District 49 serves thousands of students every day as the Best Choice to Learn in the Pikes Peak region. A team that works largely behind the scenes ensures students’ daily round trip from home to school and back again is safe and on schedule. 

The D49 Transportation Department stepped into the spotlight for National School Bus Safety Week (Oct. 18 - 22). The team of drivers shared their backstories and why they enjoy jumping behind the wheel of a bus every school day.

George Fidee, a retired U.S. Army combat medic, started driving for D49 six years ago. “I like driving because I can give back to my community,” he explained. 

To cap off a weeklong spotlight of the D49 transportation team for school bus safety week, the D49 Board of Education saluted their efforts at the October 27 work session with a proclamation. 

“It goes without saying the importance and the professionalism that comes along with this crew,” Chief Operations Officer Pedro Almeida said as he addressed the BOE. “These folks standing behind me are doing [their job] and they do it very very well. We want to make sure we take a moment to pause and reflect both to our board as well as to our community the importance and the work and the contributions that they make.”

Almeida’s remarks were followed by a video version of a written proclamation of appreciation starring D49 students and BOE President John Graham, who spoke the final words of the official statement: 

“Now, therefore, l, John Graham, on behalf of the D49 Board of Education, do hereby proclaim and recognize the D49 Transportation Department is made up of standout performers in their field, and is a role model organization that, on a daily basis, lives up to, and exceeds the standards promoted by National School Bus Safety Week.”

Almeida presented Transportation Director Jack Pietraallo with a framed copy of the written and signed proclamation following the video presentation. 

“I’d like to thank the board for recognizing the great effort this team puts in every day,” Pietraallo said. “Everything is because of everybody standing behind me right now.”  

Congratulations to the D49 Transportation Team!