In my professional career I have taken on various roles and responsibilities. Working in a small school often required me to juggle multiple hats at once. None of them have satisfied me more than being Director of Transportation.  When I retired, I thought that the stress of starting a new school year would be behind me. But now, I find myself missing this time of the year. Only someone who has sat in the director's chair can truly understand this feeling.

After a relaxing summer (filled with end-of-year reports, tracking down delayed bus deliveries, worrying about driver shortages, ensuring bus readiness for the new year, working with special needs families for transportation arrangements, fielding parent inquiries about their bus routes and addressing other administrative tasks, etc. etc. etc.), returning to a regular schedule is a welcome relief. When I say regular I mean getting up at 4:00 a.m. to check the roads and getting home after the last bus pulls on the lot at 5:00 p.m.

The anticipation and excitement of a fresh start as people return for a new year is invigorating. There's nothing quite like it. So savor this feeling and make it an excellent school year!

Dr. Terry Tippin, STAI Executive Director