“Mr. Barry,” Celebrates Service & Community, One Child at a Time

Bus drivers can certainly go unnoticed at times, but they are very important people and Baron Sewell, or “Mr. Barry” as he is known by everyone, has recently retired and sure will be missed. He began driving for Williamson County schools in 2017 after a successful career in USAF and TDOC and actually was a graduate of Franklin High School, another Williamson County school. He and his wife Heather, who is a surgery recovery nurse, live in Antioch and look forward to some free time in retirement. 

We asked him what advice he would give to parents to help children achieve a safe and enjoyable ride to school. He said, as a bus driver our first and foremost responsibility is to ensure the safety and security of our children to get them to school and home again.  As our buses become more crowded, many times children are sitting three to a seat and it is imperative that they keep their voices down, remain seated and not to create a distraction to the driver.  I think all parents should get to know their driver to assist in keeping the children safe. This will greatly help your bus driver get the children to and from school safely.  When asked what one tip would he give a new bus driver, he said one thing I could tell a new bus driver is to take your time and be patient. These are children and many times they will be late getting to the bus, so you must watch for children running out of the house. I would always drive slowly and look at the houses as I’m driving to the next stop. And always try to smile, it might just make them smile too. 

One of the most rewarding things about being a bus driver I would say is the excitement in the eyes of a kindergartener that has never been on a school bus and taking them on their first ride to school. The faces I’ve seen and the kids I’ve met over the years will always be fond memories and I hope I’ve helped make a difference in the day of a child.