Huntington Highlights: District Transportation Office Strives to Meet High Expectations

Judith Murphy, Jahaira Felix and Victoria Petruzelli work behind the scenes in Huntington UFSD’s transportation office to meet the heady expectations of residents with school age children as well as those responsible for operating eight school buildings and the academic, club and athletic programs.

The three transportation department staff members bring to 20 the number of district employees to be profiled as part of a new “Huntington Highlights” initiative that provides community members with insight into teachers and support staff members who toil at the district’s eight individual school buildings.

“Our transportation secretaries and neighborhood aides are truly the backbone of our daily operations, working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure every student is safely picked up and dropped off each day,” Deputy Superintendent Christopher J. Hender said. “From coordinating seamless field trips to staying late to confirm every child has arrived home, their commitment never wavers. They go above and beyond, resolving issues, tracking down lost items, and serving as the critical link between our district and our transportation provider.”

The staff members work very hard at their jobs and strive to meet the high expectations of parents, administrators, club advisors and athletic coaches and the students themselves.

“Even in the face of challenging interactions, they consistently respond with professionalism, grace, and understanding,” Mr. Hender said. “At the heart of everything they do is an unwavering dedication to the safety and well-being of our students, and for that, we are incredibly grateful.”

Huntington UFSD maintains a bus service contract with Huntington Coach Corp. The transportation office works closely with the company to assure the needs of the district are met.

“They are hard-working, go above and beyond for every student/teacher/administrator; work for one of the busiest and least appreciated departments and multi-task throughout every school day,” Mr. Hender said.