(Lunch served)

Location: Frisco ISD – Transportation Stadium

Team registration and a written test required. All participating driver and attendant teams must download and complete the Roadeo Competition Knowledge Test before arriving at the event. Bring a copy of the completed test to turn in on site. Are you passionate about special needs transportation, growing as a professional, and networking with others who do what you do from across the nation? Then form a team and plan to participate in this event! The Roadeo Competition, presented by School Transportation News in partnership with wit. (Women in Transportation.), consists of driver-attendant teams. There is no pre-requisite to participate. All are welcome, whether or not you have participated in another driver-attendant competition in your state or district. The goal of this competition is to help you increase your knowledge of transporting students with special needs. 

Keynote Speaker: Patrick Mulick

Description: With the growing prevalence of autism, educators continue to be challenged with how to meet the unique and diverse needs of students on the autism spectrum. Helping this population find success at school, on the bus, and in life requires the supporting adults to shift their thinking that drives how they connect and support. Behavior specialist Patrick Mulick will dive into strategies that can help students with autism bring out the best of themselves every day.

Instructors: Denny Coughlin, Frank Gazeley, Launi Harden, Aaron Harris & Diandra Neugent

Location: Frisco ISD Transportation West

Description: Join student transportation experts in a classroom setting to review best practices for a successful emergency evacuation of students with disabilities and preschooler, followed by an exercise on a school bus that mimics a real-life route that is servicing students with various physical disabilities as well as younger riders. Complicating the exercise will then be the introduction of fake smoke on the bus to hinder the visibility of attendees as the practice evacuating the “children” during a fire. The instructors will time the participants on how quickly they can evacuate the bus. The seminar will provide instruction on the proper evacuation of students who ride in wheelchairs and who use various child safety restraint systems. Tools used by participants will include evacuation and fire blankets, belt cutters and more. Held offsite at Frisco ISD.  

Transportation & lunch provided.

Maximum of 32 participants (FULL)| Separate registration and fees required | Transportation & Lunch Provided 

• Jennifer Korinek
• Dana Rosen
• Amy Tiedens

Description: Positive behavior interventions and supports for students who ride the school bus: What is transportation’s role? How do we partner with others to create a safe environment? Understand how the IEP team plays a crucial role in PBIS. Chat with special education and transportation experts who have developed and implemented successful PBIS programs in the classroom and on the school bus. Gain information that you will be able to start using immediately in you district! 

• Gloria Corsino
• Terri A. Drca
• Rebecca Sykes

Description: Child advocacy first takes into account the individual needs of the child, not what’s best for transportation or even the parents. This requires a close working relationship between families, the transportation provider, and the child’s classroom teacher to develop goals for the child that are communicated to the IEP team. This discussion joins the parental perspective with that of transportation to ensure FAPE and LRE are attainable. 

Moderator: Alemnesh Allen

• Renee Dawson
• Kala M. Henkensiefken

Description: What are suspected disabilities versus those that are verified? Student transporters can hold the keys to helping special educators and therapists unlock services that children need to thrive simply via their interactions with them on the school bus. This session will explore how intervention services differ from and are similar to comparable services, such as IDEA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Panelists will discuss the use of social stories, equipment selection, collaboration, health care providers, and more. 

Feel free to explore nearby dining options or enjoy a meal at your convenience. We will reconvene at 1:45 p.m. for the next session.

Speaker:  Miriam A. Manary, BSE, MSE

Description: This session will use crash test footage and other illustrations to summarize the best practices in wheelchair transportation safety. Topics covered include securement of wheelchairs, applications of seat belt system to students in wheelchair, and strategies for handling extra equipment that accompanies the student onto the bus. The session will also highlight online resources and best practice documents that provide more in-depth information. 

• Alemnesh Allen
• William Tousley
• Lorena Valenzi

Description: Staff shortages and budget cuts are a part of life, right? It doesn’t have to be that way. Despite the ongoing challenges, the safety and reliability of student transportation cannot be compromised. This panel discussion will explore not only how student transporters can do more with less but how they can advocate for and innovate in their operations. 

Speaker:  Terri A. Drca

Description: Have you ever faced challenges with students struggling on the bus? Are you interested in strategies to minimize inappropriate or dangerous behaviors by supporting student self-regulation? In this session, we will explore: How various disabilities can impact student behavior; why students may engage in inappropriate behaviors while on the bus, and; what effective strategies you can implement to promote positive behavior. Join us to enhance your understanding and equip yourself with practical tools to support students in this environment.