 2:45 p.m.
Break
2:45 - 4:00 p.m.
Operation Lifesaver (Activities Wing - Room 330)
Presenters: Ms. Cherrie Beardsley, Safety Specialist, Atlantic Express, Duval District
Schools; and Mr. Dave Geraci, Florida Operation Lifesaver
This session will focus on railroad grade crossing safety, emphasizing the
responsibilities of school bus operators. The presentation includes a new 15-minute
training video (released in October 2005), a formal presentation, and a question and
answer session. Operation Lifesaver is a nationwide, non-profit public awareness
program dedicated to ending collisions, fatalities, and injuries at highway-railroad
grade crossings and on railroad property.
6:00 p.m. -
Dinner On Your Own in the Eustis Area (No dinner for lodgers this night.)
7:30 p.m. - until
Movies in the Activities Wing - Mr. Herman Carter
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Wednesday, March 29, 2006
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8:30 - 9:30 a.m.
GPS Tracking: What Is It; An Asset or a Tell-all? (Activities Wing - Room 330)
Presenters: Ms. Barbara Shaw, Operations Director, and Ms. Barb Matteson,
Sarasota District Schools
Sarasota County School District embarked on a new adventure this year. It
implemented the Automated Vehicle Location (AVL)/Global Positioning (GPS)
tracking system. The ride has been bumpy, but very exciting. It’s also using Radio
Frequency Identification (RFID) student tracking cards. District staff will share
some of their discoveries and successes with you.
9:30 am - 10:35
Understanding and Identifying Sexual Predators: A Seminar for Educators
a.m.
(Activities Wing - Room 330)
Presenters: Dr. Duanne Dobbert, Associate Professor, Criminal Forensic Studies, and
Ms. Sharon Thomas, Safety/Training Specialist, Collier District Schools
Dr. Duane Dobbert is a nationally recognized expert on sexual predators, and a 35
year Criminal Justice Professional, serving in clinical, corrections, administrative,
training, and consulting capacities.
10:35 - 10:45 a.m.
Break
10:45 a.m. - Noon
Participants may choose one of the following sessions, which will be repeated once.
These sessions will be limited to 80 participants in any one session. Sign-up sheets will
be posted outside each classroom.
Hurricanes----What a Difference??????????? (Activities Wing - Room 340-342)
Presenters: Ms. Cherrie Beardsley, Safety Specialist, Atlantic Express, and Mr. David
Roy, Training Specialist, Laidlaw Transportation, Duval District Schools
The last two years have been a real trial with the major hurricanes that have passed
through our state. This session will help you assess how prepared you are and will
outline the lessons that district folks have learned.
Spanish for Transportation (Activities Wing - Room 345-347)
Presenter: Ms. Mayra Santiago, Operator/Trainer, Alachua District Schools
The demand for different languages is becoming a challenge more and more in the
bus environment. Every operator and attendant on the bus working daily with
students can benefit from having at least a basic background in Spanish for
Spanish-speaking riders.
Defensive Driving (Activities Wing - Room 341-343)
Presenter: Ms. Nena Garrett, Safety Specialist, Lee District Schools
This session provides an update on the latest defensive driving techniques and new
traffic laws that every operator should be aware of while operating the bus.
Noon - 1:00 p.m.
Lunch
1:00 - 2:15 p.m.
Repeat Concurrent Sessions (please choose one of the following sessions from
above)
Wednesday, March 29, 2006 (continued)
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2:15 - 2:30 p.m.
Break
New School Bus Watch Program - Student Transportation Security (Activities
Wing - Room 330)
Presenter: American Trucking Association
Homeland security is not just a big city issue. School bus operators must do their
2:30 - 4:30 p.m.
part to minimize threats to our most vulnerable citizens, the students on their buses.
This new module for school bus operators will be delivered by the American
Trucking Association. Every school bus operator should be trained in this
program. They are the ears and eyes of the nation, because they know what
happens on their routes on a daily basis. This program will discuss what measures
to take to identify and report suspicious activity.
6:00 p.m.
Dinner (Dining Room) For those participants staying on campus.
7:00 - ???
Karaoke Night - Movie Night with Popcorn (Fellowship Hall and Activities Wing)
The Karaoke music will be in the Fellowship Hall starting at 7:00 pm, and movies
will continue in the Activities Wing with excellent popcorn by Herman. Those
persons staying off campus are welcome to attend.
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Thursday, March 30, 2006
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8:30 - 9:45 a.m.
The Latest and Greatest From the Department of Education (Activities Wing -
Room 330)
Presenter: Mr. Charlie Hood, Director, School Transportation, Department of Education
Mr. Hood will provide updates and on current and upcoming transportation issues
and regulations at the state and national level. Please come prepared to ask questions
and make suggestions on how state and national agencies and associations can best
meet your needs.
9:45 - 10:00 a.m.
Break
10:00 a.m. - Noon
New Training Curriculum: Transporting Students with Special Needs (Activities
Wing - Room 330)
Presenters: Shirley Higgins, Consultant (with over 30 years of transportation
experience!); Marlene Buettner, Special Needs Transportation Specialist, Palm Beach
District Schools; and Julie Wammack, Special Needs Transportation Specialist;
Department of Education
The new training curriculum for Transporting Students with Special Needs will be
introduced. The module on “Managing the School Bus Environment” will be
presented by members of the FAPT ESE Standards Committee.
Noon - 1:00 p.m.
LUNCH
1:00 - 1:30 p.m.
Session Wrap-up and Presentation of Workshop Certificates (Dining Room)
Presenters: Mr. Herman Carter, Program Specialist, Department of Education;
Ms. Kay Kanupp, Program Specialist, Department of Education; and Ms. Julie
Wammack, Program Specialist; Department of Education
Before starting on the road for home, plan to attend this wrap-up session that will
provide participants with a recap of the week’s activities, addresses and phone
numbers of the presenters, and workshop certificates.
All districts are asked to bring door prizes, three from each district if possible, which
will be given away daily.
Anyone wishing to participate in any of the above mentioned activities or with ideas to
share, please notify Kay Kanupp, Herman Carter, or Julie Wammack. Thank you.
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