Making a difference: LPS bus drivers play important role in student wellbeing

October 9, 2024

Adam Woockman was waiting in his school bus one afternoon when Norwood Park students left the side door of the building for a scheduled fire drill.
 
As they walked past the bus, they spotted Woockman and waved to him with excitement.
 
“Hi, Mr. Adam,” they said as Woockman responded to them by their first names.
 
The scene illustrated the important role that Woockman plays in the lives of hundreds of Lincoln Public Schools students. As a bus driver, he transports children at Dawes Middle School and Norwood Park Elementary School to and from school and home each morning and afternoon. He also drives students on field trips to places such as Pioneers Park and Lincoln Children’s Zoo, and he ensures high school musicians, athletes and actors safely arrive at softball games, show choir festivals and other activities.
 
Woockman has driven the same daily LPS routes in the northern part of town since 2019. He said it has been fulfilling to work with students during that time.
 
“I enjoy getting to know the kids,” Woockman said. “I want to make sure it’s a positive experience for them. Greeting them by name, giving them a nice, positive, encouraging environment on the bus so they have a good ride to school and a good ride home. Those are the things I enjoy about it for sure.”

 
LPS Director of Transportation Phil Skorupa said Woockman and other bus drivers are key members of the LPS family. He said the LPS Transportation Department considers the bus as an extension of the classroom, and drivers like Woockman are the first and last school employees students see each day. That gives them the opportunity to make a positive impact on their lives.
 
“They set the tone oftentimes for their students and help get them prepared for a day of learning,” Skorupa said. “They also provide a valuable service for students who need it, to get them to school safely.”
 
Woockman was helping his daughter get on the bus to attend preschool at Arnold Elementary School five years ago when he struck up a conversation with the driver. They discovered that their families had mutual acquaintances, and Woockman began asking questions about what it was like to operate a bus. The driver’s answers convinced him that it would be a good career opportunity.
 
“He had nothing but positive things to say, and it really helped that the schedule lined up with being home with the kids in the summer,” Woockman said. “I thought, ‘You know, I should do this,’ so I applied and got the job, and the rest is history.”
 
Skorupa said Woockman’s decision has paid big dividends for the students he serves. He encouraged other people to explore the career during the Transportation Interview Day on Monday, Oct. 14. The event will run from 12:30-4 p.m. at Culler Middle School.
 
“It is vitally important that we have dedicated professionals who come to work every day, ready to take on the important job of getting kids to school,” Skorupa said. “Kids are out there waiting for the bus, and without bus drivers, that doesn’t happen. We appreciate all of our staff who embrace this important role.”
 
Woockman completed the LPS training program and began helping students at both Norwood Park and Dawes. He soon learned the names of every rider on his two routes, and he formed friendships with teachers, paraeducators and other staff members at both buildings. He also started picking up additional hours with his work for field trips and school activities.
 
Woockman said it has been important to operate the same routes each year. Having that continuous presence has helped establish trust and respect among students on his 84-passenger vehicle. It has also set the stage for dozens of positive moments as they grow older.

 
Woockman has had many experiences where he has met a former Norwood Park or Dawes student while driving a bus for an activity. Earlier this fall, he took members of the North Star High School marching band to a Saturday competition in Waverly. Three of the Gators in the band rode on Woockman’s bus when they went to Dawes, and they told him how their families were doing and what they liked about high school.
 
“I’ll remember them, and they’ll remember me,” Woockman said. “It’s really cool just to make that connection. They might have left the school, but I’ll make that connection with them somewhere else. It’s pretty fun.”
 
Woockman said his primary focus is to treat every one of his riders exactly how he would treat his own children.
 
“If I display that to them, display joy in all circumstances, then they’re going to respond to that in a very positive way,” Woockman said. “They’re going to know throughout the years that I’m someone who cared about them, that they have someone they know who showed them kindness and cared about their life in a genuine way.
 
“If they can look back and say, ‘Oh, he was a great person to me,’ and then if they ask why is that, I can say, ‘Well, I cared about you guys.’ That’s the goal. That’s what it’s all about to me.”

Interested in joining our transportation team? We invite you to our next Transportation Interview Day on Oct. 14. Learn more about this opportunity on our website at https://bit.ly/3XKwpxC.  

You can also explore more LPS job opportunities at https://home.lps.org/hr/careers.
 
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