JULY 5, 2022 — After 22 years and hundreds of thousands of miles, Barbara Boulange has retired from her position as a bus driver with the district.
“I loved all the kids,” Ms. Boulange said. “It’ll be my first summer off in 50 years, so I’m ready for that.”
Her connection to the students on her route won’t fade anytime soon, though. She plans to attend some graduation parties this summer and knows she’ll stay in contact with some students who have already graduated from Lyons.
“To still be in touch with them, it means a lot to me,” Ms. Boulange said. “One of the students, I drove him for 10 years and really got to know him. That was important to me.”
Ms. Boulange drove bus 114 for the last several years, and when she acquired it there were about 500 miles on it. Its odometer tracked some 138,000 during the years she drove it — and it was in pristine condition on May 1 when Ms. Boulange dropped off the keys on her last day.
Ms. Boulange looks forward to spending time around the house, catching up on projects and gardening in the yard. She also is very excited to spend more time at home with her two dogs, too.
If the district needed her, she said she’d definitely come back as a substitute bus driver.
“I met a lot of great people in this job, and I’ll remember them forever,” Ms. Boulange said.