Florence Unified School District #1
September 2011 Board Report
Mark Lamas, Director of Transportation and Support Services
Transportation Highlights
Recognition
The Outback Steakhouse is back on board! Our monthly certificate for the Outback
Steakhouse which has been donated to FUSD Transportation by store manager Kevin
Boyd will be given monthly to a deserving team member for above and beyond
performance and putting kids first.
This month Jeff Fisher one of our Mechanics was recognized with this award. Jeff is one
of our “go to guys” he not only takes great pride and patience in the maintenance of
our fleet but will do all of the other things in between with a smile. Jeff enjoys the mix up
of driving a route, and the opportunity to interact with kids and site staff and
administration. He always steps up to various duties with a smile and we APPRECIATE
him! Congratulations Jeff.
Safety Meeting
The first safety meeting of our school year was held on Wednesday August 24. All
Transportation Staff Members were in attendance when we presented our “Back to
Basics” Theme reviewing the things that we do every day! Drivers engaged in great
discussions about various circumstances including Railroad Crossings, Student Stops,
Field Trip Etiquette, and what to do in an emergency. It was a great kick off to our
Safety Meeting Schedule. The Q&A included great examples of situations that
everyone can benefit from each other’s expertise; participation was positive and
thorough, and the time ran out before the questions and comments did. Our Trainer
Chuck Van Fossen prepared a Power Point presentation for all to review after the fact
as a future resource. What a great encounter for all.
During the meeting we also spent time congratulating our team for a start like no other
and offered our thanks for their attention to detail and their true care for the safety and
care of our kids. Keep up the great work.
Magma Ranch Safety Patrol
We would like to pay recognition to our Magma Ranch K8 Safety Patrol Crew! A group
of selected students at Magma Ranch assist in facilitating order and safety during the
loading of busses at dismissal each day. They are positive, respectful to their peers and
our drivers, and very effective in assisting drivers during the loading of busses at
dismissal. Thank you Safety Patrol!
After School Routes are in Full Swing
We are definitely in full swing with our student activities, sports trips, and full day
transportation. In addition to our regular dismissal routes we are happy to report that
an additional 32 routes are being serviced daily to afford our kids the opportunity to
participate! The routes are defined, bus passes are being distributed and used
effectively and everyone is getting home in a timely manner. Behavior has been
complimented and drivers have been completely supported by our site administrators.
In addition to after school routes we are working closely with K8 Athletic Directors to
perfect the transportation schedule for our K8 athletic games line up. These game
times back up closely to several of our dismissals and are carefully being assigned to
ensure timely arrival for all of our K8 athletes.
High School Rider Stickers
This year we rolled out with an added check for our High School Student Riders. In
addition to presenting their school ID when boarding the bus they have also been
given a ridership sticker that reflects the route number in which they are assigned. This
will help us to make certain everyone is in the right place and will assist us in planning as
routes become full and require additions. Everyone has been working hard to produce
accurate ridership lists and stickers have been distributed to all eligible High School bus
riders.
Transfinder
Our families continue to use Transfinder as a tool for transportation information. During
the month of August over 600 people took advantage of this community resource.
Updates are processed frequently to insure that the most up to date route information is
available.
Microburst Storm
On the afternoon of August 18, 2011 our fleet was in the process of returning students
home from district schools when the Johnson Ranch, San Tan Valley area faced quite a
storm. I would like to thank and recognize the entire team for their safety conscious
efforts in facing delays in excess of 3 hours while waiting for a safety clearance to
proceed with kids. Special recognition goes out to bus 82, PBHS Swimmers, and Richard
Steelman Bus Driver for their calm and patient demeanor during the emergency which
landed power lines on our school bus. The incident although long and tedious came
out great due to the combined efforts of staff, students, and community emergency
services.
Facility Highlights
Work Orders
Maintenance Staff completed 824 work orders for the month of August. Nice work and
great effort from all maintenance staff.
Storm Damage
The microburst storms which occurred on August 18, 2011 came with some damage to
our district. We have worked closely with specialty vendors, specialty district staff and
The Trust to process a timely transition of repair and reporting for these disturbances.
We have been timely and efficient in our efforts and all locations are almost back to
normal for kids and staff. I would like to offer special thanks to our Grounds Crew who
worked late into the night to make sure damage was cleaned up and schools were
ready for kids the next morning. They conducted various tasks to support the return of
our kids tirelessly.
Light Pole
The light pole at Florence High School will be scheduled for complete installation in the
next few weeks. We have one more cure test to complete. Upon receipt of that
certification it will be installed and in working order.
Awnings
We have purchased shade awnings for both of our High School Campuses to provide
shade for students during their lunch periods. The awning at our PBHS location will
cover a large portion of the outdoor lunch break area.
Energy Savings
Our diligence has paid off! We recently met with Sue Pierce our Energy Savings
Consultant to review the results of our usage. I am happy to report that overall we
have improved our savings by an average of 15%. Thanks to all who contributed to this
savings. Our site administration for enforcement, our faculty and staff for being mindful
of turning things off in classrooms and on campus, our HVAC Representatives for
adjustments to temperatures during our down time, and to our custodial and
maintenance staff for regular maintenance to insure efficiency.
Custodial and Grounds Work Ongoing