[September 15, 2011] Bus driver sings praises of safety Tweet Sep 15, 2011 (The Telegraph - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- SOUTH ROXANA -- A singing bus driver set the tone for a student assembly, offering ballads as a way to educate the youngsters about school bus safety. David Winfree, a five-year driving veteran with the Roxana School District, sang about the importance of following safety rules and being respectful. He asked the students to sign a safety pledge. To upbeat music, Winfree sang, "I look into the mirror and I smile ..... ride my bus if you please but don't disturb the peace ..... I just keep my cool." The kids starting clapping immediately and began moving to the rhythm the moment he burst into song. "I liked hearing the songs about bus drivers," fourth-grader Jarret Smiley said. "I learned a lot about bus safety and what to do if there was a fire." Winfree divided his program into two sections, meeting with the younger students at 9 a.m. and the older ones at 10 a.m. so he could better tailor his program to his audience. He urged the older students to be mindful of serving as role models for the younger students. "Bus Driver Dave" emphasized that the top priority for every school bus driver is to get the students to school safely, so they can do well in the classroom, and then back home again. "We need strong role models on a school bus," South Roxana Elementary School Principal Keri Mueller said. "Dave has done a dynamic job on this presentation." Winfree said the training he received through the district inspired him to develop a program to assist students in getting along with their bus driver, and vice versa. "I wanted to find some way to help the (students) remember the rules on the bus," he said. "Four years ago, I started writing songs and making a disc for bus drivers so that we would have our music." The songs' lyrics have been written to reinforce the safety rules and to encourage bus drivers to start each day fresh, setting a positive tone for the day. "The kids are learning, and sometimes adults forget that they may need a second or third chance," Winfree said. "I wanted to get the bus drivers involved and get the kids involved, too." A keystone of his program is the School Bus Safety Pledge, anticipating that it could be used to educate students nationwide: "Respect for others is a must; I will be safe while on the bus!" Winfree hopes to start a nonprofit organization to expand his program into other districts throughout the country. He envisions one of his songs, "Get Excited, It's the School Bus," being played on the radio around the start of the school year to alert drivers that the buses are back on the roads. Winfree also said he is looking for grants to help him get wider distribution for his songs. He said he is available to conduct school bus safety assemblies for any school at no charge. Winfree may be contacted by email at [email protected]. "I'm even trying to write a book on how to police the school buses like a Neighborhood Watch program, so parents know what questions to ask their children," he said. "There are warning signs that if parents knew what steps to take, they could get some results, and drivers could benefit from target training so problems don't escalate." Motivated by his desire to raise awareness on bus safety, Winfree also hopes to set up a blog and website to allow both parents and drivers to interact and solve problems. "I look forward to doing what I can to make a difference, starting with the School Bus Safety Assemblies," he said. "You have different districts cutting down on their routes, adding other kids to the buses. You have kids who don't normally ride together going on, so the kids really need (this program) now." [email protected] ___ (c)2011 The Telegraph (Alton, Ill.) Visit The Telegraph (Alton, Ill.) at www.thetelegraph.com Distributed by MCT Information Services [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]