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Monday, September 7, 2009
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Gabrio's perfect part-time job EVERYDAY PEOPLE Staff Writer BAXTER - The closing of Potlatch was a blessing for 41-year-old Laurie Gabrio.
When Potlatch closed, Gabrio became a school bus driver in the Brainerd School District. The change in career made Gabrio's role as a mother much easier and more enjoyable.
"Bus driving is the perfect part-time job that a mom could have," Gabrio said Friday as she sat on school bus No. 101 that she drives for Reichert Bus and Limo Services in Baxter. "My youngest was in a car seat in the front seat when I started. I haven't since paid for day care. I have two boys and I would just cry when I had to bring them to day care.
"I'm going on my eighth year with Reichert. My schedule is great. When the kids don't have school I don't work and I'm home when they get home from school ... Sure I miss all the great benefits at Potlatch, but this is a blessing."
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Laurie Gabrio, who smiled Friday next to the bus she drives that is parked at her home in Baxter, is starting her eighth year as a school bus driver in the Brainerd School District and she has loved every minute of it.
Brainerd Dispatch/ Jennifer Stockinger
» Purchase reprints of this photo.
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Gabrio said when she knew that Potlatch was going to close she got a part-time job with Reichert where she drove students to their athletic activities. Then when the paper mill officially closed she began driving bus full time.
"The funny thing is I went from working with my father at Potlach to working with my mother at Reichert's," said Gabrio. "My mother drove school bus for 34 years and she retired last year."
Gabrio said her mother taught her a lot about driving school bus. She said whenever she'd have a question she'd ask her mother.
This school year Gabrio said she'll have 30-33 stops and about 60 students on her Baxter route that is around her neighborhood in the Inglewood Drive, Lynndale Drive and Johnson Road area.
Gabrio said she received her route information about two weeks ago and last week she received an additional stop so she has to figure out how to do her pick up and drop off of students. Gabrio said the additional stop was picking up students at the Washington Educational Services Building.
To get ready for the new school year, Gabrio does a test run with her vehicle or rider lawn mower on the shoulder of the roads. She goes to all the stops and writes down all the students' names to make sure that no students go missing and to make sure no stops are missed.
Laurie Gabrio
Age: 41.
Family: Husband, Scott; and two children, Elijah, 12 and Josh, 9.
Your childhood memories on the school bus: I couldn't do anything because my mom (Connie Boileau, who was a bus driver at the time) was with me.
One thing that was funny though was that my mom would hear things about me before I did. Like one time she told me this guy was going to ask me to the dance and I was like no way and she was right.
Advice you'd give to the school bus bully and victim: To the victim I'd say tell your bus driver and to the bully I'd tell them to think about how they'd feel if they're being bullied.
Do you have eyes behind your head: Definitely.
Favorite TV program: American Idol,' then the kids and I argue about who's going to be booted off the show on the bus.
If you won the Powerball, you'd spend the money: By paying off all my bills and my families' bills and then I'd like to travel.
Favorite author: Mary Higgins Clark.
Something you'd like to accomplish in the next 10 years: I'd like to get back into scrapbooking and make an album for both my sons to give to them on their high school graduation.
Favorite summer activity: Playing in the pool with my boys.
If you have a suggestion for an Everyday People feature, contact Kathi Nagorski at kathi. nagorski@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5859.
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Gabrio said the school district's transportation office uses a computer data system to figure out all the routes and sometimes the stops are not exactly where they're suppose to be. She said the test run eliminates any errors.
Gabrio said this year the route will be much easier compared to last year. Last year was when the school district changed its transportation policy and students were no longer able to chose their elementary school of choice. This policy changed many of the routes.
"My whole route was changed last year," said Gabrio. "This year I don't have first day of school jitters, but I did last year."
Gabrio not only drives school bus, but she also has taught safety training to students in kindergarten through fourth grade for the past three years. Gabrio said she teaches students about the danger zone and the rules of the bus.
"I don't hesitate on safety," said Gabrio. "I mean that would just be devastating if something happened to one of my kids."
Gabrio said a few of her safety rules are no standing up or jumping seats when the bus is moving. Gabrio has the students practice "sit and move." "Sit and move" is where the students getting on the bus sit in the front seat and at the next stop the students can move back to other seats to keep the bus moving at a faster pace. Gabrio said drivers cannot move forward until all the students are sitting and this practice helps with traffic so people don't get so impatient.
Gabrio said the biggest thing she'd want the public to change is for people to not be so impatient. Gabrio said last year she turned in 15 people for stop arm violations and three of them were on Inglewood Drive. Stop arm violations is when a motorist illegally passes a bus on the right, even though the stop arm is extended and lights are flashing.
Gabrio allows students to eat and drink on the bus as long as the floors stay clean. Gabrio said she doesn't allow suckers or gum. Gabrio said the students have to follow all the basic safety rules, which include no harassing or fighting with others, to remain seated and to keep hands and arms inside the bus and not out the windows.
Gabrio said there is bullying on the school bus, but it's not a huge problem. Gabrio said if it happens she will pull the student aside and talk to them. Gabrio said she will write up a conduct report and write up a punishment report if needed. Gabrio said punishment can include sitting in the front seat or being kicked off the bus for up to four days.
"A lot of times the sitting in the front seat will do it," said Gabrio. "I don't like disciplining the kids, but it's something that has to be done."
Gabrio said she loves children and has developed a lot of bonds with the students on her bus. Gabrio said many of the students on her route sit in the front seats so they can talk with her.
"They all want to be my best friend," said Gabrio. "It makes me feel good. One time I was a pen pal with a student who was having troubles at school and we'd write notes back and forth to each other."
JENNIFER STOCKINGER may be reached at jennifer.stockinger@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5851.
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