August 1, 2013
Dear SCAPT Members:
As August begins it is easy to be focused on the upcoming school year. But I’d like to take a minute to reflect on the 38th Annual SCAPT Conference and Trade Show. We were especially appreciative of both Senator Alexander and Senator Pinkney who shared their insight and vision of pupil transportation. We appreciate Senator Alexander and David Poag’s proactive efforts to prevent harm coming to our students. SCAPT supports Senate Bill 780 advocating Stop Arm Violations Enforcements and Education (S.A.V.E.). We ask members to contact their Representatives and Senate Members and encourage their support for this important legislation. Senator Pinkney’s words sent a message to this organization that shows there are those in office who will listen to their constituents. Thank you for your time and consideration, we look forward to working with you in the near future.
I want to recognize Stephanie Choate, Bob Crocker, Bill Kurts and Eddie McKenzie. Their tremendous efforts brought everything and everyone together allowing for an outstanding conference. I cannot thank them enough for all they have done. I would like to also thank our vendors not only for their support our conference with their contributions and for their efforts in showing us some new and interesting products that support our program. We hope we can continue to work together to invest in future of South Carolina.
During our conference we elected several new board members. Bill Kurts was elected to serve as President in 2014-2015. As the Transportation Coordinator for Florence District One, Mr. Kurts has made a positive impact within their transportation program and I feel he will continue to do the same with SCAPT. We also elected the following new board members.
Region 3: Herman Waters - Marion County School District
Region 4: Herbert McNeil - Marlboro County Schools
Region 7: Linton Carpenter - Spartanburg School District Seven
Region 8: Sharon Harris - Aiken County Public Schools
Region 9: Kakela Robinson - Hampton County School District One
We welcome our new board members and we hope their enthusiasm provides additional motivation as we seek ways to better this organization.
As SCAPT President I would like to share our vision for the next few years. First and foremost we must stay ready and willing to address efforts to privatize school transportation in this state. We must have a voice in this decision. We work within our districts every day; we know the students, schools and community. Although there is some disagreement as to how efficient our current system is, its shortcomings are rooted in the failure to maintain funding for school bus fleet replacements. For too long little effort little has been made to seek steady funding for student transportation. SCAPT seeks to explore innovations within the existing structure that will directly and positively impact pupil transportation.
Second, we must find ways to expand and improve our training program. There is no organization within this state other than SCAPT, dedicated to improving the skills of those in the South Carolina school transportation program. While we continue to focus on the safe transportation of our students we must also focus on improving our reputation and positions as transportation professionals. We must strive to display expertise in our field to others outside the transportation arena, by continuing education, and maintaining current knowledge of the state and federal laws that govern our field. And we must share this knowledge within every level in our prospective departments, from office staff, activity members, drivers, trainers and supervisors. We should also look to expand their knowledge regarding Special Needs services as this will be an increasingly challenging part of our transportation efforts.
It is my belief that these two areas can be positively influenced through our membership. If we increase the number of transportation professionals involved with SCAPT we also add their voices as we address pupil transportation issues within South Carolina. We will continue to speak with authority to the members of the Legislature and allow them to hear from professionals in our districts, in our communities, those directly involved with student transportation as to what is best for the students, parents and schools of South Carolina.
As we proceed with the upcoming year we hope to receive feedback from our current and prospective members. We need and want to know what we as a professional organization can do to help you in your duties and responsibilities. Current information about what is going on with SCAPT can be found at www.scapt.org and feedback can be given via email, our address is . Please share this information with those outside of our organization who may benefit from learning more about South Carolina student transportation.
We would also like to expand the ranks of those who participate in the Regular and Special Needs Road-E-O by issuing a challenge to each school district to send a team! Both Road-E-O winners are recognized at the annual state conference and provided the opportunity to compete at the national level.
Additionally, we would like to offer driver training to our members and others in our field. We plan to centralize locations either geographically or by regional in an effort to give everyone provide a better opportunity to attend. We will offer formal presentations, round table discussions, lectures or demonstrations of new, innovative products from our vendors so there is something for everyone. Several of our members have offered to provide training sessions throughout South Carolina at no cost to the district.
We are an organization here to support our members, committed to serve our constituents in a respectfully, professional manor. But we must take the lead in displaying and providing the state a better transportation program, one not dependent on a corporation perhaps in another state, making decisions regarding our students. By remaining vigilant in the legislative process, we plan to have a say as to the direction school transportation takes within South Carolina. There may be benefits offered by allowing districts the discretion to select what is necessary for their specific transportation needs. But there is no room for a system that only caters to those whose major reason for being here is to make a profit off the districts and their taxpayers.
I wish each of you a safe and successful school year. As with each new school year we face new challenges and some others that have not yet gone away, but face them we must. I offer to you a place, a forum, where you can express your concerns, issues and ideals relating to pupil transportation. Contact me at or to open a line of communication with hundreds of others who face similar if not the same issues. Together we offer our ideals and solutions that can help you travel down a safer road.
Respectfully,
David A. Weissman
President
South Carolina
Association for
Pupil Transportation
South Carolina Association for Pupil Transportation
P.O. Box 290339
Columbia, SC 29229
www.scapt.org