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Some Moose Jaw children climbed aboard a big yellow bus for the first time this week, but it wasn’t on the first day of school.
Prairie South School Division’s First Rider program, held at Lindale School in partnership with Holy Trinity Catholic School Division, gave incoming kindergarteners and other first-time riders a chance to explore the bus, learn the rules, and go for a short ride before the real thing.
For young Brossi Gotana, the excitement was hard to contain.
“I really want to go in the school bus because it looks so fun inside, because I really want to go into the aisle,” he said. He paused, then doubled down.
“I really want to go on the school bus right now.”
His mother Natalie, who was there with her two other children, said the opportunity helps take the pressure off September.
“This is amazing. We are so stoked to go here. First thing in the morning when he woke up was, ‘Are we gonna go ride the bus today?’” she said, laughing. “We have to be here and try it for the first time.”
Division officials say that’s exactly the point.
“Anytime we can be proactive and allow kids to get on the bus ahead of time so that the magic of the first day of school is geared around the first day of school as opposed to getting on the bus, I think it’s a great thing,” said Ward Strueby, director of education for Holy Trinity. “The safety piece to keep our kids safe is paramount.”
The program included drivers, staff, parents, Moose Jaw Police Service officers, and Mayor James Murdock, who spoke directly to the children.
"I know you're all really excited. Just remember we want you to be safe on the way to school and, of course, on the ride back, as well," he told them, reminding them to listen to their bus driver and always sit down while the vehicle is in motion.
“It’s a nice opportunity for our students to get on the bus today and go for a little ride, so when they get on the bus for the first time to go to school, they’ll have the experience of already being on the bus,” Commented Ryan Boughen, director of education at Prairie South. “It’s nice to have parents out and provide that opportunity for our students.”
Veteran driver Jennifer Smith, in her 18th year behind the wheel, said she thinks of her passengers as family.
“There’s more people today than there normally has been, so I am quite thankful for that,” Smith said. “They get on the bus and even though they’ve been taught the rules before they get on there, it’s just so different and so scary for them. So it’s good they can have this experience first. They enjoy it, we enjoy it."