A 5-year-old died after being hit by a Granbury Independent School District school bus.
Granbury ISD released a statement confirming the death Monday of an Emma Roberson Early Learning Academy student. The student’s name was initially not released but a second statement released by the district indicated the family of Exodus Crockett granted permission. A vigil will be held March 20 with the boy’s viewing and funeral scheduled for March 21.
The district said it directly communicated with all the families of students that were on the bus when the incident occurred and is closely working with local law enforcement.
Authorities said the school bus was traveling northeast on Pecos River Drive when the driver stopped to pick up students. As the driver started to pull away, a child ran up from the right front side of the bus and was struck. No other students were injured.
“I know you share in the devastation of this loss and may have many questions. We all have the expectation that students will be safe on our buses and in our district. We are already working to fully understand the situation and will share more information after we have had the time to investigate the incident,” said Granbury ISD Superintendent Courtney Morawski.
It is unclear if the school bus driver is expected to face charges. The incident remains under investigation.
More than 200 transportation and emergency response professionals gathered recently for the second annual Operation STEER (Student Transportation Emergency Education and Response), a hands-on school bus safety training initiative aimed at improving emergency preparedness for school transportation personnel statewide.
Hosted by Region 6 Education Service Center (ESC) on March 1 and in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation, the full-scale training event held at the Hays Consolidated Independent School District Transportation Training Facility near Austin provided live emergency simulations for school bus drivers, first responders and education officials. Attendees represented over 65 Texas school districts, reinforcing the program’s growing statewide impact.
Diane Wilson, the school bus safety training specialist for Region 6 ESC, first conceived Operation STEER after attending an emergency evacuation training session at the TSD Conference in November 2023. The immersive experience, led by Launi Harden, Denny Coughlin, Diandra Nugent, and Aaron Harris, places participants in high-pressure crisis scenarios, including evacuating a smoke-filled school bus, securing and handling training dolls representing children of various ages, and practicing emergency techniques such as seatbelt cutting, fire extinguisher use, and proper evacuation methods.
“The ability to remain calm and take decisive action in a crisis can be the difference between life and death,” Wilson said. “I wanted to bring that level of preparedness to Texas so that our school transportation teams and emergency responders could experience firsthand what it’s like to manage these high-pressure situations.”
By expanding on the TSD Conference’s core training elements, Wilson designed Operation STEER to offer school districts a realistic, scenario-based approach to handling transportation emergencies. The program also prioritizes assistance for preschoolers and students with disabilities, ensuring all children receive the specialized care and securement they need during an evacuation.
Operation STEER is made possible through a collaboration between Region 6 ESC and a grant from the Texas Department of Transportation, with support from industry partners and vendors that contributed resources, expertise and donations to enhance the training experience.
“Their contributions were essential in delivering a comprehensive and impactful training experience,” Wilson said. “With the support of these industry leaders, we’re able to continuously expand and improve our training efforts, ensuring that school transportation professionals and first responders receive the most effective hands-on experience possible.”
Participation in Operation STEER has grown significantly compared to its inaugural year. This year’s event brought together over 200 attendees, including transportation dispatchers, bus drivers, transportation directors, school bus driver trainers, firefighters, EMS students, and first responder trainees.
“This diverse group of professionals creates a richer, more collaborative learning environment,” Wilson explained. “It’s not just about training school bus staff, it’s about ensuring that emergency responders, transportation leaders and safety professionals are working together as a unit to handle real-life scenarios.”
With the program’s train-the-trainer model, school districts can implement Operation STEER’s lessons within their own communities, ensuring that best practices reach transportation teams across Texas.
The event featured interactive emergency response exercises, equipping participants with critical life-saving skills through immersive, real-world scenarios. Key demonstrations included:
Live extrication exercises with Travis County Fire Rescue, simulating school bus rescue scenarios using specialized equipment.
Smoke-filled bus evacuation drills, allowing participants to practice safe student extraction in low-visibility emergency conditions.
Fire extinguisher training, teaching bus drivers how to control small fires before they escalate.
CPR, first aid, and “Stop the Bleed” training, provided by the Capital Area of Texas Regional Advisory Council (CATRAC).
Special needs student securement and evacuation, in collaboration with BESI and Q’Straint, focusing on the unique challenges of assisting students with disabilities.
Emergency railroad evacuation drills, conducted with Operation Lifesaver and Leander Independent School District, reinforcing best practices for evacuations near railways.
Wilson emphasized that the curriculum is continuously evolving based on industry best practices and feedback from past participants.
“This year, we placed a greater emphasis on special needs student securement and evacuation procedures,” she said. “We wanted to ensure that transportation personnel are equipped to assist students with a wider range of disabilities during emergency situations.”
Wilson said she is already planning expanded future Operation STEER events.
Wilson shared she and her team are considering introducing new training modules, including active assault/weapon response scenarios and extreme student behavior management, to better prepare transportation professionals for complex crisis situations.
“We want to make sure that transportation staff are fully equipped to handle complex, high-stress situations in real time,” Wilson noted.
In addition to expanding the event’s content, Wilson said she has her sights set on broadening the program’s geographic reach.
“Our vision is to take Operation STEER to all regions of Texas, ensuring that every school district and emergency responder has access to this essential training,” she said. “We’re also exploring ways to share this experience at a national level, helping other states strengthen their student transportation safety measures.”
This year’s sponsors were: Holt Truck Centers; Longhorn Bus Sales; Smart Tag; IMMI/Safeguard; United Safety and Survivability; BESI, Inc.; First Services/First Student; Q’Straint/Sure-Lok; and Adroit.
First responders from the Travis County Fire Department coach a student transportation trainee on the proper technique and usage of a fire extinguisher during Operation STEER on March 1, 2025. The trainee is practicing the PASS method on a live diesel-fueled fire.
An 8-year-old girl was fatally struck by a car after she was dropped off by her school bus. Family and friends gathered for a candlelight vigil, reported Fox 26.
The incident reportedly occurred on Feb.24, when Emmanuela Aifuwa was dropped off by her Alief Independent School District bus at her apartment complex.
According to the news report, Aifuwa was speaking to a friend across the street when she ran into the roadway. It is unknown why she ran into the roadway. Surveillance footage shows the motorist, who was not identified in this writing, did not have time to stop the vehicle before hitting the child. The girl was reportedly transported to the hospital but succumbed to her injuries.
On Wednesday night, family, friends and community members gathered for a candlelight vigil to honor Aifuwa. The vigil reportedly took place at the scene of the incident.
The child’s mother, identified as Susie, told local news reporters that Aifuwa was her only child, and she wishes her daughter would just walk up to her and say, “Mama, it’s just a prank.” Aifuwa was described as bright and happy by loved ones.
According to local news reports the driver of the vehicle involved in the incident remained at the scene and is cooperating with investigators. They reportedly did not show signs of impairment or intoxication and were not traveling at an excessive speed. The investigation is ongoing.
A driver has been arrested after he struck a New Diana Independent School District student who was crossing the road to board their school bus, reported KLTV News.
The incident reportedly occurred on Monday around 6:30 a.m., when the driver of the vehicle, identified as 56-year-old Jerry Martin, did not stop for the school bus, which was stopped with its red lights flashing.
According to the news report, Martin swerved to avoid hitting the student head-on and ultimately clipped the student with the side mirror. The student’s mother was reportedly present and witnessed the incident. The student, whose identity was not disclosed at this writing, was taken to a local hospital with unknown injuries.
The Texas Department of Private Safety said Martin was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and was being held in the Upshur County Jail on a $100,000 bond.
Texas school officials have reassured parents that school buses have not and should not be targeted by immigration enforcement actions after a district’s letter to families raised concerns.
On Feb. 5, Alice Independent School District in Texas posted a letter on its Facebook page warning parents that U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers may stop school buses to conduct immigration checks on students traveling for extracurricular activities. This caused significant concerns among parents. According to local news reports, the letter has since been deleted from the district’s Facebook page.
However, the district’s Superintendent Anysia Trevino released a second statement on Feb. 6, specifying that their previous letter was a proactive move made for student safety and not reactive to any Border Patrol incidents, as there had been none at this report.
“It is our understanding that key members of the U.S. Border Patrol have indicated that school buses and children will not be targeted,” said Trevino.
Meanwhile, Denver Public Schools in Colorado filed the nation’s first lawsuit on Wednesday against the Trump administration, specifically the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Secretary Kristi Noem, for the new policy of allowing immigration raids at schools, churches and other “sensitive” locations.
According to an Education Week report on Thursday, DPS officials said they have had to devote a lot of time and resources to adding policies that keep students safe and training faculty and staff on how to respond to claims of immigration enforcement occurring at schools.
Royse City Independent School District in Texas released a video during Love the Bus Month that featured interviews with their student transportation staff who discussed their operations, the important role of school bus drivers, passion for their work and for the yellow school bus.
Valerie Williams said two quotes help her shaped her days. “With God all things are possible,” and “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”
Prior to transitioning into the public sector of pupil transportation, Williams spent 20 years in corporate America working in human resources management and customer service for companies such as the Austin Police Department, Dell Inc., Westinghouse Motor Company, Bank of the Hills and LaPetite Academy.
She said her pupil transportation career started in November 2011 as a crossing guard for Parkside Elementary School. At the time she owned her own wedding planning business and needed some extra cash for a vacation to New York.
Each year, School Transportation News chooses 10 Rising Stars based on nominations submitted by school districts and companies around the industry. These individuals have shown exemplary commitment and dedication in the student transportation industry and continue to demonstrate innovation in their roles. This year’s Rising Stars are featured in the November magazine issue.
She shared that her husband Terry is a school bus driver, trainer and third-arty examiner for Leander ISD transportation. He was the one who suggested to Williams that she come work for transportation as a school bus driver.
“But the bus is too big for me so in February of 2012, I joined the team as a bus monitor, which is what we were called back in those days,” she shared, adding that during this time she assisted the special needs router with processing the legal transportation documents.
Then, in June 2015, she was hired on as the part-time routing assistant to replace someone retiring. “In that role I had the privilege of working side by side with Tracie Franco, the full-time special needs router at that time and now the senior director of Leander ISD transportation,” Williams said.
She noted that over the years she transitioned from part-time to full time and progressed to senior router. As the senior router, she said her job consists of overseeing the daily performance of general and special education routers as well as field trip specialists. She also identifies opportunities for improvement, defines processes and puts systems in place to help the routing and transportation department manage the complexities of the operation. She is also the project manager for the teams responsible for the relaunch of transportation’s website, the implementation of the district’s Register to Ride bus registration process and documenting transportation’s standard operating procedures.
Valerie Williams was recognized for her commitment to creating more efficient operating systems and being proactive regarding transportation’s needs
“There are many things that I enjoy about my job,” she said. “First and foremost is working with a fantastic team. If I must pick the favorite part of my job, I would have to say that creating systems to improve processes so that everything operates like a well-oiled machine is very satisfying.”
Register to Ride
Williams explained that in an effort to “enhance security, ensure the safety of our students and staff, and improve the efficiency of our routes, we launched a new registration program for transportation.” For the first time this school year and in the history of Leander ISD, Williams said all eligible bus riders (new and returning) who wish to utilize transportation to and/or from school are now required to register for the service. She explained that they partnered with administrators, campus personnel, parents and Hillary Robbins, the regional partnership director at K12 Insight to launch a new and improved Transportation website using the Let’s Talk platform for the Register to Ride bus registration process.
“In the transportation industry as a whole, when someone wants to travel whether it is by plane, train, cruise ship, metro bus or rail, they are required to make a reservation or register to ride,” she explained.
In the past, she said routes for students with disabilities were based on actual riders, whereas routes for general education students were created for eligible riders. This year, general education routes will also be created based on actual riders.
She explained that by requiring registration, transportation can ensure that all riders have been registered and are approved riders. Other benefits are only actual riders have been assigned to bus stops and staff can now quickly identify when a bus is approaching its maximum seating capacity, thus limiting the number of over-crowded buses that the district previously experiences at the start of the year.
Williams added that staff also leveraged K12 Insight’s Let’s Talk platform to revamp its transportation process. Benefits include having all the Register to Ride information in one location, directly on LISD transportation website and allowing parents/guardians to register from the convenience of their home.
She added that registration forms are then loaded into Let’s Talk, which allows the customer to change the content into the language of their preference. Leander ISD transportation has 13 different languages available in their forms to better improve the customer experience.
“In the past, campus personnel submitted bus service request forms, on behalf of the parents, to the routing department,” Williams shared. “With those submissions we found that very often, parents were either not ready to start transportation, or they wanted service only in the mornings or only in the afternoons or vice versa.”
By using Let’s Talk, she said transportation is are putting the power in the hands in the parents and guardians to register when they are ready to use transportation for their children and can communicate with transportation directly what service they need.
“Over the years we have observed that since the routing department is responsible for assigning students to bus routes, some people think that routing is responsible ‘for everything,’” she added. “However, that’s not true. In addition to drivers and bus assistants, we have a team of professional staff members who play a major role in pupil transportation including administrative assistants, assistant directors, dispatchers, mechanics, team leaders, technology systems specialists and trainers. Through Let’s Talk’s ability to support two-way communications, our customers (external and internal) can ask questions and share feedback while having the confidence that their question, concern or comment is getting to the right person in the right department.”
Hillary Robins, an ed tech specialist with K12 Insight, wrote in her nomination of Williams that she consistently demonstrates innovation, attention to detail and a deep passion to their community and team.
“Valerie’s commitment to finding more efficient uses of technology, including implementing a customer service platform for their transportation department, has greatly enhanced the services provided to families, showcasing her dedication to excellence and continuous improvement,” Robins wrote. “She has transformed their transportation department with the use of AI and by building registration forms to automate incoming inquiries. Additionally, she has effectively leveraged their customer service platform to monitor sentiment across the transportation department, ensuring a proactive approach to addressing community needs.”
Williams said internal and external communications go through Let’s Talk, plus they are dated and time-stamped so staff is better able to keep track of the conversations. The feature will allow the district to eliminate the need to monitor several different email accounts, as well as copy and pasted comments from various emails.
Challenges Amid School Start Up
Williams said one of the biggest challenges the routing department faced amid school start up was processing registrations that were submitted after the June 14th deadline. She noted they are a small team of 10, consisting of one routing supervisor, two senior routers, two general transportation routers, two special transportation routes, two field trip specialists and one field trip/routing assistant, that have to manage 11,000 active riders.
“With a shortage of drivers, our routers also are driving routes morning and/or afternoon so this limits the amount of time that they have at their desk to be able to process registrations and assign students to routes,” she said.
She noted the team is working to combat this with an “all-hands-on-deck” mentality. “In addition to the routing team, our administrative assistants, drivers, dispatchers, assistant directors, even our senior director of transportation have jumped in to help get students assigned to bus routes,” Williams said.
Department Goals
Williams added her goal is to ensure that 100 percent of Leander’s riders are registered. Additionally, she hopes to continue to collaborate with the K12 Insight team to find more creative solutions through Let’s Talk to help transportation streamline and automate its current processes. Other goals include continuing to improve the customer service experience and to look for opportunities to “work smarter, not harder.”
Finally, she said for the next school year she wants to enhance the Register to Ride campaign, with the goal of having 95 percent of riders Registered to Ride by this coming June 1.
Outside of LISD transportation, Williams said her and her husband enjoy volunteering with their ministry by conducting Bible study sessions with individuals, couples and families in their community. She also enjoys crafting, gardening, interior decorating, painting furniture and DIY projects.
Read the profiles on the Rising Stars in the November issue of School Transportation News.
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