By Amy Rowley
I vividly remember the section of my driver’s test where I had to parallel park between two bright orange cones. I had to maneuver an ancient two-door car with manual transmission into (I swear) the tiniest space ever.
Recently, Jeff Gregory told me about parallel parking a school bus and I immediately was in awe. Certainly my parking skills have drastically improved with practice over three decades, but the thought of even driving a bus in forward gear is remarkable to me.
Jeff has been a bus driver for the Griffin School District for eight years. After 15 years cooking Red Robin burgers and a short stint owning his own Subway franchise, Jeff wanted a job that would allow him to spend more time with his three kids.
“I drive my route in the morning and again in the afternoon but that only adds up to about three hours, so I joined the kitchen staff,” he tells a roomful of third graders. The classes are meeting for a writing workshop and Jeff is the local celebrity. The students quickly start asking questions about the logistics of serving lunch to 650 students every day along with inquiring questions about his favorite Red Robin burgers. (It’s the Banzai burger, in case you are wondering.)
While making 300-plus meals a day, with minimal leftovers, is certainly a challenge, Jeff shifted last year into a new role at Griffin. When not driving his bus, you can find Jeff coaching kids on making positive behavior choices at the school. He is the para-educator responsible for the Positive Behavior Intervention Support Plan, known at Griffin as the Grizzly Den.
“Jeff cares deeply about all Griffin students and encourages positive behavior with his words and his actions,” says Griffin School Superintendent, Greg Woods. “I give Jeff the credit for creating the positive climate in the Grizzly Den and for his daily mission of helping Griffin students make positive behavior choices.”
Above all, turning the keys in the ignition of his bus is where Jeff shines. He recently competed in the regional Bus Roadeo hosted by North Thurston Public Schools and took home the second place trophy.
Jeff competed against more than 25 other bus drivers in ESD 112. Besides a complicated obstacle course that included ten events (and a parallel parking section, of course), Jeff also performed a pre-trip inspection and completed a comprehensive written test based on Washington State laws.
“The parallel parking portion of the obstacle course was definitely the toughest,” Jeff tells the students. While 9-year-olds may not appreciate the finesse it takes to put a 40.5-foot bus into a 46-foot space within 3 inches of the curb, I can. Add in the fact that the bus drivers can’t stop once they have begun backing up and his skills are truly impressive.
Jeff’s second place finish earned him a trip to the state tournament, held on Father’s Day weekend. His coworkers are helping him prepare by setting up obstacles at an open parking lot near the school. For example, one obstacle that he has been perfecting is his ability to back around a corner and into a parking stall.
“I’ve had the privilege of driving the same bus route every year,” comments Jeff. “I get to meet the kids and see their siblings before they even step on the bus for their first day of school.”
“Jeff always places safety a priority and recognizes the responsibility and value in having fair and consistent expectations for all students entrusted to him,” says Karen Lett, Transportation Supervisor for Griffin School.
Jeff’s other unique mode of transportation is in a dragon boat. The Griffin Sea Dragons brought home a fourth place trophy from this year’s Dragon Boat Festival hosted by Saint Martin’s University. The team is composed of Jeff and his wife, Patty, and about twenty other Griffin staff and family members.
“Those boats are skinny,” Jeff says with emphasis. “They are very tipsy and if you lean one direction, the whole boat rocks. You have to keep your head inside the boat and listen to the steersman.” The Griffin Sea Dragons have been a part of the annual spring festival for about six years.
“I love my job and I get the breaks off to spend time with my kids. It is what has enabled me to build the awesome relationships that I have with them today,” says the proud father of three in summary.
“It’s often been stated that a bus driver helps to set the ‘tone for a student’s day, arriving at school ready to learn.’ The Griffin kids that ride Jeff’s bus can count on their daily bus ride to be reliably safe and positive with a genuine enthusiasm appreciated by all,” concludes Karen.
Thank you, Jeff, for being a positive influence on all Griffin School kids.
