Oregon Pupil Transportation Association

Northwest Chapter Meeting Minutes

February 16, 2010

President Mary Conger called the meeting to order at 11:18 am.  

Members present: Dawn Persall, NCSD; Lynnette O’Dell, OCSD; Mike Conley, Northside Ford; Dan Wood, Brittain Bus; T.J. Crockett, ODE; Kin Crabtree, Sherwood SD; Shelley Cota, Vernonia; Karen Davis, Vernonia; Mary Conger, NCSD; Patricia Carner, BSD; Charisse Wall, PPSD; and Jean Frazey, BSD

Total attending: 12

Minutes taken by: Jean Frazey

January 2010 Meeting Minutes were approved with amendment.

            Amend – next meeting date from 2/15 to 2/16

Financial Report:    Dawn Persall reports that:

Beginning Bal. as of January 2010:                   $ 6,817.39

Deposits                                                                    80.00 - Membership       

Expenses                                                                712.78 – Winter Workshop

Balance as of February 2010                            $ 6,184.61

CD Balance                                                                   $3655.52

Cash Box                                                                      $    40.00        

Financial Report approved

Committee Reports

August Workshop: Lynnette O’Dell reported there has been one planning meeting so far and another meeting is planned for 2/19/10. There have been suggestions for new classes that the committee is looking into. A guest speaker suggested is Darryl Dickson on Positive Attitude and Respect.

Lynnette is also working on outstanding balances of districts from 2009 August Workshop. She is making headway with getting them collected

Education: Sandy Van Baggen was able to pull together a list.  This list is attached at the end of the minutes.

Membership: Kathy Houck emailed an updated list to Jean F. The list was passed around at the meeting with directions that if you did not see your name but felt dues had been paid to contact Kathy.

Poster Contest: Charissa Wall will make available to the website a flyer to use for the schools to promote the poster contest. She suggests sending it out to all the school secretaries.

Kim Crabtree shared that Sherwood SD has a great student response to the contest because they judges the submitted posters and awards a monetary prize to the winner. And also a driver donates her time to go out to the schools and promote the poster contest during lunch hour with students.

The theme for the 2009-10 Poster contest is “Be aware, Know the Danger Zone”. Deadline for posters is April 16, 2010.

Sunshine:   Dawn Persall reports

1. Doug Fedderson – NCSD His Mom passed, a card will be sent

Please send any information regarding past and present NWOPTA members i.e., job promotion, awards, illness, death of close family member, retirement from Transportation or anything else you feel the association should be aware of, to Dawn’s attention.

Winter Workshop: Jean Frazey reports:

Monday, March 15, 2010 is the NW Chapter Winter Workshop and Luncheon from 8 am – 1 pm

                                              Monarch Hotel

                                                         12566 SE 93^rd Ave

                                                         Clackamas, Oregon

There’s five speakers scheduled for the workshop, lunch will be an Italian theme, there is an early registration drawing for all who are registered and paid by 3/5/10 and all other registration deadline is 3/12/10. The registration form is available on the website to print off and mail in with payment. www.optaschoolbus.org

Safety Exercise: Patricia Carner reports

• There will be no changes to the backing event this year.
• The quizzes for the three events will be using the new DMV Oregon Driver and CDL Manuals
• Trophies – the cost of trophies can be improved by change the design.

1. In an effort to reduce the cost of the trophies the following suggestions were approved: a) Eliminate one OPTA logo on trophies, b) change to a smaller size trophy, adjusting to trophies for the first three place winners in each category and go to certificates for other place winners.

• NW Chapter Regional Safety Exercise will be May 22, 2010 at Beaverton SD Transportation Center 1270 NW 167^th Pl, Beaverton.

1. Secured an area for spectators.
2. Still looking for volunteers for various jobs.
3. Manual is available at the website www.optaschoolbus.org
4. Western Bus Sale is not available to support the Safety Exercise trophies this year. Looking for other donations.

• Brattain Bus graciously accepted to host a barbecue for volunteers and judges
• Brenthauer Fueling graciously accepted sponsoring the trophies for NW Chapter event

• SW Chapter Regional Safety Exercise will be May 1 in Grants Pass. Carl Salstrom of Salem-Keiser SD the contact person. More information available at the website www.optaschoolbus.org
• State Safety Exercise will be June 5 at Morningstar Church in Salem. More information available at the website www.optaschoolbus.org

1. Les Schwab Tires as been contacted to sponsoring trophies for the State event. No response as of this meeting

State Board:  Mary Conger reported that:

On February 11th the State Board discussed:

• SW Chapter 2010 Winter Workshop is February 20 in Sweethome, Oregon with a theme of “Bus Driver Boot Camp” will have breakout sessions. The cost is $20.00 per person and lunch WILL NOT be provided. The registration is 450 participants. SW is looking for instructors to help with a pre-trip event. Highly suggested to carpool for the event. Event location is within walking distance of several food business for lunch.
• SW Chapter 2009 Winter Workshop power point presentation & video will be available soon. It is approved by ODE for 3 hours classroom credit.
• February 14, 2010 is “Love the Bus” Day. ODE has sent statewide an email to Transportation operations and District Superintendents a notice and a link to the website for this event.
• Board voted to recognize Marlin and Barbara Rohlena of Western Bus Sales as Honorary OPTA Members for their years of contribution to the improvement to student transportation and the promotion of OPTA in the State of Oregon.
• Gathering information on hiring a webmaster service to oversee the website.
• A discussion on the changes to the cell phone and seat belt laws. Drivers being convicted of either of these in personal or employment vehicle are considered moving violations and worth 10 points each on driving records.

1. Nextel Radio systems are considered 2-way radio systems.

Summer Conference: 2010 State Summer Conference will be in Eugene at the Valley River Inn June 21 - 24.  Steve Huillet is looking for suggestion on mechanic training at the conference. Please forward any ideas to him.

Old Business:

Mary Conger and Dawn Persall presented the 2009-10 NW Chapter OPTA proposed budget. It was approved.

New Business:

T.J. Crockett reports that Steve H. of ODE is looking to improve communication between ODE and the OPTA chapters. ODE is sending T.J. to the NW Chapter Winter Workshop. ODE has found that in their compliance visits that the Metro area is doing very well with their inspections. T.J. handout a memo dated January 11, 2010 from Steve Huillet about changes in the Fingerprinting requirements. He also covered information in Steve’s memo on Motor Coaches used for activity buses. The memo is attached to the end of the minutes.

NW Chapter approved to recognize Marlin and Barbara Rohlena of Western Bus Sales as Honorary NW Chapter OPTA Members for their years of contribution to the improvement to student transportation and the promotion of OPTA in the State of Oregon.

It was announced that it is time for nominations for the NW Chapter Buck Klemm Award. Nominations deadline is April 20, 2010. The award is presented at the May 22, 2010 NW Chapter Safety Exercise. The award criteria and nomination form is available at the website www.optaschoolbus.org

Brattain provided posters for the Greenest School Contest. Dan Wood also shared that the Hybrid bus mechanical needs is fully supported by Navistar & ICS. Also wants clarify that the winning idea becomes the property of ICS not the student. Patricia Carner shared that there are alternative schools and art teachers that might be interested in the contest in your district. There were over 2000 entries nationally last year. Deadline is March 8, 2010.

Roundtable Discussion:

There was a discussion on Type 10 & Type 21 vehicles, who is responsible for training and record keeping and where to find the information. T.J. shared that the information is located at the ODE website.

Clarification of what vehicles must stop at RR crossing – vehicles over 10,000 lbs must stop.

There is a April 12 In-service for Beaverton Transportation that is funded by the Jack Spear Grant won by Beaverton Training Department.

There will be a short NW Chapter OPTA meeting after the March 15 workshop.

Meeting adjourned 12:30 pm

Next Meeting: March 15, 2010 after the workshop

Oregon Department of Education

255 Capitol Street NE Salem, OR 97310

Pupil Transportation

January 11, 2010

TO:       Pupil Transportation Entities

FROM: Steven Huillet

RE:      Recent Changes to OARs

On December 10, 2009 the Oregon Administrative Rule regarding "Fingerprinting of Subject Individuals in Positions Not Requiring Licensure as Teachers, Administrators, Personnel Specialists, School Nurses" (OAR 581-021-0500) was updated. School Board Policies will need to be updated to reflect the changes in the OAR. Highlights of the changes are outlined below.

• Definition of "Subject individual" as changed to include all newly hired school district personal who do not require licensure under Oregon Revised Statue (ORS) 342.223, not just those who will be hired into a position having direct, unsupervised contact with students. Contractors still only need fingerprinted if the will have direct, unsupervised contact with students.
• A definition was added for "Knowingly made a false statement" meaning that "a subject individual has failed to disclose a crime on the Department of Education form #581-2283-M as part of the . criminal background check process."
• Local board policy must now "specify that subject individuals as defined by this rule are subject to fingerprinting and criminal record checks required by law"
• Local board policy must also "specify which contractors will be considered to have unsupervised access to children and are subject to fingerprinting and criminal records checks required by law."
  • The Department of Education (ODE) will no longer terminate employees if they have "knowingly made a false statement". The school district may terminate an employee who has knowingly made a false statement. The local board policy must clearly state this.

On April 18, 2008 OAR 581-053-0556 (School Pupil Activity Bus) was created regarding the use of motor coaches on activity trips. The school district must do the following when using a SPAB motor coach.

• The district or school shall notify the parents or guardians of students if the district or school is using SPABs for pupil transportation.
• Districts must have a copy of the motor coach carrier's:

1. Current "Certificate of Carrier Approval" issued by ODE;
2. List of qualified SPAB drivers;
3. Documentation and evidence of required safety instructions for two years.

• The district or school must ensure that there is a chaperone present on the SPAB any time students are present.
• The district or school must report to ODE any violation of the rules of this OAR, including speeding, unsafe operation, poorly maintained vehicle, unqualified driver (does not have a SPAB certificate) .

tj/OAR Updates Memo 01111 O.doc

OPTA NORTHWEST CHAPTER

TRAINING CLASSES

2/15/2009

Beaverton SD:                                      2/19 Intersection Mayhem 9:45-11:45

(503) 672-3721                                       2/19 Reference Point Review 9:45-11:45            

Jean Frazey                                          3/15 Defensive Driving & You Class 1:00 – 5:00 pm       

Jean_Frazey @beaverton.k12.or.us                        3/15 SPED CORE Refresher         

David Douglas SD:                               None to report

(503) 256-6500 x5223    

Kathy Calkins

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it                                                

Centenial SD:                                        None to report              

(503) 762-3674                                                              

Debbie Lillison

Debra_LillisonAcentennial.k12.or.us                      

Hillsboro SD:                                        None to report

(503) 844-1123                                      

Carol Hatfield                           

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

North Clackamas SD:                            None to report

(503) 353-6156

Mark Sexton                 

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Oregon City SD:                                    None to report

(503) 785-8540

Jennie Skellenger

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it                       

Parkrose SD:                                        None to report

(503) 408-2129

Melinda Hammond       

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Portland SD:                                         CORE Ref. 3/21 8:00-12:00

(503) 916-6901 x77284  

Keith Wright                 

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Reynolds SD:                                       None to report

(503) 492-4921 x3311                            

Janet Trapold

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it              

2009/2010 Officers – Board of Directors

For NW Chapter OPTA

Mary Conger – President

Lynnette O’Dell – Past President

Patricia Carner – President Elect

Dawn Persall – Treasurer

Jean Frazey – Secretary

Robin Strand – Board

Sandy Van Baggen – Board

Rosemary Vehrenkamp – Board

SEE YOU AT THE

Next Meeting

March 15, 2010

After the Winter Workshop Lunch

Don’t forget, membership runs

from July to June

We have conveniently included

an application with this newsletter

Kathy is looking forward

to seeing your renewal come in.

OPTA MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

MEMBERSHIP CATEGORY:

          _____         Active Member

Persons performing administrative, supervisory, driver training, and/or regulatory duties in School bus operations.

          _____         Associate Member

                   Any person interested in or associated with, any phase of pupil transportation.

          _____         Professional Member

                        Persons employed as a school bus driver or a mechanic/technician in school bus

                        Operations.

          _____         Honorary Member

                        Any person, or, institution so named by the State Board of Directors.

CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP:

          _____         State Membership                    $15

          _____         Northwest Membership            $10

          _____         South Willamette Membership  $20

                                      Total Paid              _____

Make checks payable to: OPTA

REGISTRATION:

Please Type or print

Name: _________________________________________________

Company/Employer: _______________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________

City: _______________________________ State: _____________ Zip:_____________

Phone: (_____)_________________ New Membership_______ Renewal_______

Email address: ___________________________________________________________

I would like to receive the Eight-Way Flasher by:  email_____  post office______

Specify Year (July 1^st – June 30^th) Payment Applies: _____________/_______________

Send Membership Application and Payment to:

                                                                   Kathy Houck

                                                                   1204 NE 201^st Av.

                                                                   Fairview, OR  97024