Driven to Connect – Keep Calm and Bus On
RSU 18’s Transportation Team recently began an exciting and meaningful professional development series: Driven to Connect – Keep Calm Bus On ©, a 6-hour applied emotional intelligence training designed specifically for pupil transportation teams.
This powerful framework supports bus drivers, monitors, and transportation leadership in strengthening emotional intelligence skills to enhance communication, promote student safety (both physical and emotional), and support overall professional well-being.
The training is being delivered in two 3-hour sessions:
• Session 1: February 25, 2026
• Session 2: March 13, 2026 (RSU 18 District PD Day)
What Participants Are Learning
Team members are building skills to:
• Understand and work with their nervous systems in high-stress moments
• Stay calm, cool, and regulated when student behaviors escalate
• Apply emotional intelligence tools to reduce reactivity and conflict
• Strengthen communication and relational skills across the transportation department
• Build internal awareness for safe, confident decision-making
• Use co-regulation strategies to positively influence student behavior
• Create a culture of connection, care, and professionalism
Participants are also engaging in the signature Driven to Connect © Pre-Trip Yourself framework and will receive a contact hour certificate upon completion (MAPT approved for eligible participants).
Session Highlights
Session 1 – Foundations of Emotional Intelligence for Transportation Teams
Focused on understanding the nervous system under stress, recognizing Calm & Cool vs. Lid-Flipping states, exploring neuroception and felt safety on the bus, and applying core EI tools like self-awareness, self-regulation, and co-regulation. Real-world bus scenarios allowed for meaningful, hands-on practice.
Session 2 – Applied Strategies: Keep Calm Bus On ©
This session centers on practical, immediately usable strategies to support safety, communication, and regulation, including strengthening self-awareness and self-regulation skills, seeing beyond behavior, implementation planning, and the signature Pre-Trip Yourself © strategy.
About the Presenter
The training is led by Kellie Doyle Bailey, M.A., CCC-SLP, MMT/SELI — a veteran pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist, mindfulness educator, and emotional intelligence specialist with over 30 years of experience. She is the founder of Calm Cool Kids Educate and creator of the It Takes a Calm Brain to Calm a Brain™ framework.
Kellie is the author of Some Days I Flip My Lid and the Some Days children’s book series, published by PESI, and has served as Maine DOE’s first Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Specialist, leading statewide initiatives in adult emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and trauma-informed practices.
Her engaging workshops empower individuals and organizations to integrate emotional intelligence into daily practice—creating a true contagion of care that enhances both personal and professional environments.
We are grateful to provide our Transportation Team with meaningful professional learning that strengthens connection, safety, and well-being for both staff and students. #WeAreRSU18
