February is Love the Bus Month, a monthlong celebration created by the American School Bus Council to honor the contributions of drivers, attendants and all transportation personnel to public education.
This is a chance to get to know some of PCPS' outstanding transportation employees; we've been introducing them to you all month long!
Thank you, PCPS transportation employees, for all you do to put Students First!
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Profile: Karla Santamaria, PCPS bus attendant
Our last (but certainly not least) profile for Love the Bus Month is Karla Santamaria.
Karla is in college and planning to become a teacher. She became a bus attendant as a way of getting more experience with students.
Karla says she enjoys her job because every day is different. The students make her laugh, and even if it's just a few minutes, she's able to have important interactions with the children.
Generally, the students are quiet in the morning, but on the way home from school they are excited to talk to her about their day. Karla always listens because she knows her students are counting on her.
Karla takes pride in making sure students are safe, in their seats, wearing their face coverings and maintaining social distancing. Her work as a bus attendant has given her new perspective on the relationship between how students behave and the challenges they're facing in their lives.
She feels confident her experience as a bus attendant will be helpful when she becomes a teacher. Thank you, Karla!