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Katonah-Lewisboro School District bus driver Carol Rivera Gaffey was awarded National Special-Needs School Bus Driver of the Year on Tuesday, Dec. 5 by AMF-Bruns of America, which manufactures special needs products, district officials announced.
Gaffey was nominated for the award by her supervisor, Nora Beltran, who did not tell her until she learned she had won.
In her nomination letter, Beltran detailed Gaffey’s work with a nonverbal student passenger to "demonstrate how she goes the extra mile to care for students and ensure that each one has a positive experience on her bus," district officials said.
"It is evident that her efforts have not only improved the student’s experience but also impacted her positively," said Maritza Valentin, the national account manager for AMF-Bruns of America.
"She is the passenger’s voice," Valentin added.
Gaffey said she is glad to provide such a service to her young passengers.
"It’s my pleasure," Gaffey said, also adding, "I love my job.”
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