MONROE - Despite some hiccups along the way, Monroe High School English teacher Susan Lawson said the initial steps of Books on the Bus have been a success in a number of ways.
"I thought this would be a great project," Lawson said. "So I went to the Key Club and said, 'what do you think?' and the kids really loved the idea. It has been a long process and at some times sort of difficult to get everyone in the right spot, but I would never say it was hard to get started.
In December of 2015, the first bin of books was placed on one bus for children to pick and choose what to read while riding. The idea came from a segment Lawson watched on Wisconsin Public Television, which highlighted a school district in Door County. There, a bus driver had simply started placing books on the bus as a way for students to keep busy on hour-long bus rides. In coordination with Lamers Bus Lines drivers, Lawson began collecting donated materials.
"Books started coming in in droves," Lawson said. "I find them in my mailbox. And I have staff members who show up, and they bring me grocery bags (of books)."
The following spring, the program began. Bins were placed on roughly 24 buses. Key Club students rode on the buses to read alongside younger students. Organization members stocked bins with books. Monroe Kiwanis Club members donated bins.
But then, when summer came, the Department of Motor Vehicles inspected buses and found bins simply sitting in the front seats. Lawson said that was deemed unsafe.
Brainstorming began to ensure books could be placed on each bus without spending money. A driver with Lamers found the solution. They would adapt the bins by drilling holes through the plastic. That way, seat belts could be run through the bins as a way to secure them. The adaptive tech ed class, which is made up of students with disabilities, were the ones to transform the bins.
A number of pieces throughout the planning process were district collaborations. The art department created a logo designed by a student. Northside Elementary reading teacher Nichole Jordan offered tips on which books to include for young readers. Jordan wrote a grant application received by the district from the Excellence in Education Fund in order to special order certain books for young students who cannot read books generally sold in book stores.
Quick to compliment all the moving actors throughout the program, Lawson noted how helpful everyone had been.
"It's been very rewarding," Lawson said. "I've been really grateful to have everyone's help. Everyone I've asked for help has jumped in wholeheartedly."
Monroe High School Principal Chris Medenwaldt credited Lawson with the project, organized during her prep time at school and put together through her planning.
"I wasn't going to stand in her way," Medenwaldt said. "I knew Susan was going to be running the show, and I knew it was going to be done well. It is a big deal."
There are now 18 buses with book bins. Every tub holds roughly 50 books. Easy access to reading materials has a number of potential benefits, especially for children who may be on the bus for up to an hour each ride. One positive impact could be less disciplinary action for kids on buses, but Lawson said whether that could happen would have to be revealed in time.
"I thought this would be a great project," Lawson said. "So I went to the Key Club and said, 'what do you think?' and the kids really loved the idea. It has been a long process and at some times sort of difficult to get everyone in the right spot, but I would never say it was hard to get started.
In December of 2015, the first bin of books was placed on one bus for children to pick and choose what to read while riding. The idea came from a segment Lawson watched on Wisconsin Public Television, which highlighted a school district in Door County. There, a bus driver had simply started placing books on the bus as a way for students to keep busy on hour-long bus rides. In coordination with Lamers Bus Lines drivers, Lawson began collecting donated materials.
"Books started coming in in droves," Lawson said. "I find them in my mailbox. And I have staff members who show up, and they bring me grocery bags (of books)."
The following spring, the program began. Bins were placed on roughly 24 buses. Key Club students rode on the buses to read alongside younger students. Organization members stocked bins with books. Monroe Kiwanis Club members donated bins.
But then, when summer came, the Department of Motor Vehicles inspected buses and found bins simply sitting in the front seats. Lawson said that was deemed unsafe.
Brainstorming began to ensure books could be placed on each bus without spending money. A driver with Lamers found the solution. They would adapt the bins by drilling holes through the plastic. That way, seat belts could be run through the bins as a way to secure them. The adaptive tech ed class, which is made up of students with disabilities, were the ones to transform the bins.
A number of pieces throughout the planning process were district collaborations. The art department created a logo designed by a student. Northside Elementary reading teacher Nichole Jordan offered tips on which books to include for young readers. Jordan wrote a grant application received by the district from the Excellence in Education Fund in order to special order certain books for young students who cannot read books generally sold in book stores.
Quick to compliment all the moving actors throughout the program, Lawson noted how helpful everyone had been.
"It's been very rewarding," Lawson said. "I've been really grateful to have everyone's help. Everyone I've asked for help has jumped in wholeheartedly."
Monroe High School Principal Chris Medenwaldt credited Lawson with the project, organized during her prep time at school and put together through her planning.
"I wasn't going to stand in her way," Medenwaldt said. "I knew Susan was going to be running the show, and I knew it was going to be done well. It is a big deal."
There are now 18 buses with book bins. Every tub holds roughly 50 books. Easy access to reading materials has a number of potential benefits, especially for children who may be on the bus for up to an hour each ride. One positive impact could be less disciplinary action for kids on buses, but Lawson said whether that could happen would have to be revealed in time.