Shawna Salvador, a bus driver with the School District of Manatee County for five years, wakes up at 4:30 a.m. to get ready for her day.
She arrives at the Matzke Support Center, ready to drive a bus by 6 a.m.
"My favorite part of the job is the kids," she said. "It's what we're here for."
It has been a tradition since 2015 for district leadership to gather before sunrise to wave and wish bus drivers good luck on both the first and last day of each school year. The last day of school was May 29.
School board member Heather Felton said it is important to recognize the transportation staff.
"Drivers and attendants are a hidden backbone of the school district," Felton said. "We need to let them know they're appreciated."
School board member Richard Tatem hopped on a bus two days prior to the wave off to see first hand what it is like. He said he felt very safe, that they run a tight ship and the kids were very well behaved.
"I hate the alarm clock but love the event," School Board Member Cindy Spray said. "These people are so dedicated."
Spray said she appreciates how the bus drivers wake up and arrive so early in the morning and she still sees buses driving by her house at 6:30 p.m.
"(The drivers) are the first people the kids see in the morning and the last in the evening," Spray said. "They are always so happy."
Although the wave off tradition has occured since 2015, this is Board Member Heather Felton's first time.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Melanie Johnson, assistant director of transportation, Derek Jensen, deputy superintendent of instruction, School Board Member Charlie Kennedy and Interim Superintendent Kevin Chapman had fun wishing the bus drivers a good last day of school Thursday.
Photo by Madison Bierl
School Board Members Cindy Spray and Heather Felton wave off the bus drivers along with interim superintendent Kevin Chapman.
Photo by Madison Bierl
The district leadership have waved off bus drivers twice a year, the first and last day of school, since 2015.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Paul Gansemer, executive director of adult, career and technical education, waves alongside school board members Richard Tatem and Chad Choate.
Photo by Madison Bierl
School board members Heather Felton and Charlie Kennedy send off the bus drivers on the last day of school.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Don Jones began driving a school bus for Manatee County in October after experience driving a 36-foot box truck. His wife Leslie Jones works as a fourth grade teacher at Stewart Elementary School.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Melanie Johnson, assistant director of transportation, and Jamie Warrington, director of transportation, wave to their drivers Thursday on the last day of the 2024-2025 school year.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Manatee County School Board members Heather Felton, Charlie Kennedy, Cindy Spray, Richard Tatem and Chad Choate were among the wavers before the school busses left Thursday.
Photo by Madison Bierl
School board Member Cindy Spray and Assistant Director of Transportation Melanie Johnson arrived early Thursday to wave off the bus drivers.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Bus driver Tom Hohman says it was nice to see the district leadership wave them off.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Christina Britton, executive director of human resources, Sharon Scarbrough, executive director of secondary schools and Stephanie Callaway, executive director of elementary schools, are some of the first wavers.
Photo by Madison Bierl
School Board Member Charlie Kennedy and Communications Director Mike Barber give a wave as the bus drivers leave on the final day of school Thursday.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Bus attendant Joyce Gavin says she loves to see the kids dress up for events like picture day and graduation. Bus driver Shawna Salvador says her favorite part of the job is the kids.
Photo by Madison Bierl
The School District of Manatee County busses are ready to leave the yard for the final day of school Thursday.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Interim superintendent Kevin Chapman and school board member Cindy Spray are among the early risers to wave off the bus drivers.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Director of transportation Jamie Warrington put the message "We Made It! Finish strong!" to encourage the drivers and attendants on their last day. He says he looked up "happy dance" online to include on the sign.
Photo by Madison Bierl
Interim Superintendent Kevin Chapman has been to 14 wave-offs for the bus drivers during his time in the School District of Manatee County.
Photo by Madison Bierl
School board Member Chad Choate, Associate Director of Strategic Planning Omar Edwards, and Director of Transportation Jamie Warrington wave to bus drivers with glow sticks.
Madison Bierl is the education and community reporter for the East County Observer. She grew up in Iowa and studied at the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication at Iowa State University.
