John Rasmussen and Scott Moll were awarded the first Spud Spirit Award of the 2023-2024 school year. John is a bus driver who has been with the district for two years; Scott is also a bus driver and is in his first year with the district.
Each year, the district is required to conduct an annual Minnesota Department of Safety School Bus inspection. The Minnesota State Highway Patrol Commercial Motor Vehicle Division comes to the District's bus garage and completes an on-site inspection to ensure each school bus and Type III vehicle is compliant with state and federal motor carrier safety regulations.
The inspection is extremely thorough and any vehicle that does not pass inspection is placed out of service. Every school bus and Type III vehicle the district owns passed inspection. In addition, the District received positive feedback from the inspectors on the quality and upkeep of the fleet and facility. This is a direct result of Scott and John's tireless efforts to keep the MAPS fleet well maintained.
Transportation Supervisor, Sean Schneider said, “John and Scott keep our transportation fleet rolling by maintaining vehicles in peak operating conditions for safe and reliable transportation for our students.”
When he is not at work, John enjoys motorcycle riding and came to bus driving after a distinguished career in the insurance industry. According to his colleagues, John's attention to detail and hard work was on display during the annual bus inspection.
Scott joined the district this past school year and has been a self starter since he arrived. His colleagues say Scott’s can-do attitude and willingness to learn new things made him an obvious choice to help with state inspection and receive the Spud Spirit Award.
The Spud Spirit Award is a recognition program that honors MAPS staff who live by the district mission to develop the maximum potential of every learner to thrive in a changing world and showcase our Spud Spirit statements:
- Students, staff, parents, families, and the Moorhead community
- Passionate, engaged, innovative, and growing in safe environments
- Unique, worthy, respectful, and relationship-based
- Diversity enriches our school and community
- Stewards of the public’s trust in effective and efficient operations
Spud Spirit Award nominations are made by staff, student families and community members. Fall 2023 Spud Spirit Award nominations are now open.