- Special Sections - Dawgs Deals By COLLEEN MCCARTHY Next week,
schools all across the country will celebrate 2011 National
School Bus Safety Week. The theme this year is â€śBe Aware- Know
the Danger Zone!â€ť â€” an area 10 feet around the bus that
students, bus drivers and other motorists should be aware of.
The campaign aims to educate the public on school bus safety
issues. Over 60 percent of students in the Starkville School
District ride the bus as their primary means of transportation
to and from school. Ella Jefferson has been a bus driver for the
district for 22 years. She says safety is her jobâ€™s biggest
priority. â€śThe thing that I think is most important that
children need to understand is that you donâ€™t ask them not to
stand, not to scream, not to be loud on the bus because youâ€™re
being mean or being ugly â€” youâ€™re asking them to do this
because then youâ€™re able to do your job and able to focus on
the road,â€ť Jefferson said. â€śIf theyâ€™re doing what
theyâ€™re supposed to be doing, t