Keynote Speaker: Betsey Helfrich

Description: In this fast-paced presentation, special education attorney Betsey Helfrich, will examine school transportation from a legal perspective.  From a review of recent case law to current hot-topics, this presentation will dive into the legalities of the transportation of students with disabilities.  From aides on buses to sharing information with the transportation department, this presentation will include practical tips that you need to know to minimize liability and keep students safe.

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 | Separate registration and fees required | Transportation & Lunch Provided 

Speaker: Christy Schiller

Description: Research shows that transporting students is among the highest risk opportunities for sexual abuse and misconduct, and students with disabilities are more likely to be targeted.  A single incident of this nature can be catastrophic for students, families, your organization, and the community. This session will address how abuse happens, current trends and best practices for mitigating this risk with updated policies, training on boundaries and red-flag behaviors, and supervision strategies. 

Praesidium
Praesidium’s mission is “to help you protect those in your care from abuse and to help preserve trust in your organization.” Praesidium is a national leader in abuse risk management and has worked with organizations across industries in the United States and other countries to help them prevent sexual abuse of children and vulnerable adults, prevent false allegations of abuse, and to manage reputational risk.

Moderator: Arnold Byrd, Sales Enablement Specialist

Panelists: 

• LoWanda Bowman-Brown
• Lisa Sawyer
• Kecia Ling
• Sandy Dillman 

Description: Transporting students with special needs is of critical importance to all school districts. It also presents unique challenges. Join us for an engaging panel discussion on effectively transporting students with special needs. This session will explore best practices and tools designed to ensure the safe and efficient transportation of special needs students. Our panelists will address key challenges such as route planning, accessibility, communication with families, and collaboration with special education teams.

During the discussion, you’ll gain practical knowledge on how technology can aid in day-to-day planning, what specific features and capabilities you should be seeking in your solutions, and how to address specialty requirements.

Learn how to create a supportive environment that meets every student’s unique needs and creates a seamless, safe transition from home to school.

• Alemnesh Allen
• Dana Rosen
• Kala M. Henkensiefken

Description: Transporting special needs students can be a challenge at any district big or small and can be a very sensitive subject. Additionally, in many cases it can be 50% of your budget or more. How can you get the most out of your special needs buses, drivers and aides while still cutting costs? What are the right services and software available and how can you avoid the pitfalls of the angry parent looking out for their special needs child? 

Moderator: Sue Shutrump

Panelist:

• Laura Beth Blankenship
• Angie McDonald
• Kenny Mulder

Description: There are many considerations to be made when transporting students with medical needs. This entails securing medical equipment on the bus, working with school nurses and aides, even school bus driver training to administer medication. It can all be daunting, especially as needs become more complex. This discussion will center on what student transporters need to know about child IEPs and how they can better collaborate and communicate with various partners in nursing and therapeutic services to ensure the level of care necessary is being provided safely for child, other students on board, and the school bus driver/aide. 

Moderator: Alex Robinson

Panelists:

• David Johnson
• William Tousley
• Lorena Valenzi

Descriptions: The correct fit for a driver for students with disabilities is more than just a “good hire.”  In this time of labor and driver shortages, especially in the field of education, this session will explore how are expectations can be met at the same time as student needs.  Join this panel of experts as we discuss creative ways to ensure our drivers are truly an extension of the classroom. 

• Megan Elsberry
• Teena Mitchell
• Anthony Shields

Description: Risks abound when transporting students, and they only increase when the children served have a range of disabilities and special needs: Student behavior, loading and unloading, leaving young or nonverbal students on the bus, equipment needs, delays in service and on-time-arrival. The list goes on and on. Often, the culprit is a lack of administrative support for transportation responsibilities and training needs. This panel will discuss the how student transportation can better tell their story to ensure they have the necessary tools to eliminate risk from their operations, making service safer and more efficient. 

Description: This fun and interactive networking event with a football tailgate theme takes place on the trade show floor and enables attendees to visit with exhibitors that will be highlighting innovative products, solutions and services. Exhibitors and attendees can connect in a more relaxed atmosphere with food and drink stations spread across the trade show floor.