Staff Spotlight: Brenda Clear: an extraordinary bus driver whose motto is “Safety First”
Pictured here behind the wheel of the bus she drives for Stockbridge Community Schools, Brenda Clear safely transports her students to and from school every day. Photo credit: Amy Haggerty.
by Amy Haggerty
If being a great driver and observing safety and traffic rules are two measures of a school bus driver, then Brenda Clear can be considered an exceptional driver for the Stockbridge Community School District. For 28 years, she has driven a bus for the district, transporting kids of all ages to and from school and to the Wilson Talent Center in Mason, Mich., every day. The district is fortunate to have such a dedicated driver.
Clear grew up in the Stockbridge area; she attended school here and has remained in the area since. She met her husband, Richard, and they married in May 1985. Unfortunately, Richard passed away some time ago. They raised four daughters—Nicole, Michelle, Christine, and Sheila—ranging in age from 39 to 32 years old. She considers her daughters and her grandchildren to be her greatest accomplishment in life.
Not many can say that bus driving runs in the family. But in her case, it’s true. Thanks to Clear’s sister, who was also a bus driver, she was first talked into driving for the district. As adults, two of Clear’s daughters, Nicole and Michelle, also got the driving bug, and now both drive a bus for the district.
Stockbridge schools are fortunate to have Clear’s expertise and her savvy driving skills helping to instruct the district’s rookie bus drivers. She exhibits a cool demeanor and maintains control in all situations. Clear’s motto is “Safety for all of my students!” In fact, her calmness under pressure is what Clear is best known for!
The person who most influenced this accomplished bus driver is her dad. She says he inspired her to be the honest and trustworthy person she is today.
What Clear likes most about working for the district is the people she works with. One of those people, Tracey Wooden, Transportation Supervisor for the district, shared several positive observations about Clear’s driving.
“Brenda puts her heart and soul into being a Stockbridge bus driver everyday behind the wheel of her school bus. She’s always dependable and has a smile on her face to share with her students, coworkers, and superiors. She is flexible and willing to do whatever our department needs because she is a team player. Brenda is a great mentor to rookie drivers, so they can be at their best, and she has a strong work ethic that truly demonstrates her dedication to our district.”
Brenda Clear’s advice to Stockbridge students is simple, yet powerful: “Treat people as you would like to be treated.”
Throughout the district, Clear is respected for the work she does, and many in the district hope she continues to drive a bus for several more years. Families rely on her to get their precious cargo back and forth safely every day. The district can’t thank her enough for the wonderful job she does for our kids!
