Riding a school bus can feel like a big step for young students—and at Bayfield Primary School, staff are making sure that step is a safe and confident one.
Last week, students at Bayfield Primary participated in a hands-on bus safety presentation designed to help them understand expectations for riding the bus, whether it’s for daily transportation or an occasional field trip. The program brought learning out of the classroom and onto real buses, giving every grade level a chance to practice and ask questions in a familiar, supportive setting.
Transportation Director Jeff Whitmore—known to many students as “Mr. Pancakes”—joined drivers Ms. Paula and Mr. Travis in bringing buses directly to the school. Classes took turns loading onto the bus to review safety rules and routines, and students also practiced an evacuation drill through the back of the bus.
“The purpose of this presentation was to make sure all students understand bus rules,” said Bayfield Primary Dean of Students Savannah Baird. “At some point, every child will ride the bus, and we want them to feel confident and safe when they do.”
Baird is currently creating a slideshow using photos from the day’s activities so teachers can continue reinforcing bus safety expectations throughout the school year. The long-term goal, she said, is to make the program an annual event.
From Whitmore’s perspective, the training helps bridge an important transition for young riders.
“Before they get on a school bus, they are buckled in and in car seats, and then they get on a school bus,” Whitmore explained. “It’s important they understand how buses work and why the rules matter.”
Whitmore emphasized that school buses are designed with safety in mind. Federal and state laws require specific construction standards, including padded, high-backed seats and proper spacing.
“If you’re sitting in a seat and looking forward, you are in a very safe environment,” he said. “The seats and the bus are constructed to keep students very safe. Colorado actually has more stringent laws than many other states when it comes to bus construction.”
During the presentation, students reviewed key bus rules: listening to the driver immediately, keeping hands and feet to themselves, watching noise levels, and not eating on the bus.
“All of those things are related to safety considerations,” Whitmore said. “From distracting the driver to choking hazards.”
Rather than simply telling students the rules, drivers encouraged discussion and questions.
“We did question and answer and even let them explain—like, ‘Why do you think you aren’t allowed to eat on the bus?’” Whitmore said.
Students also learned about emergency procedures. Bayfield School District conducts bus evacuations twice each year—once through the front door and once through the back—to prepare students and drivers for rare but serious situations.
“We teach that evacuations happen when it is safer to be outside the bus than it is inside,” Whitmore explained.
Both Baird and Whitmore see the program as an important step in building lifelong safety habits.
“We’re going to do this every fall,” Whitmore said, “and try to have bus safety training with our primary and intermediate school kids.”
By combining hands-on practice, familiar faces, and clear expectations, Bayfield Primary School’s bus safety program helps ensure students start each ride knowing what to do—and knowing they’re in safe hands.
